STEP 2016

Glossary

Curated question: — Past-paper question with a worked solution and a tagged method.
Method: — Portable technique that pops up across years.
Worked solution: — Step-by-step solution written by us in our voice.
Past paper: — Official exam session published by the board.

These pages only count the curated set: questions with both a worked solution and at least one tagged method. Bulk past papers without that treatment are hidden.

Session overview

Questions

Worked

100%

Methods triggered

Papers

Theme mix

Pure14
Mechanics5
Statistics4

Chapter mix · 2016

Mechanics5
Integration4
Probability & Statistics4
Combinatorics & Binomial2
Coordinate Geometry & Conics2
Functions & Curve Sketching2
Complex Numbers1
Proof & Number Theory1
Sequences & Series1
Trigonometry1

Methods triggered this session

Each method that at least one question in this session hits.

1
Find a locus by eliminating the parameter between the two coordinate equations
Coordinate Geometry & Conics
×2
2
Two points on a curve: carry $s + t$ and $s t$ (sum and product of parameters) as the variables
Coordinate Geometry & Conics
×2
3
Variance of a sum through covariances and the bilinear expansion
Probability & Statistics
×2
4
Equate coefficients of $x^{k}$ on two sides of an algebraic identity to prove a binomial sum
Combinatorics & Binomial
×1
5
Track magnitude with the ratio of consecutive terms or with iterated logarithms
Combinatorics & Binomial
×1
6
Roots of unity: factor $z^{n} - 1 = \prod (z - ω^{k})$ and feed in a clever value of $z$
Complex Numbers
×1
7
Feet of the normals from a point are roots of a cubic: use the symmetric functions
Coordinate Geometry & Conics
×1
8
Range of a rational or quadratic-in-disguise function via the discriminant of an auxiliary quadratic
Functions & Curve Sketching
×1
9
Generate a second equation by re-substituting the variable, then solve the functional equation as a linear system
Functions & Curve Sketching
×1
10
Reflect the interval onto itself: $x \mapsto a + b - x$ , then add the two copies
Integration
×1

Try a method on a real paper

Open the STEP methods app to see worked examples, linked questions and the 3-panel revision view.

Open STEP methods