STEP Support - Assignment 11
This STEP support module includes some functions defined in a way you may not have seen before, and several equations (most of which can be solved with carefully chosen substitutions). Previous assignments can be found here, but you can do this one without having done the others first. STEP questions are difficult, they are supposed to be and you should expect to get stuck. However, as you tackle more and more STEP questions you will develop a range of problem solving skills (and spend less time "being stuck").
About this assignment
The assignment is published as a pdf file below. Each STEP Support assignment module starts with a warm-up exercise, followed by preparatory work leading to a STEP question. Finally, there is a warm-down exercise. The warm up for this assignment asks questions about two different functions - the first one is one that will be familiar to you, but you may not have seen it defined in the same way before. The main STEP question (2013 STEP 1 Question 1) consists of three equations to solve. You are given a substitution for the first equation, doing something similar for the other two would be a good plan. The final question has a couple of equations involving indices. Slightly different approaches are needed for these two.
Further reading
For more about using substitutions to help solve problems see this Advanced Problem Solving module.
Hints, support and self evaluation
The “Hints and partial solutions for Assignment 11” file gives suggestions on how you can tackle the questions, and some common pitfalls to avoid, as well as some partial solutions and answers.
