APTITUDE SCHOLASTIC TEST

MATHEMATICS
2019-2020

TOTAL TIME ALLOWED：3 HOURS TOTAL SCORE: 300

Section A Basic Essay Questions

Please choose and answer any eight of the ten questions below. Give your answers
in the designated areas. Explanations, full proofs, or steps of mathematical
calculations should be included.（Full marks: 120; 15 marks for each question.）

1. Given two sets A＝{0, 1} and B＝{1, 2}, find the number of the subsets of A∪B.

2. Given the complex number z＝1＋mi (m ∈R) , where i is a purely imaginary number of modulus 1.
Suppose z2 is purely imaginary. Find the value of m.

3. Find the variance of the five given numbers 5,4,6,3 and 7.

Page 1 of 15
 x2 y2
4. Suppose the focus of the parabola y2＝8x is also a focus of the hyperbola － ＝1 (n>0).
n 3
Find the eccentricity of the hyperbola.

5. Suppose two distinct numbers are selected at random from the set {1，2，3，4}. Find the probability
that the sum of the chosen number is a multiple of 3.

10 π
6. It is given that sin α＝ (0<α< ). Find the value of tan 2α.
10 2

Page 2 of 15
7. Solve for x : 3
x 2－x
9.

8. Define Sn as the sum of the first n terms of the arithmetic sequence {an}. Suppose S15＝30 and a7＝1.
Find the value of S10.

9. Shown in the figure is a cuboid ABCD -A1B1C1D1. Given AB＝1, AA1＝2 and A1C＝3, find the
volume of the cuboid.

Figure 9
Page 3 of 15
 a
10. Suppose that f(x)＝2x＋ x (a ∈R) is an even function of x . Find the value of a.
2

Page 4 of 15
Section B Simple Comprehensive Essay Questions
Please choose and answer any six of the eight questions below. Give your answers
in the designated areas. Explanations, proofs, or intermediate mathematical steps
should be included.（Full marks: 120; 20 marks for each question.）

11. As shown in the figure, ABCD is a trapezium. It is given that AB∥CD, AB＝4，AD＝3，CD＝2,

→ → →→ →→
and AM＝2MD. Suppose that AC ·
BM＝﹣3. Find the value of AB ·AD .

D C

A B

Figure 11

1 2  2 4  0 2. Find the

12. Consider the matrices M＝  and N＝ . Suppose MN＝ 
x y  ﹣1 ﹣1 5 13
－
inverse matrix M 1.

Page 5 of 15
 π
13. In a polar coordinate system, the equation of ⊙C is ρ＝2 2sin(θ－ ). Set up a rectangular
4
coordinate system xOy with the pole being the origin and the polar axis being the x-axis in the
 x＝－4t
positive direction. Consider the parametric equation of the line l  (t is a real parameter).
 y＝3t＋4

(1) Find the rectangular equation of ⊙C.

(2) Draw a tangent line of ⊙C from a point on the line l. Find the minimal possible length of the
tangent line.

Page 6 of 15
14. As shown in the graph of Pascal’s triangle, the jth number in row i is denoted by f(i，j) (i，j∈N

＋ ,1≤j≤i). As examples, f(3，2)＝2 and f(4，1)＝1.

(1) Find the value of f(3，3)，f(4，3)，f(5，4)，f(n，2).

1
(2) Find the value of f(2，1)+f(3，2)+f(4，3)+…+f(n，n-1). 1 1
1 2 1
1 3 3 1
1 4 6 4 1
……
Figure 14

15. Shown in the figure is a regular triangular prism ABC-A1B1C1. Here AC⊥BC，BC＝BB1 and D is
the midpoint of AB.
(1) Prove that BC1∥plane A1CD.
(2) Prove that BC1⊥planeAB1C.

Figure 15

Page 7 of 15
 π
16. Given two plane vectors a＝(cos α, (λ－1) sin α) and b＝(cos β, sin β) (λ＞0，0＜α＜β＜ 2 ).

Suppose (a+b)⊥(a-b).

(1) Find the value of λ.

4 4
(2) Suppose a·b＝ and tan β＝ . Find the value of tan α.
5 3

17. Given the function f(x)＝ax＋sin x where a ∈R. Suppose there exist two tangent lines of the
graph of f(x) that are perpendicular to each other. Find the value of a .

Page 8 of 15
18. In triangle ABC, the sides a, b and c of △ABC are opposite to interior angles A, B and C

respectively. It is given that A, B and C form an arithmetic sequence such that a2＋c2＝kb2 (k∈R).

Find the range of k.

Page 9 of 15
Section C Comprehensive Essay Questions
Please choose and answer any two of the four questions below. Give your answers
in the designated areas. Provide explanations, proofs, or any intermediate steps.
（Full marks: 60; 30 marks for each question.）

19. As shown in the figure, an oval garden centres at the point O. AB is the long axis of the ellipse
and the point C is the upper vertex of the ellipse. To lay the irrigation pipeline, the points E and
F should lie on AB such that OE＝OF, where CE, CF and FA are the total length (denoted u) of
the pipeline. Suppose ∠CFO＝θ, OA＝20m and OC＝10m.

(1) Find the relationship between u and θ and give the range of cos θ.
(2) Find the maximal value of u.
C

B A
E O F

Figure 19

Page 10 of 15
 x2 y2
20. Suppose the ellipse 2＋ 2 ＝1 (a >b>0) passes through the point P(-2, 1) . The eccentricity
a b
2
of the ellipse is . Draw two lines that are perpendicular to each other, intersecting the ellipse at
2
the points A, B. The two points don’t coincide with P.
(1) Find the equation of the ellipse.
(2) Prove that the line AB passes through a fixed point and give the coordinates of the fixed point.

Figure 20

Page 11 of 15
21. Given the function f(x) ＝2lnx－mx－1, where m∈R.
(1) If m＝1, describe the monotonicity of f(x).
1 5
－
(2) Let g(x)＝xf(x) and the domain D  (e 2 2
, e ) where e is the base of natural logarithms, i.e.
logex＝ lnx.
(i) If g(x) has two extreme points in the domain D, find the range of m.
(ii) Suppose the two extreme points of g(x) in the domain D are x1, x2. Prove that x1 x2＞e.

Page 12 of 15
Page 13 of 15
22. Given the sequence {an} and the sum of the first n terms of {an}(denoted Sn) satisfy 3an＝2Sn＋3
(n∈N＋).
(1) Find the general term of {an}.
2an
(2) Suppose bn＝ and let Tn be the first n terms of {bn}. If Tn<M for any n∈N＋,
( an－1)( an＋1－1)
find the minimal value of M.
(3) Determine whether there exists (m, n) (m∈Z, n∈N＋) such that an2－(m＋2) an＋7m－15＝0. If
it exists, find all (m, n) satisfying the condition, or if it does not exist, give reasons.

Page 14 of 15
Page 15 of 15