Spiders build webs out of silk. This question involves two different models of how a spider might build its web. The functions in each model give lengths in centimetres.
(a)In the first model, the web is made in stages. First, the spider makes Stage 1 of the web. It then adds extra silk to Stage 1 to make Stage 2, and so on. The table shows S(n), the total length of silk in each stage, for the first three stages. It also shows A(n): for n > 1, A(n) is the length of extra silk needed to make Stage n from Stage n − 1. A(1) is set to be 15·8.
| Stage | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| S(n): total silk | 15·8 | 37·8 | 66 |
| A(n): extra silk | 15·8 | | |
|---|
(i)Use the values in the table to show that A(2) = 22 and find the value of A(3).
The numbers A(1), A(2), A(3), … form an arithmetic sequence.
(ii)Find an expression in n for A(n), where n ∈ ℕ.
(iii)Hence, or otherwise, find the value of A(100).
(iv)S(n) is the total length of silk needed to make Stage n, where n ∈ ℕ. By using the formula for the sum of an arithmetic series, or otherwise, show that S(n) = 3·1n2 + 12·7n.
(v)Stage k is the first stage for which the total length of silk is more than 10 m, in this model. Using the expression for S(n) above, solve an equation to find the value of k. Remember that S(n) gives the total length of silk, in centimetres.
(b)In the second model, the web is made in laps. The diagram shows the first lap. The line segments marked O1, O2, and O3 are the first 3 orbitals of the web. The lengths of the orbitals form a geometric sequence. The length of O1 is 0·5 cm and the length of O2 is 0·53 cm.
(i)Find the length of O3.
(ii)Write an expression in n for the total length of the first n orbitals of the web, where n ∈ ℕ.
(iii)There are exactly 18 orbitals in each lap of the web. Write an expression in k for the total length of the first k laps, where k ∈ ℕ.