Edexcel P3 2020 October — Question 7

Exam BoardEdexcel
ModuleP3 (Pure Mathematics 3)
Year2020
SessionOctober
TopicHarmonic Form

7. (a) Express \(\cos x + 4 \sin x\) in the form \(R \cos ( x - \alpha )\) where \(R > 0\) and \(0 < \alpha < \frac { \pi } { 2 }\) Give the exact value of \(R\) and give the value of \(\alpha\), in radians, to 3 decimal places. A scientist is studying the behaviour of seabirds in a colony. She models the height above sea level, \(H\) metres, of one of the birds in the colony by the equation $$H = \frac { 24 } { 3 + \cos \left( \frac { 1 } { 2 } t \right) + 4 \sin \left( \frac { 1 } { 2 } t \right) } \quad 0 \leqslant t \leqslant 6.5$$ where \(t\) seconds is the time after it leaves the nest. Find, according to the model,
(b) the minimum height of the seabird above sea level, giving your answer to the nearest cm,
(c) the value of \(t\), to 2 decimal places, when \(H = 10\) \includegraphics[max width=\textwidth, alt={}, center]{96948fd3-5438-4e95-b41b-2f649ca8dfac-21_2255_50_314_34}