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Square Roots Within Square Roots

This document discusses sequences of terms involving square roots. It defines a sequence with terms of 6 plus the previous terms' square roots and asks students to calculate terms and find the limit. It then generalizes this to other starting values and integer limits. It also relates sequences to quadratic equations and finding the pairs of integers that produce a given limit.

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Hannah
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25 views

Square Roots Within Square Roots

This document discusses sequences of terms involving square roots. It defines a sequence with terms of 6 plus the previous terms' square roots and asks students to calculate terms and find the limit. It then generalizes this to other starting values and integer limits. It also relates sequences to quadratic equations and finding the pairs of integers that produce a given limit.

Uploaded by

Hannah
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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2

Answer both parts A and B.

A INVESTIGATION (QUESTIONS 1 to 6)

SQUARE ROOTS WITHIN SQUARE ROOTS (20 marks)

You are advised to spend no more than 45 minutes on this part.

This investigation looks at sequences of terms with square roots.

You can form a sequence by using square roots within square roots.

6 , 6+ 6 , 6+ 6+ 6 , 6 + 6 + 6 + 6 , ...

You can calculate the first four terms of this sequence as follows.

6 = 2.4494.….

6+ 6 = 6 + 2.4494... = 8.4494... = 2.9068.….

6+ 6+ 6 = 6 + 2.9068... = 8.9068... = 2.9844.….

6+ 6+ 6+ 6 = 6 + 2.9844... = 8.9844... = 2.9974…..

1 (a) Calculate the next term of the sequence, writing the decimal as far as the 4th decimal place.

......................................................

(b) As the sequence continues, the terms get closer and closer to an integer.
This integer is the integer limit of the sequence.

Write down the integer limit of this sequence.

......................................................

© UCLES 2019 0607/62/M/J/19


3

2 Here is a similar sequence of square roots.

30 , 30 + 30 , 30 + 30 + 30 , 30 + 30 + 30 + 30 , ...

(a) Calculate the first three terms, writing each decimal as far as the 4th decimal place.

..................................... , ..................................... , .....................................

(b) Write down the integer limit of this sequence.

......................................................

© UCLES 2019 0607/62/M/J/19 [Turn over


4

3 (a) Complete this table for similar sequences.

First term Integer limit

12

20

30

42 7

(b) (i) Use part (a) to find the first term of the sequence that has an integer limit of 8.

......................................................

(ii) Calculate the 4th term of the sequence in part (b)(i).


Give your answer correct to 4 decimal places.

......................................................

© UCLES 2019 0607/62/M/J/19


5

4 The general sequence is k, k+ k , k+ k+ k , k + k + k + k , ...

So, when x is one of the terms, the next term is k + x .

The sequence reaches its limit, x, when one term equals the next term. That is, when x = k + x .

(a) Make k the subject of the equation x = k + x .

......................................................

(b) Use part (a) to check that the sequence below has a limit, x, equal to 7.

42 , 42 + 42 , 42 + 42 + 42 , 42 + 42 + 42 + 42 , ...

5 You will find the following information useful in this question.

- b ! b 2 - 4ac
For the equation ax 2 + bx + c = 0 , x =
2a

The limit of 3 , 3+ 3 , 3+ 3+ 3 , 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 , ... is not an integer.

Find the exact value of this limit.

......................................................

© UCLES 2019 0607/62/M/J/19 [Turn over


6

6 Here is another type of sequence.

5, 5 + 13 , 5 + 13 + 5 , 5 + 13 + 5 + 13 , 5 + 13 + 5 + 13 + 5 , ...

(a) The limit of this sequence is an integer, x.

By calculating some terms of this sequence, find x.

......................................................

(b) The general form of this sequence is

a, a+ b , a+ b+ a , a + b + a + b , ...

where a and b are positive integers and a ! b.

The sequence has a limit, x, when x = a + b + x .

Show that this equation can be written as x 2 - a = b + x .

© UCLES 2019 0607/62/M/J/19


7

(c) (i) Use your answer to part (a) to show that the equation x2 - a = b + x is correct for this
sequence.

5, 5 + 13 , 5 + 13 + 5 , 5 + 13 + 5 + 13 , 5 + 13 + 5 + 13 + 5 , ...

(ii) There are other pairs of positive integers, a and b, where a ! b, such that the sequence

a, a+ b , a+ b+ a , a + b + a + b , ... has the same limit as in part (a).

Find all these pairs of positive integers.

© UCLES 2019 0607/62/M/J/19 [Turn over

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