This WitCH comes from the Cambridge text Specialist Mathematics 1 & 2.
Tag: VCE
WitCH 52: Lines of Attack
Yes, we have tons of overdue homework for this blog, and we will start hacking into it. Really. But we’ll also try to keep the new posts ticking along.
The following, long WitCH comes from the Cambridge text Mathematical Methods 3 & 4 (including an exercise solution from the online version of the text).
UPDATE (07/02/21)
Commenter John Friend has noted a related question from the 2011 Methods Exam 1. We’ve added that question below, along with the discussion from the assessment report.
WitCH 51: Logging the Possibilities
The question below is from the second 2020 Methods exam (not online), discussed here. You may wish to brush up on your modal logic before attempting the question.
WitCH 50: No Partial Credit
The question below is from the second 2020 Specialist exam (not online), discussed here. 
WitCH 49: Trigged Again
The question below is from the second 2020 Specialist exam (not online), and was flagged by commenter John Friend in the discussion here. John has spelled out the problems, but the question is bad enough to warrant its own post, and there’s arguably a little more to be said.
PoSWW 15: Slippery Slope
The question below is from the second 2020 Specialist exam (not online), and was raised by commenter Red Five in the discussion here. This’ll probably turn into a WitCH but, really, the question is so damn stupid, it doesn’t deserve the honour.
WitCH 48: Thesis Not Good
This combo WitCH comes courtesy of mystery correspondent, tjrb. They flagged three multiple choice questions from the 2018 Algorithmics exam (here, and examination report here), and we’ve added a fourth. tjrb also remarks, “There are probably a lot more errors in this paper (and the other algorithmics papers), but these were the most strikingly incorrect”.
For Q2, the examination report indicates that 41% of students gave the intended answer of A. By way of explanation, the report then remarks,
“Cobham theorised that problems that are feasibly computable (also known as easy problems) are those that are decidable in polynomial time.”
For Q6, the report indicate that both A (51%) and C (33%) were “accepted”, but is otherwise silent.
The report is silent on Q12 and Q16, except to indicate the intended answers: C (94%) and A (66%), respectively.
PoSWW 14: Offering Real Choices
The question below is from the first 2020 Specialist exam (not online), which is discussed here.
WitCH 47: A Bad Inflection
The question below is from the first 2020 Specialist exam (not online). It has been discussed in the comments here, and the main issues have been noted, but we’ve decided the question is sufficiently flawed to warrant its own post.
Feeling VCAA’s Draft: Discussion
It seems the VCAA has just released their draft of the new study design for Mathematics:
- The current (pre-COVID) study design (pdf) is here.
- The draft for the new study design (word) is here.
- The key changes overview (work) is here.
- The link for feedback (until March 9, 2021) is here.
We haven’t yet looked at the draft, because we’re scared. But, don’t let that stop others. May the discussion and the throwing of brickbats begin.