Example Candidate Responses – Paper 4

Cambridge International AS & A Level

Further Mathematics 9231
For examination from 2022
© Cambridge University Press & Assessment 2023 v1
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Contents

Introduction.......................................................................................................................................................................4
Question 1........................................................................................................................................................................6
Example Candidate Response – 1..................................................................................................................................6
Question 2........................................................................................................................................................................7
Example Candidate Response – 1..................................................................................................................................7
Example Candidate Response – 2..................................................................................................................................8
Question 3........................................................................................................................................................................9
Example Candidate Response – 1..................................................................................................................................9
Question 4......................................................................................................................................................................11
Example Candidate Response – 1................................................................................................................................11
Example Candidate Response – 2................................................................................................................................13
Question 5......................................................................................................................................................................15
Example Candidate Response – 1................................................................................................................................15
Example Candidate Response – 2................................................................................................................................17
Question 6......................................................................................................................................................................19
Example Candidate Response – 1................................................................................................................................19
Example Candidate Response – 2................................................................................................................................20
Example Candidate Response – 3................................................................................................................................21
Example Candidate Responses – Paper 4

Introduction
The main aim of this booklet is to exemplify standards for those teaching Cambridge International AS & A Level
Further Mathematics 9231 and to show how different levels of candidates’ performance relate to the subject’s
curriculum and assessment objectives.
In this booklet, candidate responses have been chosen from the June 2022 series to exemplify a range of answers for
all the questions on the question paper.
For each question, the response is annotated with a clear explanation of where and why marks were awarded or
omitted. This is followed by examiner comments on how the answer could have been improved. In this way, it is
possible for you to understand what candidates have done to gain their marks and what they could do to improve their
answers. There is also a list of common mistakes candidates made in their answers for each question.
This document provides illustrative examples of candidate work with examiner commentary. These help teachers to
assess the standard required to achieve marks beyond the guidance of the mark scheme. Please also refer to the
June 2022 Examiner Report for further detail and guidance.
The questions and mark schemes used here are available to download from the School Support Hub. These files are:

9231 June 2022 Question Paper 43

9231 June 2022 Mark Scheme 43

Past exam resources and other teaching and learning resources are available on the School Support Hub:
www.cambridgeinternational.org/support

4
Example Candidate Responses – Paper 4

How to use this booklet

This booklet goes through the paper one question at a time. The candidate answers are set in a table. In the left-hand
column are the candidate answers, and in the right-hand column are the examiner comments.

Example Candidate Response – 1 Examiner comments

1 The expression for the

1 confidence interval is of the
correct form, but this candidate
makes the common and critical
error of using the z-value 1.96
instead of the t-value 2.365.
The information in the question
concerns a small sample with
unknown population variance and
this means that a z-distribution is
Answers are by real candidates in exam Examiner comments are
conditions. These show you the types of answers for alongside the answers. These
each level. Discuss and analyse the answers with your explain where and why marks
learners in the classroom to improve their skills. were awarded. This helps you
to interpret the standard of
Cambridge exams so you can
help your learners to refine their
exam technique.

5
Example Candidate Responses – Paper 4

Question 1

Example Candidate Response – 1 Examiner comments

1 1 The expression for the

confidence interval is of the correct
form, but this candidate makes the
common and critical error of using
the z-value 1.96 instead of the
t-value 2.365. The information in the
question concerns a small sample
with unknown population variance
and this means that a z-distribution
is not valid.

Total mark awarded =

1 out of 4

6
Example Candidate Responses – Paper 4

Question 2

Example Candidate Response – 1 Examiner comments

1 1 The hypotheses and the

calculations are all correct here.
However, the conclusion illustrates
a common error. The conclusion
needs to be written both in context
and with a level of uncertainty
in the words used. A hypothesis
test cannot prove anything; it only
provides sufficient evidence to
suggest. A statement such as ‘there
is insufficient evidence to suggest
that the size of shell is independent
of the beach location’ is a more
appropriate wording. In general,
the words ‘prove’, ‘show that’ etc.
should be avoided, as well as the
even more definite statement ‘the
size of the shell is dependent on the
beach location’.

Total mark awarded =

6 out of 7

7
Example Candidate Responses – Paper 4

Example Candidate Response – 2 Examiner comments

1 This is a correct expression

1
of the null hypothesis, but there
is no reference to the alternative
hypothesis. Both the null and
alternative hypotheses must be
stated when any hypothesis test is
being used.

2 2 The test statistic is correctly

calculated as 7.04.
3 3 The number of degrees of
freedom for a 2 by 4 contingency
table is 1 x 3. The candidate
calculates this, but then thinks that
1 has to be subtracted from it. This
is a muddling of the methods for
finding the number of degrees of
freedom in different situations. It
is common to see incorrect values
of the tabular value used in a
chi-squared test. Candidates are
advised to pay attention to how
to find the correct tabular value,
because the value is crucial to the
test.

Total mark awarded =

4 out of 7

8
Example Candidate Responses – Paper 4

Question 3

Example Candidate Response – 1 Examiner comments

1 The candidate leaves a gap

in the probability distribution
table corresponding to x = 0. This
does not matter in this part of the
1 question, but it becomes a problem
in part (b).

2 The coefficient of t 2 in the

probability generating function (pgf)
2 is the probability of obtaining 2
3 heads when the coins are thrown.
This is correctly identified as ab.

4 3 The coefficient of t in the

pgf is the probability of obtaining
one head when the two coins are
thrown. There are two ways of
achieving this; the candidate has
only coin A showing a head and
coin B showing a tail. There should
be an additional term (1 - a) b in this
expression. Errors such as this in
writing down the two equations in
(a) and (b) were fairly common.

4 The step of solving two

equations in (a) and (b) has been
simplified by this candidate's error.
Even candidates who had the
correct equations made errors in
solving them. Algebra such as this
should be second nature to the
candidate.
Mark for (a) = 0 out of 2

9
Example Candidate Responses – Paper 4

Example Candidate Response – 1, continued Examiner comments

5 The omission in the probability

distribution table in part (a) is now
significant. The pgf written here by
5 the candidate was seen on many
scripts. It should be noted that the
6 coefficients of the terms in the pgf
always sum to 1. Therefore, there is
a missing constant term of 1/2. This
is the probability that no heads are
obtained when the coins are thrown
and so could have been found in
that way.

7 6 This is the correct method, but

the result is incorrect because of the
missing term in the pgf.
Mark for (b) = 1 out of 3

7 This is the correct formula

for finding Var(Y). The calculation
is incorrect because of earlier
errors. However, this solution
illustrates how errors could easily
occur when work is not presented
clearly. Candidates are advised
to write down the first and second
derivatives of the pgf of Y. They
then substitute t = 1 in each and
finally substitute in the formula
which is given in List of formula
(MF19). This candidate has carried
out all the steps in one line, and
done so accurately, but it is an
unnecessary risk to take. This
solution is only just acceptable,
because the examiner can see what
is happening.
Mark for (c) = 2 out of 3

Total mark awarded =

3 out of 8

10
Example Candidate Responses – Paper 4

Question 4

Example Candidate Response – 1 Examiner comments

1 1 The candidate has the correct

expression as the integrand
and completes the integration
successfully.
Mark for (a) = 3 out of 3

2 2 The candidate integrates the

pdf of X to find the cdf of X.

11
Example Candidate Responses – Paper 4

Example Candidate Response – 1, continued Examiner comments

3 3 The change of variable from

X to Y has been applied to find the
CDF of Y.
4
4 Differentiation of the CDF of Y
leads to the correct pdf of Y. The
error here is that the domain is not
correctly defined. We need to see
the domain of y.
Mark for (b) = 3 out of 4

5 5 This equation is correct, but

now the candidate implicitly uses a
substitution of y for the square root
of y, so the final answer of
is in fact the value of the square
root of y and not y itself. This error
occurred quite often and could have
been avoided by using an explicit
substitution such as u is equal to the
square root of y.
Mark for (c) = 2 out of 3

Total mark awarded =

8 out of 10

12
Example Candidate Responses – Paper 4

Example Candidate Response – 2 Examiner comments

1 This is a common error. The

1 integrand should have f(x) and not
f(x 2). Candidates mistakenly think
that the function itself has to change
when finding an expectation.
Mark for (a) = 0 out of 3

2 2 The candidate integrates the

PDF of X to find the CDF of X,
correctly.

3 The candidate applies the

3 change of variable correctly,
giving the CDF of Y. However, it is
the PDF of Y that is required, so
differentiation of the CDF needs to
follow. This omission was commonly
seen.
Mark for (b) = 2 out of 4

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Example Candidate Responses – Paper 4

Example Candidate Response – 2, continued Examiner comments

4 4 This is the correct starting

point.

5 An alternative method to using

5 a substitution is to square both
sides of the equation.

6 6 There is a slight loss of

accuracy in the final answer.
Mark for (c) = 2 out of 3

Total mark awarded =

4 out of 10

14
Example Candidate Responses – Paper 4

Question 5

Example Candidate Response – 1 Examiner comments

1 A substantial number of
candidates appear unfamiliar with
the basic methodology required to
carry out a sign test. It is a syllabus
1 item and candidates need to be
aware of its existence and how to
apply it.
2
2 The candidate considers the
sign differences of each length from
3
5.50 and correctly finds that there
are 8 positives (and 3 negatives).
4
3 The sign test depends on using
the Binomial distribution, in this
case, B(11, 0.5).

4 The probability that needs to be

calculated is P(X ≤ 3). The error here
is that P(X = 3) is found and used.

15
Example Candidate Responses – Paper 4

Example Candidate Response – 1, continued Examiner comments

5 The candidate carries out the

5
Wilcoxon signed-rank test correctly
with all the steps clearly seen.
The conclusion is correct, with an
acceptable level of uncertainty.

Total mark awarded =

6 out of 9

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Example Candidate Responses – Paper 4

Example Candidate Response – 2 Examiner comments

1 The hypotheses are stated

in the question and involve the
population median. In this case,
there were no marks for restating
these hypotheses, but if there had
been, this would have scored zero
marks. The symbol used is the
1 accepted symbol for the mean and
not the median. The symbol m or
the words population median would
2 have been acceptable.

2 Application of the sign test

proved difficult for most candidates,
3 with many not being aware of
the methodology of the test. This
example shows two of the typical
4 errors made by candidates who did
make some progress.

3 The candidate finds that

there are 8 positive differences
and attempts to use B(11, 0.5).
However, the term for X = 8 should
also be included.

4 The comparison should be with

0.05. The candidate uses 1.645
which corresponds to a normal
distribution.

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Example Candidate Responses – Paper 4

Example Candidate Response – 2, continued Examiner comments

5 The candidate carries out the

Wilcoxon signed-rank test correctly.
5 The conclusion does show an
appropriate level of uncertainty,
but it is not fully in context, using a
symbol which is undefined in the
question, and as seen earlier is
not acceptable as an alternative to
‘population median’.

Total mark awarded =

6 out of 9

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Example Candidate Responses – Paper 4

Question 6

Example Candidate Response – 1 Examiner comments

1 This is correct, but 2.638 is

not. The t value should be 2.66. It
is worth noting here that because
the intermediate stage of calculating
the denominator is absent, it is not
possible to see where the error has
occurred, so neither accuracy mark
is awarded. If several steps are
performed on a calculator, then just
1 an answer given, there is no scope
for awarding intermediate accuracy
marks. Candidates should be aware
2 that there is a risk involved in such
a strategy.

2 The candidate labels the test

statistic as t whereas it should be
z. The value of 2.326 used in the
comparison is a z value, so the
3 mislabelling is condoned in this
case.

3 The conclusion must contain

an appropriate level of uncertainty.
A statement such as ‘there is
sufficient evidence to support a
difference in population means’
4 would be an appropriate conclusion.
Words such as prove and show
should be avoided.
Mark for (a) = 5 out of 8

4 This value is correct, though

again it is labelled as t. 93.95 is
also a correct value, but it needs to
be subtracted from 100 to give the
limiting least value of alpha as 6.05.
Mark for (b) = 3 out of 4

Total mark awarded =

8 out of 12

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Example Candidate Responses – Paper 4

Example Candidate Response – 2 Examiner comments

1 The work up to this point is

accurate, but then the number
1.12486 is picked up from earlier,
instead of 1.2653. Here, we have an
inconsistency with a variance and a
standard deviation being used, but
1 this is probably a slip rather than a
method error. Slips such as this are
not uncommon, and with due care
could be avoided.

2 The comparison with 2.326 is

2 correct, but the conclusion is not
correct. Since the calculated test
statistic is greater than the tabular
value, the null hypothesis should be
rejected.
Mark for (a) = 4 out of 8

3 The method up to this point is

correct, but the accuracy error from
part (a) carries through.

4 The value found is the least

possible value of alpha which
satisfies the condition given in the
question. This correct interpretation
was not seen very often.
Mark for (b) = 1 out of 4
3
Total mark awarded =
4
5 out of 12

20
Example Candidate Responses – Paper 4

Example Candidate Response – 3 Examiner comments

1 The candidate uses a pooled

estimate for the variance, assuming
that the two populations share a
1 common variance. There is nothing
given in the question to suggest
that this might be true or a valid
assumption. In the absence of a
statement in the text that a common
population variance is either true
2 or can be assumed, a candidate
should use the formula for unequal
variances.

2 It is acceptable for candidates

to work with a p-value instead of
a z-value as long as the correct
comparison is made. This is not
seen very often.
Mark for (a) = 3 out of 8

3 3 The candidate continues to

use a pooled variance, so this
expression is incorrect.

4 4 Following from the candidate’s

6.26%, the incorrect range is given.
It would be [6.26, 100].
Mark for (b) = 0 out of 4

Total mark awarded =

3 out of 12

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