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121/1
MATHEMATICS ALT A.
Paper 1
TERM 1 2025
Time 21 Hours
2 VIULMAKINABS EXAMINATIONS
Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education
121/1
MATHEMATICS
Paper 1
March/April 2025
2 Hours 30 minutes
Instructions to candidates
a) Write your name and admission in the space provided above.
b) Sign and write the date of examination in the spaces provided above
c) This paper consists of two sections: Section Ⅰ and section Ⅱ.
d) Answer all the questions in section Ⅰ and only five questions from Section Ⅱ.
e) Show all the steps in your calculations, giving your answers at each stage in the spaces
provided below each question.
f) Marks may be given for correct working even if the answer is wrong.
g) Non-programmable silent electronic calculator and KNEC mathematical tables may be
used, except where stated otherwise.
h) Candidates should check the question paper to ascertain that all pages are printed as
indicated and that no questions are missing.
i) Candidates should answer the questions in English.

For examiner’s use only Section Ⅰ

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 total

Section Ⅱ
17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 total

1
1. Evaluate without using a calculator. (3mks)
5 1 5
(4
−3 )
6 3 6
5 3 5 1
× +1 ÷2
12 25 9 3

2. The internal dimensions of a container at the port are 1380cm by 240cm by 300cm. The
container is filled with large cubical boxes of equal sizes. Calculate the least number of
the cubical boxes in the container. (3mks)

3. Two polygons sides differ by 1. If the sum of interior angles of the two polygons is 1620,
find the number of sides of each polygon and name the polygons. (3mks)

2
4. A boat is at point P, a distance of 100km from the bottom of a hill. The angle of
elevation of the top of the hill is 30⁰ from P. The boat sails straight towards the hill to
a point Q from where the angle of elevation to the top of the hill is now 60⁰.
Calculate the distance PQ. (3mks)

5. Solve the equation. (3mks)

5(2x+1) – 3(5(x+1)) + 10 = 0

6. A Kenyan bank buys and sells foreign currencies at the exchange rates shown
below. Buying (ksh) Selling (ksh)
1 Euro 147.86 148.00
1 US Dollar 74.22 74.50

An American arrived in Kenya with 20,000 Euros. He converted all the Euros to Kenyan
Shillings at the bank. He spent Ksh. 2,512,000 while in Kenya and converted the
remaining Kenyan shillings into US Dollars at the bank. Find the amount in Dollars that
he received. (3mks)

3
7. Given that ) and p + 2 q = ( −14) , find q (4mks)
4p- 3q = ( 10

5 15

8. In the figure below lines AB and CD are parallel. AD and CB intersect at X. AB = 6cm, CD
= 9cm and DX = 3cm.

6cm
A B

C D
9cm

a) Calculate the length of AX (2mks)

b) The area of ABX is 6cm2. Calculate the area of CXD. (2mks)

4
9. Write down the four inequalities that satisfy the unshaded region a shown below.

10. Given that X is an acute angle and Sin (x -20) = Cos (3x-50), find the value of x. (2mks)

11. Simplify:

x2 + x – 4xy – 4y
4yx – x2y + 4y2 – xy (3mks)

5
12. The ratio of the cost of commodity x to the commodity y is 2:3 and the ratio of the cost
of commodity y to that of commodity Z is 6:1. If the total cost of the commodities is sh.
2,200, express the cost of commodity Z as a percentage of commodity y.
(3mks)

13. The equation of the line L1 is 2y – 5x – 8 = 0 and L2 passes through the points (-5, 0) and
is perpendicular to L1. Find;
a) the gradient of line L1 (1mk)

b) the equation of L2 leaving it in double intercept form. (3mks)

14. Use reciprocal tables to find the value of (0.325)-1 hence evaluate
3
√0.000125
0.325
Giving your answer to 4 significant figures. (3mks)

6
15. In the figure below O is the center of the circle and BA is parallel to CD.

If < 퐵퐴퐶 = 31°, Find the size of < 퐶퐵퐴. (2mks)

16. Draw the net of the solid below and calculate the surface area. (3mks)

7
 SECTION Ⅱ
17. In the figure below lines PQ is parallel to line RS point N is the Midpoint of PQ. Given
that PQ = 100cm, PS = 39m, NS = 41m and PQR = 30⁰

R
S

30⁰
P N
100 m Q

a) Calculate the area of triangle PNS and hence the perpendicular distance between the
two parallel sides. (4mks)

b) Calculate the length of

i). QR (2mks)

ii). NR (2mks)

c) Calculate the size of the obtuse angle QNR (2mks)

8
18. The following are masses of 25 students in form 4 class.
49, 51, 50, 60, 55, 45, 56, 51, 58, 59, 40, 54, 44
44, 42, 59, 50, 62, 46, 43, 57, 56, 52, 43, 41

a) Prepare a frequency distribution table with a uniform class size starting with the
class 40 – 43 (4mks)

b) Estimate the median mass. (3mks)

c) Draw a histogram for the data. (3mks)

9
19. (a) Determine:
The inverse of the matrix A (1mk)

(4 3)
3 2

(b) Peter bought 20 bags of oranges and 15 bags of mangoes for a total of ksh.
9,500. Wilson bought 30 bags of oranges and 20 bags of mangoes for a total of
ksh. 13,500. If the price of a bag of oranges is X and that of mangoes is Y.

i). Form two simplified equations to represent the information above. (2mks)

ii). Hence use the matrix A -1above to find the price of one bag of each item.
(4mks)

(c) The price of each bag of orange increased by 10% and that of mangoes reduced
by 10%. The businessmen (Peter and Wilson) bought as many oranges and as
many mangoes as they bought earlier.

Find by matrix method, the total cost of oranges and mangoes that the businessmen
bought after the percentage change. (3mks)

10
20. Part of the inverted open cone of base radius 5cm and height 9cm is inverted into water
in a cylindrical tank of diameter of 6 cm and height of 12 cm full of water as shown;

a) Calculate the volume of water left in the tank. (6mks)

b) Calculate the surface area of the cone not submerged in water. (4mks)

11
21. Three islands P, Q, R and S are on an ocean such that island Q is 400Km on a bearing of
030⁰ from island P. Island R is 520 km and a bearing of S60⁰E from island Q. A port S is
sighted 750km due South of island Q.
a) Taking a scale of 1cm to represent 100km, give a scale drawing showing the
relative positions of P, Q, R and S. (4mks)

b) Use the scale drawing to find the compass bearing of:

i). Island R from island P (1mk)

ii). Port S from island R (1mk)

c) Find the distance between island P and R (2 marks)

d) A warship T is such that it is equidistant from the islands P, S, and R. by

construction locate the position of T. (2 marks)

12
22. (a) The figure below is a velocity time graph for a car.

Velocity
m/s

0 4 20 24
Time (seconds)
i). If the total distance travelled by the car was 1,600M find the maximum velocity.
(2 marks)

ii). Calculate the deceleration of the car. (2 marks)

(b) A car left Nairobi towards Eldoret at 7:12a.m. At average speed of 90km/h. At 8:22 a.m.
a bus left Eldoret for Nairobi at an average speed of 72km/h. The distance between the
two towns is 348km. calculate:

i). The time when the two vehicles met. (4 marks)

ii). The distance from Nairobi to the meeting place. ( 2 marks)

13
23. given that y = 7 – 3x – 2x2 for -4≤ 푥 ≤ 3 (2 marks)

a) complete the table below

X -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3

Y 7 7 7 7 7 7

-2x 12 9 3 0 -3 -9

-2x2 -32 -18 -2 0 -2 -18

y -13 -2 8 7 2 -20

b) draw the graph y = 7 – 3x – 2x2 for -4≤ 푥 ≤ 3 (3 marks)

c) Use the graph to find the roots of the equation.

i). -2x2 – 3x + 7 = 0 (2 marks)

ii). -2x2 – 4x + 9 = 0 (3 marks)

14
 24. a) ⅰ) Find the coordinates of the stationary points on the curve y = x3 – 3x + 2. (3 marks)

ii) For each stationary point determine whether it is a minimum or a maximum.

(4 marks)

b) In the space provided, sketch the graph of the function y = x3 -3x + 2. (3marks)

24