VCAA 2007 last calculator question

[thisongaintgottaname]

how long did it took you to get the answer (15 something) from your calculator? and which calculator do you use?
it took me 8 minutes to get it from my calc and it just doesn't sound right..
is it happening to you guys as well or is it just me?
 

[dcc]

From memory, I think it took my calculator (TI-84+) about 13 seconds to solve that question.  If I recall correctly, the question asked for the nearest second, so I believe one way to speed it up would be to graph the appropriate functions, then set the resolution on the graphing (it's one of the settings) really low, then using that to find an approximate answer.  As long as you get within .5 of the right thing, you should be sweet

I think it was mentioned in the examiners notes, there were some other approximations and simplifications you could make, which still retained the necessary accuracy to get correct to the nearest second.

[thisongaintgottaname]

Thanks Dcc !!

but how do we change the setting?

[thisongaintgottaname]

avocadobump~

[NE2000]

Hey I did this yesterday and my calculator lagged enormously.

 So...yeah...how do you change the setting? Also, if you are working something out with the calc but its lagging and you want it to stop, how can you force it to stop (can you)?

I know VCAA gave an extra couple of techniques and I liked the table method (just get a table for each and see when it changes)

[kdgamz]

i used a TI-89 and used the expression given by the assessor's report

but its busy for a very long time so i just cancel it

i dont get it...........

is there other way to do it on a ti-89???

thanks

[NE2000]

Yeah how do you cancel it?

(sorry noob question but I normally haven't faced these problems)

In the end what I did with the TI-89 is put the LHS - RHS in y1. Then did y1(12), y1(13), y1(14), y1(15), y1(16) until I saw it change sign and then I went in and investigated further. lol it was hard.

[GerrySly]

Also, if you are working something out with the calc but its lagging and you want it to stop, how can you force it to stop (can you)?

Sure, just hit On for equations and Enter + On for graphs

[NE2000]

ok thanks

[googoo]

http://www.itute.com/2008/10/13/free-download-2007-vcaa-specialist-mathematics-examination-2-solutions/

[Fyrefly]

Urgh... I got angry with that Q!!
I didn't even bother to properly attempt it in the end... I wanted to throw my calculator >.>

(This was in the exam, btw... I is class of '07)