Observation

The Chief Examiner reported that this question was the least attractive question in the paper. Very few people attempted it. However, the performance of majority of those who attempted it was reported to be fair. Their performance was also reported to be better in part (a) than in part (b), where they were reported not to carry out the binary operation correctly. Some who were able to complete the table did not answer the questions that followed.

In part (a), candidates were expected to recall that two straight lines were parallel if their gradient was the same. Re-writing the given equation in the form y = mx + c, we have y = -2x + 6. This implied that the slope of the line = -2. Therefore, the slope of the required line was also -2. If this line was to pass through the point (2, -3), then, using a general equation of a straight line, -3 = -2(2) + c. Hence, c = 1. Therefore, the required equation was y = -2x + 1 or 2x + y – 1 = 0.

In part (b), candidates were expected to apply the operation on any two members of the set, say 2 and 3, as follows: