So who else couldn't do the last page?

[Chalkhous]

Did anyone else do it like how I did it?

So I first defined p=x point of tangency

Then the gradient in terms of p is -p/2
Tangent line is y=-px/2+k
Sub (p,(16-p^2)/4) and solve for p
You get p=2(k-4)^1/2

Therefore the gradient=-(k-4)^1/2

[casbanjo]

I did it like this:







 

[teletubbies_95]

I started from the last question. It took me about 10 minutes to think of what was actually happening in the question. But yeh , it wasn't too bad after you understood. I think that's the problem, you know how to do it , but when doing it under time conditions your brain just goes crazy.
I guessed a 2-3 multiple choices and didn't end up doing the second part of the show P' X' .

Was such a bad exam

[Chalkhous]

Also how do you guys write things out in with square roots and fractions in this forum?

[SocialRhubarb]

LaTeX typeset in Maths boards

It's called LateX, that's a short guide on using it.

[~T]

...it wasn't too bad after you understood...

I think you've touched on something here... Once you started, it came together. The difficult thing about it was that it came back to fundamental problem solving in a sense. I don't remember being stumped in a single methods exam this year until that question; however, I started and slowly it worked out. I know that my mind "gets" maths and that's not the case for everyone, and I certainly saw the question and decided it was pretty damn harsh from VCAA, but there should be more of this kind of stuff. I think the fact that barely anyone got it suggests that. Just my $0.02.

[Chalkhous]

What do think the percentages will be on the examiner's report for the last page? 5%? It may be even less. I don't think I've come across a group of questions that has less than 5% being able to do it.

[teletubbies_95]

I think you've touched on something here... Once you started, it came together. The difficult thing about it was that it came back to fundamental problem solving in a sense. I don't remember being stumped in a single methods exam this year until that question; however, I started and slowly it worked out. I know that my mind "gets" maths and that's not the case for everyone, and I certainly saw the question and decided it was pretty damn harsh from VCAA, but there should be more of this kind of stuff. I think the fact that barely anyone got it suggests that. Just my $0.02.

I guess exam 2 questions are like that . You have to understand what's going on first and I guess it was nice of them for not to put that part of the question first , and gave us time to understand the question, with the previous parts of the question. But it was harsh. I've never seen a question like that before too (which might be because I didn't really do many exams for methods )

[~T]

What do think the percentages will be on the examiner's report for the last page? 5%? It may be even less. I don't think I've come across a group of questions that has less than 5% being able to do it.

Considering the quality of students I know from a neighbouring school who couldn't get it, along with the fact that no one else did from mine... I think you might be around the mark when you say 5%.

[Stick]

My Specialist teacher even struggled to do the question.

[~T]

I'll admit I thought it was bad, but I didn't think it was this bad! I'll have to check with my teacher and tutor.

[Chalkhous]

So do you guys think that the cutoff for a 50 will be lowered to a 118 or maybe even 117? I'm hoping so but then again the other guys in my school going for a 50 all got it.

[casbanjo]

there was some stupid question in like 2006 or something which was worded terribly and 96% of people got it wrong.
There's also been a couple of final questions 90% of people haven't answered.

Found it. 2007 Exam 2 Question 1 d. 96% of people got 0 marks.

[Chalkhous]

there was some stupid question in like 2006 or something which was worded terribly and 96% of people got it wrong.
There's also been a couple of final questions 90% of people haven't answered.

Found it. 2007 Exam 2 Question 1 d. 96% of people got 0 marks.

That's true but they have all been 2-3 mark questions. For this exam, if you couldn't find the gradient it locked you out of 8 marks.

[casbanjo]

That's true but they have all been 2-3 mark questions. For this exam, if you couldn't find the gradient it locked you out of 8 marks.

Yeah, this one was a special case. I'm assuming scores for this year will be dragged down a lot because of that.