AQA D1 2008 January — Question 5 10 marks

Exam BoardAQA
ModuleD1 (Decision Mathematics 1)
Year2008
SessionJanuary
Marks10
PaperDownload PDF ↗
Mark schemeDownload PDF ↗
TopicTravelling Salesman
TypeInterpret Bounds or Solution
DifficultyEasy -1.8 This question tests only basic recall and interpretation of travelling salesman concepts: identifying best bounds from lists (trivial comparison), stating what bounds mean (standard definition), and applying nearest neighbour algorithm to a 4-node network. No problem-solving, optimization insight, or complex reasoning required—purely procedural with minimal computational demand.
Spec7.02c Graph terminology: walk, trail, path, cycle, route7.04c Travelling salesman upper bound: nearest neighbour method7.04d Travelling salesman lower bound: using minimum spanning tree

5 [Figure 3, printed on the insert, is provided for use in this question.]
  1. James is solving a travelling salesperson problem.
    1. He finds the following upper bounds: \(43,40,43,41,55,43,43\). Write down the best upper bound.
    2. James finds the following lower bounds: 33, 40, 33, 38, 33, 38, 38 . Write down the best lower bound.
  2. Karen is solving a different travelling salesperson problem and finds an upper bound of 55 and a lower bound of 45 . Write down an interpretation of these results.
  3. The diagram below shows roads connecting 4 towns, \(A , B , C\) and \(D\). The numbers on the edges represent the lengths of the roads, in kilometres, between adjacent towns. \includegraphics[max width=\textwidth, alt={}, center]{92175666-ef7a-4dca-9cdb-ebde1b40b2c9-05_451_1034_1160_504} Xiong lives at town \(A\) and is to visit each of the other three towns before returning to town \(A\). She wishes to find a route that will minimise her travelling distance.
    1. Complete Figure 3, on the insert, to show the shortest distances, in kilometres, between all pairs of towns.
    2. Use the nearest neighbour algorithm on Figure 3 to find an upper bound for the minimum length of a tour of this network that starts and finishes at \(A\).
    3. Hence find the actual route that Xiong would take in order to achieve a tour of the same length as that found in part (c)(ii).

Question 5:
Part (a)(i)
AnswerMarks Guidance
AnswerMarks Guidance
\(40\)B1
Total: 1
Part (a)(ii)
AnswerMarks Guidance
AnswerMarks Guidance
\(40\)B1
Total: 1
Part (b)
AnswerMarks Guidance
AnswerMarks Guidance
\(45 \leq T \leq 55\)B1
Total: 1
Part (c)(i)
AnswerMarks Guidance
AnswerMarks Guidance
Distance matrix with 3 independent entries correctB1 3 indep correct
Full matrix: \(A\)-\(B=20\), \(A\)-\(C=38\), \(A\)-\(D=35\), \(B\)-\(C=18\), \(B\)-\(D=15\), \(C\)-\(D=33\)B1 All correct
Total: 2
Part (c)(ii)
AnswerMarks Guidance
AnswerMarks Guidance
Tour \(A\ B\ D\ C\ A\): \(20+15+33+38=106\)M1 Tour visits all
Correct order or their \(33\)A1
B1
Total: 3
Part (c)(iii)
AnswerMarks Guidance
AnswerMarks Guidance
\(A\ B\ D\ B\ C\ B\ A\)M1 Any expansion on (c)(ii)
CorrectA1
Total: 2
## Question 5:

### Part (a)(i)
| Answer | Marks | Guidance |
|--------|-------|----------|
| $40$ | B1 | |
| **Total: 1** | | |

### Part (a)(ii)
| Answer | Marks | Guidance |
|--------|-------|----------|
| $40$ | B1 | |
| **Total: 1** | | |

### Part (b)
| Answer | Marks | Guidance |
|--------|-------|----------|
| $45 \leq T \leq 55$ | B1 | |
| **Total: 1** | | |

### Part (c)(i)
| Answer | Marks | Guidance |
|--------|-------|----------|
| Distance matrix with 3 independent entries correct | B1 | 3 indep correct |
| Full matrix: $A$-$B=20$, $A$-$C=38$, $A$-$D=35$, $B$-$C=18$, $B$-$D=15$, $C$-$D=33$ | B1 | All correct |
| **Total: 2** | | |

### Part (c)(ii)
| Answer | Marks | Guidance |
|--------|-------|----------|
| Tour $A\ B\ D\ C\ A$: $20+15+33+38=106$ | M1 | Tour visits all |
| Correct order or their $33$ | A1 | |
| | B1 | |
| **Total: 3** | | |

### Part (c)(iii)
| Answer | Marks | Guidance |
|--------|-------|----------|
| $A\ B\ D\ B\ C\ B\ A$ | M1 | Any expansion on (c)(ii) |
| Correct | A1 | |
| **Total: 2** | | |
5 [Figure 3, printed on the insert, is provided for use in this question.]
\begin{enumerate}[label=(\alph*)]
\item James is solving a travelling salesperson problem.
\begin{enumerate}[label=(\roman*)]
\item He finds the following upper bounds: $43,40,43,41,55,43,43$.

Write down the best upper bound.
\item James finds the following lower bounds: 33, 40, 33, 38, 33, 38, 38 .

Write down the best lower bound.
\end{enumerate}\item Karen is solving a different travelling salesperson problem and finds an upper bound of 55 and a lower bound of 45 . Write down an interpretation of these results.
\item The diagram below shows roads connecting 4 towns, $A , B , C$ and $D$. The numbers on the edges represent the lengths of the roads, in kilometres, between adjacent towns.\\
\includegraphics[max width=\textwidth, alt={}, center]{92175666-ef7a-4dca-9cdb-ebde1b40b2c9-05_451_1034_1160_504}

Xiong lives at town $A$ and is to visit each of the other three towns before returning to town $A$. She wishes to find a route that will minimise her travelling distance.
\begin{enumerate}[label=(\roman*)]
\item Complete Figure 3, on the insert, to show the shortest distances, in kilometres, between all pairs of towns.
\item Use the nearest neighbour algorithm on Figure 3 to find an upper bound for the minimum length of a tour of this network that starts and finishes at $A$.
\item Hence find the actual route that Xiong would take in order to achieve a tour of the same length as that found in part (c)(ii).
\end{enumerate}\end{enumerate}

\hfill \mbox{\textit{AQA D1 2008 Q5 [10]}}