2024 VCE General Mathematics 1

external assessment report

General comments
In 2024 students generally answered questions well in the General Mathematics Examination 1. There were
challenges evident in some questions involving the application of the key skills and key knowledge from the
study design. This was particularly the case in questions that required multiple steps or required multiple
options being checked, such as:

 Questions 9 and 12 from Data analysis

 Questions 20, 23 and 24 from Recursion and financial modelling

 Questions 29, 31 and 32 from Matrices

 Questions 35, 37, 39 and 40 from Networks and decision mathematics.

Specific information
The examination comprised 40 multiple-choice questions covering all areas of study.

 Questions 1–16: Data analysis

 Questions 17–24: Recursion and financial modelling

 Questions 25–32: Matrices

 Questions 33–40: Networks and decision mathematics.

Students were permitted to use approved CAS technology in this examination.

The tables below indicate the percentage of students who chose each option. The correct answers are
indicated by shading.

The statistics in this report may be subject to rounding, resulting in a total of more or less than 100 per cent.

Question Correct % % % % % Comments

answer A B C D N/A

1 B 18 78 3 1 0 Blue 74 − 56 = 18

Both payment preference and a budget preference are categorical

2 A 79 3 16 2 0
variables.

The median is the 14th value in a set of 27 values.

3 D 18 5 7 71 0 Counting from the left the median occurs in the 5th column, which has
a frequency of 9.

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2024 VCE General Mathematics 1 external assessment report

Question Correct % % % % % Comments

answer A B C D N/A

The outlier occurs between log10(population density) = 3.2 and

4 C 11 14 68 6 1 log10(population density) = 3.4
2030 lies within this range as log10(2030) = 3.307

Calculate the five number summary.

5 C 10 4 80 6 0
The median = 1.5

IQR = 48 − 5 = 43,
6 C 17 19 53 11 1 Upper fence = 48 + 1.5  43 = 112.5
The smallest discrete value above 112.5 is 113

7 C 5 9 82 4 0

Slope
8 B 17 73 5 4 0
Using point (30,24) and ,

,
9 A 52 13 13 20 1

25.6 = 67.5 – 1.27  number

10 C 6 11 73 10 1
number = 32.992 ≈ 33

11 D 16 8 18 59 0 pairs (year) to 3 significant figures

When the reciprocal transformation is applied and a regression line is

fitted, it can be seen that the first point (year 1) is furthest from the
regression line.

12 A 48 22 15 13 1

The values of new in rank order are: 6, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13.
13 A 72 13 7 8 0
The median new value is 10.

The sum of new staff for 2011 to 2023 = 11  13 = 143

14 B 15 68 12 5 1 The sum of the previous 12 years = 127
The number of new staff in 2023 is 143 – 127 = 16

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2024 VCE General Mathematics 1 external assessment report

Question Correct % % % % % Comments

answer A B C D N/A

Six-mean smoothed value for months 2 to 7 = 318

Six-mean smoothed value for months 3 to 8 = 324
15 C 7 10 70 12 0 Six-mean smoothed value with centring for month 6 =

Total seasonal indices for 12 months = 12

Seasonal index for month 3 + month 6 = 12 − (1.08 + 1.13 + 0.92 +
16 C 19 16 58 7 1 0.67 + 1.09 + 1.35 + 0.82 + 0.88 + 1.01 + 0.98) = 2.07

Month 3

17 D 14 25 24 36 1 For a geometric sequence, always equals zero.

18 B 11 74 7 8 0 Interest rate = (1.00075 − 1)  52  100 = 3.9%

19 C 4 13 72 11 0 Depreciation of 18% per annum equals (100 − 18)% = 82% = 0.82

Step 1. Calculate the interest for the compounding investment.

Total value investment

Interest earned = 2280.57 − 2000 = 280.57

20 B 23 48 18 10 1
Step 2. Calculate the simple interest rate.

Total repaid = 2228.40  5  12 = 133 704

21 D 12 15 16 56 1 Interest paid = Amount repaid − amount borrowed
= 133 704 − 121 000 = 12 704

Interest rate =

22 C 9 16 70 5 0 Interest amount payment 2 = 238 218.95  0.004 = 952.8758 

952.88
Principal reduction = payment − interest = 2741.05 − 952.88 = 1788.17

23 A 54 13 18 14 1 Step 1. Monthly Interest rate

Step 2. Annual interest rate = 0.004  12  100 = 4.8%

Step 3. Use Finance Solver to find the time required to repay loan.

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2024 VCE General Mathematics 1 external assessment report

Question Correct % % % % % Comments

answer A B C D N/A

I% = 4.8, PV = 240 000, Pmt = – 2741.05, FV = 0, PpY = CpY = 12

Solve for N = 107.99992  108 months  9 years

Step 1. Interest rate = (1.002 – 1)  12  100 = 2.4%

Step 2. Use Finance Solver to find the balance after two years.
N = 2  12, I% = 2.4, PV = −18 000, Pmt = –100.00, PpY = CpY = 12
24 A 46 15 20 17 2 Solve for FV = 21 340.18471…  21 340.18
Step 3. Use Finance Solver to find payments for next three years.
N = 36, I% = 2.4, PV = 21 340.18, FV = −30 000.00, PpY = CpY = 12
Solving for Pmt = 189.55465…  189.55

Order of product matrix BC is 2  1

25 B 9 79 5 7 0
For addition to occur, matrix A must also be 2  1

A discount of 15% per annum is equal to multiplying by

26 B 20 76 2 2 0
(100 − 15)% = 85% = 0.85

The inverse does not to exist if the determinant = 0. Equate the

determinant to zero and solve for g.
27 B 17 50 17 15 1
, ,

28 C 3 2 84 11 0

280 students compete in tennis

To solve this question students needed to complete either four

separate calculations:
For n weeks after week 1, the playing order is determined by

Week 1:

29 C 9 14 49 29 0 Week 2:
Week 3:
Week 4:

OR
Students needed to complete one calculation:

Week 4:

30 B 5 78 7 10 0 The Leslie matrix contains the birth rate for each age group in the first
row. The survival rate for each age group will be shown in the next
rows. The survival rate is from one age group to the next age group.

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2024 VCE General Mathematics 1 external assessment report

Question Correct % % % % % Comments

answer A B C D N/A

From inspection of the matrix, the two games to be played are between
player I and players J and L.
 There are four possible outcomes – player I wins both games,
player I loses both games, player I beats player J but loses to
player K, or player I loses to player J but defeats player K.
 If player I wins both games, they will be the only player with three
wins, two of them against the two players with two wins. Player I
would be ranked first. Player K would be ranked fifth.
 If player I loses both games, they will have only one win against
31 D 17 12 18 53 1
a player with also just one win (player K), but K beat a player with
three wins. Player I would be ranked fifth.
 If player I loses to player J but beats player L, player J will have
three wins and five two-steps, compared to player L with two
wins and five two-steps. Player J would be ranked first.
 If player I beats player J but loses to player L, four players will
have two wins and player K will only have one, ranking fifth.
Player J cannot rank fifth.

32 D 24 19 21 33 3 Given Thursday is S0, Sunday is S3

S3 = TS2 + A, hence S2 = T –1(S3 – A)
S2 = TS1 + A, hence S1 = T –1(S2 – A)
S1 = TS0 + A, hence S0 = T –1(S1 – A)

Botanical Gardens has 5620 viewers on Sunday and had 4924 viewers
on Thursday.

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2024 VCE General Mathematics 1 external assessment report

Question Correct % % % % % Comments

answer A B C D N/A

Number of viewers has increased by 5620 – 4924 = 696 viewers.

Summing the degrees at each vertex gives

33 C 6 17 75 2 0 1 + 3 + 4 + 2 + 2 = 12

A Eulerian trail must start and end at a vertex with an odd degree and
34 C 7 4 85 3 0 pass along every edge only once.

The graph can be redrawn as planar. The number of faces can be

35 B 14 52 9 25 0
counted or calculated using Euler’s formula 7 + f = 11 + 2, gives f = 6.

Start with AB and connect to others by shortest distance available.

Shown in red below.

36 D 4 9 4 83 0

Shortest distance is marked in red on diagram below.

37 D 20 22 16 40 2

38 A 18 32 33 17 1 The most efficient way to solve this question to draw some examples of
possible graphs.
One such graph is:

Check this diagram against each statement.

This diagram has four vertices of odd degree. NO
This diagram does NOT contain a Euler trail. NO
This diagram does NOT contain a Hamiltonian path. NO
The sum of the degrees of the vertices is 12. YES

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2024 VCE General Mathematics 1 external assessment report

Question Correct % % % % % Comments

answer A B C D N/A

Step 1. Determine the initial allocation.

This can be done using the Hungarian algorithm or by inspection.
The initial task allocation to minimise the amount of time is:

Task 1 Task 2 Task 3 Task 4

Anush 12 8 16 9

Blake 10 7 15 10

Carly 11 10 18 12

Dexter 10 14 16 11

Anush (4), Blake (2), Carly (1) and Dexter (3)

Total time = 9 + 7 + 11 + 16 = 43 hours.
Step 2. Include Edgar and develop new allocation.

Task 1 Task 2 Task 3 Task 4

Anush 12 8 16 9

39 D 11 45 23 19 1 Blake 10 7 15 10

Carly 11 10 18 12

Dexter 10 14 16 11

Edgar 9 5 14 8

If we work across the row for Edgar, Edgar could replace Carly on
Task 1. This would save 2 hours and would not trigger a new allocation
of tasks for the remaining workers since Carly takes longer on Tasks 2,
3 and 4 than other workers.
Edgar could replace Blake on Task 2. This would save 2 hours. Blake
is free to take Task 3, this will save 1 hour. Dexter is free to take Task
1, this will save 1 hour.

New task allocation (including Edgar): Anush (4) unchanged, Edgar

(2), Blake (3), Dexter (1).
Total time = 9 + 5 + 15 + 10 = 39 hours
Time saved = 43 – 39 = 4 hours

40 B 35 32 19 13 1 Inspection of the graph shows two activities that require four immediate
predecessors.
Checking each option in turn:
Option A has one of these activities as G and the other as N. The table
does not allow for the three-step path to G. Incorrect.

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2024 VCE General Mathematics 1 external assessment report

Question Correct % % % % % Comments

answer A B C D N/A

Option B has one of these activities as F and the other as K. Correct.

Option C has one of these activities as F and the other as K. Activity K

requires both G and D; however, D is an immediate predecessor of G.
Not possible.
Option D has one of these activities as F and the other as K. Referring
to the graph, it is not possible to have the same activity as an
immediate processor to both F and K that is J. Incorrect.

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