WJEC Unit 3 Specimen — Question 15 3 marks

Exam BoardWJEC
ModuleUnit 3 (Unit 3)
SessionSpecimen
Marks3
PaperDownload PDF ↗
Mark schemeDownload PDF ↗
TopicProof
TypeContradiction proof of inequality
DifficultyModerate -0.5 This is a straightforward proof by contradiction with the setup already provided. Students need only rearrange to get a quadratic inequality, recognize it has no real solutions (negative discriminant), reaching the contradiction. It's easier than average as the method is prescribed and the algebra is routine, though proof questions require more than pure recall.
Spec1.01d Proof by contradiction

Prove by contradiction the following proposition. When \(x\) is real and positive, $$4x + \frac{9}{x} \geq 12.$$ The first line of the proof is given below. Assume that there is a positive and a real value of \(x\) such that $$4x + \frac{9}{x} < 12.$$ [3]

AnswerMarks Guidance
\(4x^2 + 9 < 12x\)M1 (Clear fractions)
\(4x^2 - 12x + 9 < 0\)
\((2x - 3)^2 < 0\)A1
Impossible when \(x\) is real. Contradiction so that assumption is false.
\(\therefore 4x + \frac{9}{x} \geq 12\)A1
Total: [3]
$4x^2 + 9 < 12x$ | M1 | (Clear fractions)

$4x^2 - 12x + 9 < 0$ | |

$(2x - 3)^2 < 0$ | A1 |

Impossible when $x$ is real. Contradiction so that assumption is false. | |

$\therefore 4x + \frac{9}{x} \geq 12$ | A1 |

**Total: [3]**
Prove by contradiction the following proposition.

When $x$ is real and positive,
$$4x + \frac{9}{x} \geq 12.$$

The first line of the proof is given below.

Assume that there is a positive and a real value of $x$ such that
$$4x + \frac{9}{x} < 12.$$ [3]

\hfill \mbox{\textit{WJEC Unit 3  Q15 [3]}}