| Exam Board | Edexcel |
|---|---|
| Module | C12 (Core Mathematics 1 & 2) |
| Session | Specimen |
| Marks | 13 |
| Paper | Download PDF ↗ |
| Mark scheme | Download PDF ↗ |
| Topic | Arithmetic Sequences and Series |
| Type | Real-world AP: find term or total |
| Difficulty | Moderate -0.8 This is a straightforward multi-part question testing basic arithmetic and geometric sequence formulas with clear real-world context. Parts (a)-(d) require direct application of standard formulas (constant sequence sum, arithmetic sequence nth term and sum, geometric sequence sum), while part (e) involves simple trial-and-error or logarithms. All steps are routine with no problem-solving insight required, making it easier than average but not trivial due to the multiple parts and geometric progression component. |
| Spec | 1.04h Arithmetic sequences: nth term and sum formulae1.04i Geometric sequences: nth term and finite series sum |
16. Maria trains for a triathlon, which involves swimming, cycling and running. On the first day of training she swims 1.5 km and then she swims 1.5 km on each of the following days.
\begin{enumerate}[label=(\alph*)]
\item Find the total distance that Maria swims in the first 17 days of training.
Maria also runs 1.5 km on the first day of training and on each of the following days she runs 0.25 km further than on the previous day. So she runs 1.75 km on the second day and 2 km on the third day and so on.
\item Find how far Maria runs on the 17th day of training.
Maria also cycles 1.5 km on the first day of training and on each of the following days she cycles $5 \%$ further than on the previous day.
\item Find the total distance that Maria cycles in the first 17 days of training.
\item Find the total distance Maria travels by swimming, running and cycling in the first 17 days of training.
Maria needs to cycle 40 km in the triathlon.
\item On which day of training does Maria first cycle more than 40 km ?
\end{enumerate}
\hfill \mbox{\textit{Edexcel C12 Q16 [13]}}