Tag: transformations

WitCH 28: Tone Deaf

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November 13, 2019

11:44 am

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WitCH

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We haven’t yet had a chance to go through the 2019 VCE exams, but this question was flagged to me independently by two colleagues: let’s call them Dr. Death and Simon the Likeable. It’s from Mathematical Methods Exam 2 (CAS). (No link yet.)

UPDATE (05/07/20)

Even ignoring the stuff-ups, this question is ugly and pointless; the pseudo-applied framing is ugly and pointless; the CASification is ugly and pointless; the back-to-front integral is ugly and pointless; the matrix equation is ugly and pointless; the transformation is really ugly and really pointless. Part (f) is the pinnacle of ugliness and pointlessness, but the entire question is swill, from beginning to end.

And then there’s Part (e). “This question was not answered well” the examiners solemnly intone. Gee, really? Do you think your question being completely stuffed might have had something to do with it? Do you think maybe having a transformation of x when there’s not an x in sight may have been just a tad confusing? Do you think that the transformation then resulting in a function of t was maybe not the smartest move? Do you think writing an integral backwards was perhaps just a little too cute? Do you think possibly referring to the area of, rather than to the value of, an integral was slightly clunky? And, most importantly, do you think perhaps asking a question for which there is an infinite and impenetrable jungle of answers may have been an exercise in canyon-sized incompetence?

But, sure, those troublesome students didn’t answer your question well.

Part (e) was intended to have students find a transformation of the function f that effectively switches the behaviour on the intervals [0,4] and [4,6] to the intervals [2,6] and [0,2].  Ignoring the fact that the intended question was asked in an absurdly opaque manner, and ignoring the fact that no motivation for the intended question was either provided or is imaginable, the question asked was entirely different, and was ridiculous.

Writing the transformation out,

    \[\boldsymbol{\left\{\aligned &X = ax + c \\ &Y = by + d, \right.\endaligned}\]

we then have

    \[\boldsymbol{\left\{\aligned &x = \frac{X - c}{a} \\ & y = \frac{Y - d}{b}. \right.\endaligned}\]

So, the function y = f(t) y = f(x) can be written

    \[\boldsymbol{\dfrac{Y - d}{b} = f\!\left(\dfrac{X - c}{a}\right).}\]

Solving for Y, that means our transformed function Y = g(X) can be written

    \[\boldsymbol{g(X) = b\, f\!\left(\dfrac{X - c}{a}\right) + d.}\]

Well, this is our function g unless a = 0, in which case g doesn’t exist. Whatever. Back to the swill.

Using the result from Part (d), we have Part (e) asking for a, b, c and d such that

    \[\boldsymbol{\int\limits_2^0 + \int\limits_2^6 \ \left[ b\, f\! \left(\dfrac{X - c}{a}\right) + d\right] \, {\rm d}X \ = \ \dfrac{15}{\pi}.}\]

What then are the solutions to this equation? The examination report lists a couple of families and then blithely remarks “There are other solutions”. Really? Then why didn’t you list them, you clowns? 

We’ll tell you why. Because the complete solution to this monster is a God Almighty multi-infinite mess. As a starting idea, pick any three of the variables, say a and b and c, to be whatever you want, and then try to adjust the fourth variable, d, to solve the equation. We’ll offer a prize for anyone who can give a complete solution. 

This question is as good an example as there can be of the pointlessness, the ugliness and the monumental klutziness of VCAA’s swamp mathematics.