Home / IB Mathematics SL 1.2 Arithmetic sequences and series AI HL Paper 2- Exam Style Questions

IB Mathematics SL 1.2 Arithmetic sequences and series AI HL Paper 2- Exam Style Questions

IB Mathematics SL 1.2 Arithmetic sequences and series AI HL Paper 2- Exam Style Questions- New Syllabus

Question

A large underground tank is constructed at Mills Airport to store fuel.
The tank is in the shape of an isosceles trapezoidal prism, \( ABCDEFGH \).
\( AB = 70 \, \text{m} \), \( AF = 200 \, \text{m} \), \( AD = 40 \, \text{m} \), \( BC = 40 \, \text{m} \), \( CD = 110 \, \text{m} \). Angle \( ADC = 60^\circ \) and angle \( BCD = 60^\circ \).
The tank is illustrated below.
Isosceles trapezoidal prism diagram
(a) Find \( h \), the height of the tank [2].
(b) Show that the volume of the tank is \( 624,000 \, \text{m}^3 \), correct to three significant figures [3].
Once construction was complete, a fuel pump was used to pump fuel into the empty tank. The amount of fuel pumped into the tank by this pump each hour decreases as an arithmetic sequence with terms \( u_1 \), \( u_2 \), \( u_3 \), \( \ldots \), \( u_n \).
Part of this sequence is shown in the table.

Hour (\( n \))

1st

2nd

3rd

Amount of fuel pumped into the tank in each hour, in \( \text{m}^3 \) (\( u_n \))

 

45,000

43,200

41,400


(c) Write down the common difference, \( d \) [1].
(d) Find the amount of fuel pumped into the tank in the 13th hour [2].
(e)(i) Find the value of \( n \) such that \( u_n = 0 \) [2].
(e)(ii) Write down the number of hours that the pump was pumping fuel into the tank [1].
At the end of the 2nd hour, the total volume of fuel in the tank was \( 88,200 \, \text{m}^3 \).
(f) Find the total amount of fuel pumped into the tank in the first 8 hours [2].
(g) Show that the tank will never be completely filled using this pump [3].

▶️ Answer/Explanation
Markscheme

(a)
In triangle \( ADC \), drop perpendicular from \( D \) to \( M \) on \( CD \).
\( AM = \frac{110 – 70}{2} = 20 \, \text{m} \), \( \angle ADC = 60^\circ \), \( AD = 40 \, \text{m} \).
Compute:
\( \sin 60^\circ = \frac{h}{40} \)
\( h = 40 \times \frac{\sqrt{3}}{2} = 20\sqrt{3} \approx 34.6 \, \text{m} \).
Result: \( h = 20\sqrt{3} \approx 34.6 \, \text{m} \) [2].

(b)
Volume = area of trapezoid \( \times 200 \).
Area:
\( \frac{1}{2} \times (70 + 110) \times 20\sqrt{3} \approx 90 \times 34.6410 \approx 3117.69 \, \text{m}^2 \)
Volume:
\( 3117.69 \times 200 \approx 623,538 \approx 624,000 \, \text{m}^3 \).
Result: \( 624,000 \, \text{m}^3 \) (three significant figures) [3].

(c)
Common difference:
\( d = 43,200 – 45,000 = -1800 \, \text{m}^3 \).
Result: \( d = -1800 \, \text{m}^3 \) [1].

(d)
Sequence:
\( u_n = 45,000 + (n-1)(-1800) \)
For \( n = 13 \):
\( u_{13} = 45,000 + 12 \times (-1800) = 23,400 \, \text{m}^3 \).
Result: \( 23,400 \, \text{m}^3 \) [2].

(e)(i)
Set:
\( u_n = 45,000 + (n-1)(-1800) = 0 \)
Solve:
\( 1800(n-1) = 45,000 \)
\( n-1 = 25 \)
\( n = 26 \).
Result: \( n = 26 \) [2].

(e)(ii)
Pump stops after 25 hours (\( u_{26} = 0 \)).
Result: 25 hours [1].

(f)
Sum:
\( S_8 = \frac{8}{2} [2 \times 45,000 + (8-1)(-1800)] \)
\( = 4 \times 77,400 = 309,600 \, \text{m}^3 \).
Verify:
\( S_2 = 45,000 + 43,200 = 88,200 \, \text{m}^3 \).
Result: \( 309,600 \, \text{m}^3 \) [2].

(g)
Compute:
\( S_{25} = \frac{25}{2} [90,000 + 24(-1800)] \)
\( = 12.5 \times 46,800 = 585,000 \, \text{m}^3 \)
Since \( 585,000 < 624,000 \) and \( u_n \leq 0 \) for \( n > 25 \), tank never fills.
Result: Tank never fills, as maximum sum is 585,000 m³ [3].

Scroll to Top