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Date November 2016 Marks available 5 Reference code 16N.3dm.hl.TZ0.3
Level HL only Paper Paper 3 Discrete mathematics Time zone TZ0
Command term Hence and Write down Question number 3 Adapted from N/A

Question

In a computer game, Fibi, a magic dragon, is climbing a very large staircase. The steps are labelled 0, 1, 2, 3 … .

She starts on step 0. If Fibi is on a particular step then she can either jump up one step or fly up two steps. Let un represent the number of different ways that Fibi can get to step n. When counting the number of different ways, the order of Fibi’s moves matters, for example jump, fly, jump is considered different to jump, jump, fly. Let u0=1.

Find the values of u1, u2, u3.

[3]
a.

Show that un+2=un+1+un.

[2]
b.

(i)     Write down the auxiliary equation for this recurrence relation.

(ii)     Hence find the solution to this recurrence relation, giving your answer in the form un=Aαn+Bβn where α and β are to be determined exactly in surd form and α>β. The constants A and B do not have to be found at this stage.

[5]
c.

(i)     Given that A=15(1+52), use the value of u0 to determine B.

(ii)     Hence find the explicit formula for un.

[3]
d.

Find the value of u20.

[1]
e.

Find the smallest value of n for which un>100000.

[2]
f.

Markscheme

u1=1, u2=2, u3=3    A1A1A1

[3 marks]

a.

to get to step n+2 she can either fly from step n or jump from step n+1     R2

so un+2=un+1+un     AG

[2 marks]

b.

(i)     auxiliary equation λ2λ1=0     M1A1

 

Note: Award M1 for attempting to write down a relevant quadratic.

 

(ii)     λ=1±1+42     M1A1

un=A(1+52)n+B(152)n    A1

[5 marks]

c.

(i)     u0=1 implies A+B=1. So B=15(152)     M1A1

(ii)     un=15(1+52)n+115(152)n+1     A1

 

Note: Accept equivalent expressions in parts (i) and (ii).

 

[3 marks]

d.

u20=10946    A1

[1 mark]

e.

using table, smallest value for n is 25 (gives 121393)     (M1)A1

 

Note: Accept other methods, eg, logs on the dominant term.

 

[2 marks]

f.

Examiners report

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Syllabus sections

Topic 10 - Option: Discrete mathematics » 10.11
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