Harder HSC Papers for MX2 (2 Viewers)

[Axio]

Hi,

I was wondering which HSC years have had the more challenging exams, as I'd like to have a go at them at some stage. I only really know that 2003 was supposed to be very difficult. (If you'd like to say which years have had easier and moderate papers, that would be great as well.)

 

[InteGrand]

Re: Harder HSC Papers

Hi,

I was wondering which HSC years have had the more challenging exams, as I'd like to have a go at them at some stage. I only really know that 2003 was supposed to be very difficult. (If you'd like to say which years have had easier and moderate papers, that would be great as well.)

Try ones from the last century.

 

[Axio]

Re: Harder HSC Papers

Try ones from the last century.

... I'd probably like to focus on 90s-10s unless there is any particular paper you had in mind...

 

[InteGrand]

Re: Harder HSC Papers

... I'd probably like to focus on 90s-10s unless there is any particular paper you had in mind...

Ones from 1990's should be good then (and that is the last century haha).

 

[braintic]

Re: Harder HSC Papers

2000 was notoriously difficult. It suddenly switched from very doable do very difficult about half way through, so didn't discriminate well between students of different abilities.

 

[Carrotsticks]

Re: Harder HSC Papers

If you want a particularly difficult question, you may like 1989 Question 8.

 

[Trebla]

Re: Harder HSC Papers

If you want a particularly difficult question, you may like 1989 Question 8.

As extra motivation, no one got that question out in the exam at the time.

 

[dan964]

Re: Harder HSC Papers

Hi,

I was wondering which HSC years have had the more challenging exams, as I'd like to have a go at them at some stage. I only really know that 2003 was supposed to be very difficult. (If you'd like to say which years have had easier and moderate papers, that would be great as well.)

for easy papers I think 2013-2014 are fairly easy
is 2005 and 2012 hard?

 

[Drsoccerball]

Re: Harder HSC Papers

If you want a particularly difficult question, you may like 1989 Question 8.

I cant find the paper?

 

[rand_althor]

Re: Harder HSC Papers

I cant find the paper?

http://4unitmaths.com/hsc1981-1989.pdf. Go to the second last page.

 

[InteGrand]

Re: Harder HSC Papers

A solution is on page 10 of this PDF: http://users.tpg.com.au/nanahcub/1916-1989-2001.pdf

(The question is on page 9.)

 

[shervos]

Re: Harder HSC Papers

How does question 8b) from the 2000 paper even make sense? Like how does P(1,0)=0? Why is it impossible for one to toss a fair coin and get a head followed by a tail?

 

[InteGrand]

Re: Harder HSC Papers

Here is a link to the 2000 HSC 4U paper (to save others from having to go find it): http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/hsc_exams/hsc2000exams/hsc00_maths/00mathematics4U.pdf

 

[glittergal96]

Re: Harder HSC Papers

How does question 8b) from the 2000 paper even make sense? Like how does P(1,0)=0? Why is it impossible for one to toss a fair coin and get a head followed by a tail?

P(1,0) is the probability of throwing one head before throwing zero tails. But you have thrown zero tails to start with, without throwing any heads. So this event can never occur.

 

[Drongoski]

Re: Harder HSC Papers

Try ones from the last century.

For a moment, I thought that was going back to the 19xx's!

 

[glittergal96]

Re: Harder HSC Papers

Another way of thinking about it:

Each possible string "HTTHHTTHT..." can be given two running counts of the heads and tails in the first n letters.

Eg for the above example these counts are:

0,1,1,1,2,3,...
0,0,1,2,2,2,...

P(m,n) is the probability that the first counter is at least m when the second counter is first equal to n.

 

[InteGrand]

Re: Harder HSC Papers

 

[InteGrand]

Re: Harder HSC Papers

Another way of thinking about it:

Each possible string "HTTHHTTHT..." can be given two running counts of the heads and tails in the first n letters.

Eg for the above example these counts are:

0,1,1,1,2,3,...
0,0,1,2,2,2,...

P(m,n) is the probability that the first counter is at least m when the second counter is first equal to n.

How do you know it means 'at least' m? Is this due to what they want shown in the Q's? I haven't had a go at them due to not being entirely sure what the Q meant. But it's saying 'a total of' r heads. I guess that confused me.

 

[InteGrand]

Re: Harder HSC Papers

 

[glittergal96]

Re: Harder HSC Papers

How do you know it means 'at least' m? Is this due to what they want shown in the Q's? I haven't had a go at them due to not being entirely sure what the Q meant. But it's saying 'a total of' r heads. I guess that confused me.

Sorry, yep it should be "exactly".