skip to content

STEP Support Programme

Assignment 15, q4 does what it says it can't

The second part tells me that I should stock up 360 miles worth at the first stop and then come back with 240 in the car. Then, it says, I should pick up enough so I have 460 miles worth Inthe car.

But the question said before that I can only ever have 300 miles worth in the car. Car can fit 300, regulations prevent other amounts of petrol.

I've solved the problem, but the wording of the hints still confuse me.

What I did was I had a 60 mile drop off and dropped off 180 twice. I came back a third time, picking up 60, filling up to 300. Then I went to another drop off, 100 miles from the first. I dropped off 100 there and went back to the first drop off, picking up the 300 miles worth that was left. I went to the drop off 100 miles from there and picked up the 100 miles stash there, getting 300 worth and being able to make my way to the final destination.

I think the "460" should say"60". I'll change it,

Useful Links

Underground Mathematics: Selected worked STEP questions

STEP Question database

University of Cambridge Mathematics Faculty: What do we look for?

University of Cambridge Mathematics Faculty: Information about STEP

University of Cambridge Admissions Office: Undergraduate course information for Mathematics

Stephen Siklos' "Advanced Problems in Mathematics" book (external link)

MEI: Worked solutions to STEP questions (external link)

OCR: Exam board information about STEP (external link)

AMSP (Advanced Maths Support programme): Support for University Admission Tests (external link)