First Round : March 28, 2009

Second Round: April 25, 2009 at The University of Alabama

DIVISION I COMPREHENSIVE EXAM

Construction of this test directed
by
Zhijian Wu, The University of Alabama

INSTRUCTIONS

This test consists of 50 multiple choice questions. The questions have not been arranged in order of difficulty.
For each question, choose the best of the five answer choices labeled A, B, C, D, and E.

The test will be scored as follows: 5 points for each correct answer, 1 point for each question left unanswered,
and 0 points for each wrong answer. (Thus a “perfect paper” with all questions answered correctly earns a
score of 250, a blank paper earns a score of 50, and a paper with all questions answered incorrectly earns a
score of 0.)

Random guessing will not, on average, either increase or decrease your score. However, if you can eliminate
one of more of the answer choices as wrong, then it is to your advantage to guess among the remaining
choices.

• All variables and constants, except those indicated otherwise, represent real numbers.
• Diagrams are not necessarily to scale.
We use the following geometric notation:

• If A and B are points, then: • If A is an angle, then:

AB is the segment between A and B
←→
AB is the line containing A and B
−−→
AB is the ray from A through B
AB is the distance between A and B
m ∠ A is the measure of angle A in degrees
• If A and B are points on a circle, then:
_
AB is the arc between A and B
_ _
m AB is the measure of AB in degrees

Editing by Zhijian Wu, The University of Alabama

Printing by The University of Alabama
 Doing the Math to Find the Good Jobs
Mathematicians Land Top Spot in New Ranking of Best and Worst Occupations in the U.S.
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL January 6, 2009

The Best The Worst

1. Mathematician 200. Lumberjack
2. Actuary 199. Dairy Farmer
3. Statistician 198. Taxi Driver
4. Biologist 197. Seaman196. EMT
5. Software Engineer 195. Roofer
6. Computer Systems Analyst 194. Garbage Collector
7. Historian 193. Welder
8. Sociologist 192. Roustabout
9. Industrial Designer 191. Ironworker
10. Accountant 190. Construction Worker
11. Economist 189. Mail Carrier
12. Philosopher13. Physicist 188. Sheet Metal Worker
14. Parole Officer 187. Auto Mechanic
15. Meteorologist 186. Butcher
16. Medical Laboratory Technician 185. Nuclear Decontamination Tech
17. Paralegal Assistant 184. Nurse (LN)
18. Computer Programmer 183. Painter
19. Motion Picture Editor 182. Child Care Worker
20. Astronomer 181. Firefighter

What You Can Do With A Mathematics Major

Occupational opportunities
Actuarial and Insurance Government Accountant
Computer & Information Sciences Investment Analyst Financial Planner
Researcher Benefits Specialist Mathematician
Demographers Computer Programmer Cartographer
Data Processor Navigator Meteorologist
Applications Programmer Ecologist Health
Systems Analyst Biomedical Engineer Bio-mathematician
Computer Applications Engineer Operations Analyst Operations Research
Control Systems Engineer Control Systems Engineer Systems Engineer
Numerical Analyst Teaching BusinessIndustry
Statistician Engineering Analyst Financial Analyst
Technical Writer Homeland Security Communications Engineer

Study in the field of mathematics offers an education with an emphasis on careful problem analysis, pre-
cision of thought and expression, and the mathematical skills needed for work in many other areas. Many
important problems in government, private industry, health and environmental fields, and the academic
world require sophisticated mathematical techniques for their solution. The study of mathematics provides
specific analytical and quantitative tools, as well as general problem-solving skills, for dealing with these
problems. The University of Alabama offers undergraduate and graduates degrees in Mathematics. Please
visit www.math.ua.edu and refer to the undergraduate and graduate programs for additional information.
1. Find the sum of the following series:
X∞
1 + 2n
n=1
3n

3 5 1 2
(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) None of these
2 2 2 3

1 1 1
2. Let x denote the following infinite series: x = 3
+ 3 + 3 + · · · . Express the series
1 3 5
1 1 1
y= + 3 + 3 + ···
13 2 3
in terms of x.
9x 8x 6x 5x
(A) (B) (C) x (D) (E)
7 7 7 7

µ ¶2009
√ 1+i
3. If i = −1, what is the value of ?
1−i
(A) 0 (B) 1 (C) −1 (D) −i (E) i

4. Which one of the following is not a factor of x6 − 1 ?

(A) x − 1 (B) x2 − 1 (C) x2 + x + 1 (D) x4 + x2 + 1 (E) All are factors

√ 2t + 1
5. If f ( 2t − 3) = , what is f (2) ?
2t − 1
4 5 6
(A) 3 (B) (C) (D) (E) −3
3 4 5

1
6. Let x be 1 + . Evaluate (2x − 1)2 .
1
3+
1
1+
1
3+
1
1+
3 + ···
1 5 2 7
(A) (B) (C) − (D) (E) 1
3 3 3 3

7. Let a and b be the coefficients of x3 in (1 + x + 2x2 + 3x3 )4 and (1 + x + 2x2 + 3x3 + 4x4 )4 , respectively.
Find the value of a − b .
(A) −1 (B) 1 (C) 0 (D) 33 − 43 (E) 33 − 34

8. What is the radius of a circle which circumscribes the triangle with vertices (2, 0), (0, 4), and (4, 6) ?
√ √ √ √
(A) 5 (B) 10 (C) 1 (D) 2 5 (E) 40
 9. Solve 2x + 4x = y for x.
ln y ln y − ln 2 ln y + 2
(A) x = 2 (B) x = (C) x = (D) x = (E) None of these
2 ln 2 ln 4 ln 4
√
3
10. Which of the following is equal to 108?
√ √ √ √ √
(A) 2 3 9 (B) 3 3 4 (C) 4 3 3 (D) 6 3 2 (E) 2 3 6

11. A line of slope 2/3 passes through the point (1, 2). What is its x-intercept?
(A) 2 (B) 1 (C) 0 (D) −1 (E) −2

√
12. If 3x · 9−x · 27x = 3, then what is x?
(A) 1/4 (B) 1/6 (C) 1/8 (D) 1/10 (E) 1/12

13. If θ is an acute angle and sin θ = x then what is sin(θ/2)?

r √ r √ r √
1 + 1 − x2 1 − 1 + x2 1+ 1 + x2
(A) (B) (C)
2 2 2
r √
1 − 1 − x2
(D) (E) None of these
2

1 (x + 1)2
14. If x2 + 2
= 3, what is the value of ?
x x2
(A) 2 (B) 3 (C) 4 (D) 5 (E) 6

15. Among the following shapes of equal perimeter, which one has the largest area ?
(A) circle (B) equilateral (C) square (D) ellipse (E) regular pentagon

16. If the height of a cylinder is increased by 1/9, and the radius of the cylinder is decreased by 1/10,
what will happen to the volume of the cylinder ?
(A) Same as the volume of the original cylinder (B) Increases by 1/9
(C) Decreases by 1/9 (D) Increases by 1/10 (E) Decreases by 1/10

17. If the repeating decimal 0.151515 · · · is expressed as a ratio of whole number a/b in lowest terms,
what is the value of b − a2 ?
(A) 6 (B) 7 (C) 8 (D) 9 (E) 10

18. In the figure shown, find CD? A 3 B

(A) 11 (B) 12 (C) 13 (D) 15 (E) 16 12

4

D C
19. Three circles of radius 1 are mutually tangent as shown. What is
the area of the gap they enclose?
√
√ π 1 1 3 π π
(A) 3− (B) (C) (D) − (E)
2 6 3 2 6 6

20. Find the difference of the maximum value and the minimum value of the function:
3 sin x + 4 cos x + 5.
(A) 12 (B) 10 (C) 8 (D) 6 (E) 4

21. If real numbers x, y satisfy (x + 5)2 + (y − 12)2 = 142 , then the minimum value of x2 + y 2 equals ?
√ √
(A) 1 (B) 2 (C) 2 (D) 3 (E) Cannot be determined

√ √
22. Find the maximum value of k which ensures that the inequality x+ 6 − x ≥ k has a solution.
√ √ √ √ √ √ √
(A) 6− 3 (B) 3 (C) 6+ 3 (D) 6 (E) 2 3

23. How many of the solutions to the following equation are negative?
x4 − 6x2 + 9 = 3x3 + 5x
(A) 0 (B) 1 (C) 2 (D) 3 (E) 4

24. Jack and Jim start at the same time to ride from place A to place B, 60 miles away. Jack travels 4
miles an hour slower than Jim. Jim reaches B and at once turns back meeting Jack 12 miles from B.
The rate of Jack was:
(A) 4 mph (B) 8 mph (C) 12 mph (D) 16 mph (E) 20 mph

25. From a group of boys and girls, 15 girls leave. There are then left two boys for each girl. After 45
boys leave, there are then 5 girls for each boy. The number of girls in the beginning was:
(A) 40 (B) 43 (C) 29 (D) 50 (E) 60

26. For x2 + 2x + 5 to be a factor of x4 + px2 + q , the value of q must be

(A) 5 (B) 10 (C) 15 (D) 20 (E) 25

³ 3π ´
27. Let a and b be positive numbers not equal to 1, θ ∈ , 2π . If atan θ > btan θ > 1, then which of
2
the following inequalities is true?
(A) a > b > 1 (B) a<b<1 (C) b < a < 1 (D) b > a > 1 (E) a > 1 > b

x + 12
28. How many pairs of integers (x, y) satisfying the function y = ?
2x − 1
(A) 2 (B) 4 (C) 6 (D) 8 (E) Infinite
29. Let f (x) be a polynomial of degree 2007 satisfying
1
f (n) = for n = 1, 2, 3, . . . , 2008.
n
What is the value of f (2009)?
1 2 3 4
(A) 0 (B) (C) (D) (E)
2009 2009 2009 2009

30. It rained on exactly 11 days during Jane’s holiday trip. On each rainy day it rained either in the
morning or in the afternoon but not both. There are exactly 13 afternoons when it did not rain and
exactly 16 mornings when it did not rain. How many days did the trip last?
(A) 18 (B) 19 (C) 20 (D) 21 (E) 22

31. Let a, b, c, d be positive real numbers with a < b < c < d. Given that a, b, c, d are the first four
terms in an arithmetic sequence, and a, b, d are the first three terms in a geometric sequence, what
ad
is the value of ?
bc
1 2 3 4
(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) 1
2 3 4 5

32. A right triangle with integer side lengths a, b and c satisfies a < b < c and a + c = 49. What is the
area of the right triangle?
(A) 105 (B) 140 (C) 175 (D) 210 (E) 245

√ √
33. In a triangle ABC, a = 4 2, b = 4 3, m∠B = 60◦ , then m∠A =?
(A) 15◦ (B) 30◦ (C) 45◦ (D) 60◦ (E) 75◦

34. Suppose ω is a complex number satisfying ω 2 + 2ω + 4 = 0. Then ω 6 =?

(A) 1 (B) 2 (C) 8 (D) 32 (E) 64

π √
35. If (x + iy)2 = cos θ + i sin θ, find the absolute value of y, given that x = sin and i = −1.
3
√ √
1 3 2
(A) 0 (B) (C) (D) (E) 1
2 2 2

36. Let S be the sum of the first 10 terms of the sequence: 1 + a, x + 2a, x2 + 3a, · · · . Then S =?
55a + x10 + x x + x10 x10 − 1
(A) (B) 55a − (C) + 55a
x+1 x−1 x+1
x10 − 1 x11 − x
(D) + 55a (E) + 55a
x−1 x−1
 ³ 1 ´ 1
37. Given f (x) + f = where x 6= 0, 1, find the value of f (2).
1−x x
1 7
(A) 0 (B) (C) (D) 1 (E) Cannot be determined
4 4

38. How many points do the graphs of 4x2 − 9y 2 = 36 and x2 − 2x + y 2 = 15 have in common?
(A) 0 (B) 1 (C) 2 (D) 3 (E) 4

39. Twelve points are arranged on a semicircle as shown in the diagram. How many
triangles can we draw from the given points?
(A) 210 (B) 360 (C) 390 (D) 420 (E) 450

40. Suppose y is the determinant of the matrix

 3 
x 1 −
 2 
 
 2 2 1 
 
 
1 1
0
x−1 2
Then what is the minimum value of y given x > 1?
(A) 0 (B) 1 (C) 2 (D) 3 (E) 4

41. Suppose that a is a non-zero real number for which sin x + sin y = a and cos x + cos y = 2a. What is
the value of cos(x − y) ?
a2 −2 3a2 −2 5a2 −2 7a2 −2 9a2 −2
(A) 2 (B) 2 (C) 2 (D) 2 (E) 2

42. Suppose that f (x) = ax + b where a and b are real numbers. Given that f (f (f (x))) = 8x + 21, what
is the value of a + b ?
(A) 2 (B) 3 (C) 4 (D) 5 (E) 6

43. If sin x = 2 cos x, then what is the value of sin x cos x ?

1 2 1 1 2
(A) (B) (C) (D) (E)
3 3 4 5 5

44. Which of the numbers below is a solution to the following equation?

√ √
3−x+ 3+x=x
√ √ √ p √ √
(A) 6 (B) 2 3 − 1 (C) 3 2 3 (D) 6+ 2 (E) 2 2
45. What is the value of the following product?
tan 5◦ tan 15◦ tan 25◦ tan 35◦ tan 45◦ tan 55◦ tan 65◦ tan 75◦ tan 85◦
√ √
(A) 1
2 (B) 33 (C) 1 (D) 3 (E) 2

√
46. How many positive real numbers x are solutions to the equation x =| x4 − 1 | ?
(A) 0 (B) 1 (C) 2 (D) 3 (E) 4

47. Order sin 1, sin 2, sin 3 from smallest to largest (the angles are measured in radians).
(A) sin 1 < sin 2 < sin 3 (B) sin 3 < sin 2 < sin 1 (C) sin 1 < sin 3 < sin 2
(D) sin 2 < sin 1 < sin 3 (E) sin 3 < sin 1 < sin 2

48. The line y = 3 − x intersects the parabola y = 3x − x2 in two points (x1 , y1 ) and (x2 , y2 ). What is
y1 + y 2 ?
(A) 2 (B) 3 (C) 4 (D) 6 (E) 7

¯ ¯
1 ¯ 1 ¯¯
49. Given that a + = 3, what is the value of ¯¯ a − ?
a a¯
1 1 1
(A) 52 (B) 2 2 (C) 1.5 (D) 3 (E) 3 2

50. A box of coins contains a total of 26.00 in nickels, dimes, and quarters. If there is the same number
of nickels as dimes, but twice as many quarters as nickels, how many dimes are in the box?
(A) 26 (B) 30 (C) 34 (D) 40 (E) 50