STEP Support - Assignment 23
This STEP support module introduces the chain rule and asks some questions about coordinate geometry. 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 introduces the chain rule for differentiation, with an explanation of why it works. The main STEP question (2009 STEP 1 Question 8) is about the intersections of lines and circles. The final question is a logic puzzle.
Further reading
Here is a discussion of a very similar "Blue eyes" problem. There is also a solution but please have a go at the problem before you refer to it!
Hints, support and self evaluation
The “Hints and partial solutions for Assignment 23” file gives suggestions on how you can tackle the questions, and some common pitfalls to avoid, as well as some partial solutions and answers.
