• We are looking for markers for this year's BoS Maths Trials!
    Let us know before 31 August, see this thread for details

HSC 2015 MX2 Marathon (archive) (1 Viewer)

Status
Not open for further replies.

seanieg89

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2006
Messages
2,653
Gender
Male
HSC
2007
Re: HSC 2015 4U Marathon

Player A is serving to Player B in a tennis match.

He wins each point with probability 0 < p < 1.

Given that both players are equally likely to win a service game if the score is 0-30, find:

a) the value of p

b) the probability that A wins a service game from 0-0.
 

braintic

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2011
Messages
2,109
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
N/A
Re: HSC 2015 4U Marathon

Player A is serving to Player B in a tennis match.

He wins each point with probability 0 < p < 1.

Given that both players are equally likely to win a service game if the score is 0-30, find:

a) the value of p

b) the probability that A wins a service game from 0-0.
Does this question allow for the possibility of multiple deuces?
 

braintic

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2011
Messages
2,109
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
N/A
Re: HSC 2015 4U Marathon

Yep, that's the fun part :).
Hm ... I got a massive equation which I had to type into Wolfram Equation Solver.
It gave an approximate answer of p=0.660566
Do I need to check my equation?
 

InteGrand

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 11, 2014
Messages
6,078
Gender
Male
HSC
N/A
Re: HSC 2015 4U Marathon

Player A is serving to Player B in a tennis match.

He wins each point with probability 0 < p < 1.

Given that both players are equally likely to win a service game if the score is 0-30, find:

a) the value of p

b) the probability that A wins a service game from 0-0.
Let (this is the probability of player B winning a given point).

a) Let DA be the probability that A wins the game given that the game has just reached deuce.

Then

i.e. .

Now, the probability that A wins the service game from 0-30, PA, is given by





Since B is equally likely to win from 0-30, PA must equal ½.



From here, I'm getting a sixth-degree polynomial in p which I'm not seeing how to solve. Maybe a different approach needed?
 

braintic

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2011
Messages
2,109
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
N/A
Re: HSC 2015 4U Marathon



From here, I'm getting a sixth-degree polynomial in p which I'm not seeing how to solve. Maybe a different approach needed?
Different equation to mine, but Wolfgram gave the same answer.
 
Last edited:

FrankXie

Active Member
Joined
Oct 17, 2014
Messages
330
Location
Parramatta, NSW
Gender
Male
HSC
N/A
Uni Grad
2004
Re: HSC 2015 4U Marathon

Let (this is the probability of player B winning a given point).

a) Let DA be the probability that A wins the game given that the game has just reached deuce.

Then

i.e. .

Now, the probability that A wins the service game from 0-30, PA, is given by





Since B is equally likely to win from 0-30, PA must equal ½.



From here, I'm getting a sixth-degree polynomial in p which I'm not seeing how to solve. Maybe a different approach needed?
I don't really know about the tennis rule, but I doubt 4qp^3 might be wrong, because if B win the first game over ?
 

InteGrand

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 11, 2014
Messages
6,078
Gender
Male
HSC
N/A
Re: HSC 2015 4U Marathon

I don't really know about the tennis rule, but I doubt 4qp^3 might be wrong, because if B win the first game over ?
According to the tennis scoring system, Player B needs to win two (not just one) of the next four points to win the game (without going to deuce).
 

seanieg89

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2006
Messages
2,653
Gender
Male
HSC
2007
Re: HSC 2015 4U Marathon

Oh sorry guys, yeah I doubt you can find a nice surdic expression for p. Characterisation as the root of a certain polynomial is fine :).

The main point was to find a way to handle to concept of deuce, questions with that theme (a very elementary random walk with stopping rule) appear in several HSC/Trial questions from memory.
 
Last edited:

Drsoccerball

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 28, 2014
Messages
3,647
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
2015
Re: HSC 2015 4U Marathon

I wish i knew the rules of tennis...
 

seanieg89

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2006
Messages
2,653
Gender
Male
HSC
2007
Re: HSC 2015 4U Marathon

Dw, they obviously don't use any games/sports in HSC questions without explaining relevant rules lol.
 

InteGrand

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 11, 2014
Messages
6,078
Gender
Male
HSC
N/A
Re: HSC 2015 4U Marathon

NEXT QUESTION





Using , the equation becomes

.


Discriminant is .

Therefore, by the quadratic formula, .

Letting , we will get two quadratic equations:

.

These can be solved by the quadratic formula and using square roots of complex numbers where necessary.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 0, Guests: 1)

Top