SCSA Mathematics Applications Networks and decision mathematics

10 sample questions with marking guides and sample answers · Avg. score: 33%

Q40
2025
VCAA
Paper 1
1 mark
Q40
1 mark

The precedence table below shows the 12 activities required to complete a project. The duration in days and immediate predecessors are shown.

ActivityDurationImmediate predecessors
AA4
BB6AA
CC8AA
DD3AA
EE9BB
FF6CC
GG7B,D,FB, D, F
HH12CC
II6G,HG, H
JJ4E,IE, I
KK3G,HG, H
LL9JJ

The project is to be completed in minimum time.

The float time, in days, of Activity BB is

A

4

B

6

C

8

D

12

Reveal Answer
A

4

This is the earliest start time (EST) of Activity BB, not its float time.

B

6

This is the duration of Activity BB, not its float time.

C

8

Correct Answer

The earliest start time for Activity BB is 4 and its latest finish time is 18. The float time is calculated as Latest Finish Time - Earliest Start Time - Duration, which is 1846=818 - 4 - 6 = 8 days.

D

12

This is the latest start time (LST) of Activity BB, not its float time.

Q8
2023
QCAA
Paper 1
1 mark
Q8
1 mark

Activities P and Q are the critical activities for a project.

ActivityDurationPrerequisite activity
P3
Q6P

What are the earliest starting time (EST) and latest starting time (LST) for Activity Q?

A

3 | 3

B

3 | 6

C

6 | 6

D

6 | 9

Reveal Answer
A

3 | 3

Correct Answer

Activity Q depends on P (duration 3), so its Earliest Start Time (EST) is 3. Since Q is a critical activity, it has zero float, meaning its Latest Start Time (LST) must equal its EST (33).

B

3 | 6

The EST is correct, but the LST is wrong. Because Q is a critical activity, there is no slack, so the Latest Start Time cannot be later than the Earliest Start Time.

C

6 | 6

This incorrectly identifies the EST as 6. Since P starts at 0 and takes 3 units of time, Q can begin at time 3, not 6.

D

6 | 9

Both values are incorrect. The EST is determined by the completion of P (time 3), and since Q is critical, the LST must also be 3.

Q3
2023
QCAA
Paper 1
1 mark
Q3
1 mark

The duration, in minutes, of all activities in a project are shown.

ActivityPQRSTUV
Duration38423234161426

The critical path for the project is PRSV.
What is the earliest completion time for the project if it starts at 11:00 am?

A

12:30 pm

B

1:10 pm

C

1:30 pm

D

2:10 pm

Reveal Answer
A

12:30 pm

This time implies a project duration of 90 minutes. However, the sum of the critical path activities (PRSV) is 38+32+34+26=13038 + 32 + 34 + 26 = 130 minutes.

B

1:10 pm

Correct Answer

The earliest completion time is determined by the total duration of the critical path PRSV. Summing the durations gives 38+32+34+26=13038 + 32 + 34 + 26 = 130 minutes (2 hours and 10 minutes). Adding this to the 11:00 am start time results in 1:10 pm.

C

1:30 pm

This time implies a duration of 150 minutes. The correct duration based on the critical path is 130 minutes.

D

2:10 pm

This time implies a duration of 190 minutes (3 hours and 10 minutes), which is one hour longer than the actual critical path duration of 130 minutes.

Q7
2024
QCAA
Paper 1
1 mark
Q7
1 mark

The table shows information for a project with four activities.

ActivityDuration (min)PrerequisiteEarliest starting timeLatest starting time
W104
X200
Y3X22
Z4W, Y55

What is the float time for activity W, in minutes?

A

0

B

1

C

4

D

5

Reveal Answer
A

0

A float of 0 indicates a critical activity where the earliest and latest start times are identical. For activity W, these times differ.

B

1

This value represents the duration of activity W (1 minute), not the available float time.

C

4

Correct Answer

Float time is calculated as the difference between the Latest Starting Time (LST) and the Earliest Starting Time (EST). For activity W, 40=44 - 0 = 4 minutes.

D

5

This value corresponds to the start times for activity Z, rather than the calculated float for activity W.

Q5
2024
QCAA
Paper 2
6 marks
Q5
6 marks

A flying doctor coordinator allocates a plane from each of three airbases, A, B and C, to fly to one of three sites, P, Q and R, to provide medical care. Distances (km) are shown in the table.

 P (2828^\circ S 136136^\circ E)QR (2020^\circ S 147147^\circ E)
A (2020^\circ S 136136^\circ E)xx600yy
B445485340
C9801170770

Determine the optimal allocation for each plane and the minimum total distance flown.

Reveal Answer

Calculate xx (distance from A to P):
Angular distance =2820=8= 28^\circ - 20^\circ = 8^\circ
D=111.2×8890D = 111.2 \times 8^\circ \approx 890 km

Calculate yy (distance from A to R):
Angular distance =147136=11= 147^\circ - 136^\circ = 11^\circ
D=111.2×cos20×111149D = 111.2 \times \cos 20^\circ \times 11^\circ \approx 1149 km

Row reduction:
[290054910514502104000]\begin{bmatrix} 290 & 0 & 549 \\ 105 & 145 & 0 \\ 210 & 400 & 0 \end{bmatrix}

Column reduction:
[1850549014501054000]\begin{bmatrix} 185 & 0 & 549 \\ 0 & 145 & 0 \\ 105 & 400 & 0 \end{bmatrix}

Number of lines needed to cover all zeros = number of tasks (3=33 = 3), so allocate planes.
For minimum distance, the plane allocation is airbase A to site Q, airbase B to site P and airbase C to site R.

Minimum total distance flown =600+445+770= 600 + 445 + 770
=1815= 1815 km

Marking Criteria
DescriptorMarks

correctly calculates distance x in kilometres

1

correctly calculates distance y in kilometres

1

reduces each row

1

reduces each column

1

identifies optimal allocation for each plane

1

determines minimum total distance flown

1
Q20
2022
QCAA
Paper 1
4 marks
Q20
4 marks

The table summarises the distances in kilometres (km) between three flower stores and three delivery locations: A, B and C.

Use the Hungarian algorithm to determine the minimum total distance needed to deliver flowers to all locations if each store delivers flowers to only one location.

 ABC
Store 1191724
Store 2151422
Store 3231640
Reveal Answer

Row reduction
Store 1: 19 17 24 (-17) -> 2 0 7
Store 2: 15 14 22 (-14) -> 1 0 8
Store 3: 23 16 40 (-16) -> 7 0 24

[2071087024]\begin{bmatrix} 2 & 0 & 7 \\ 1 & 0 & 8 \\ 7 & 0 & 24 \end{bmatrix}

Column reduction (-1 0 -7)
[1000016017]\begin{bmatrix} 1 & 0 & 0 \\ 0 & 0 & 1 \\ 6 & 0 & 17 \end{bmatrix}

Therefore for minimum distance, Store 1 must deliver to C, Store 2 must deliver to A and Store 3 must deliver to B.

Minimum total distance = 24 + 15 + 16 = 55 km

Marking Criteria
DescriptorMarks

correctly reduces each row

1

correctly reduces each column

1

identifies which store delivers to which location

1

determines minimum total distance

1
Q5
2020
QCAA
Paper 2
5 marks
Q5
5 marks

A company has three tasks to allocate to three contractors. Each of the contractors has a quote recorded for each task, shown in the table. The quotes are in thousands of dollars ($'000s).

ContractorTask 1Task 2Task 3
A331
B472
C441

Use a matrix method to determine the minimum cost if each contractor is allocated one task.

Reveal Answer

Matrix form
(331472441)\begin{pmatrix} 3 & 3 & 1 \\ 4 & 7 & 2 \\ 4 & 4 & 1 \end{pmatrix}

row reduction: R11,R22,R31R_1 - 1, R_2 - 2, R_3 - 1
(220250330)\begin{pmatrix} 2 & 2 & 0 \\ 2 & 5 & 0 \\ 3 & 3 & 0 \end{pmatrix}

only need 1 line to cover all the 0s,
\therefore column reduction: C12,C22C_1 - 2, C_2 - 2
(000030110)\begin{pmatrix} 0 & 0 & 0 \\ 0 & 3 & 0 \\ 1 & 1 & 0 \end{pmatrix}

need 3 lines to cover all the 0s, \therefore bipartite graph:

contractor task cost
A 2 3
B 1 4
C 3 1
Total 8
\therefore Minimum cost is $8000.

Marking Criteria
DescriptorMarks

Correctly reduces each row

1

Correctly reduces each column

1

Allocates each task to one contractor

1

Determines minimum cost

1

Shows logical organisation, communicating key steps

1
Q7
2022
QCAA
Paper 1
1 mark
Q7
1 mark

This matrix was obtained after applying the Hungarian algorithm to determine the optimal allocation of three people, Elandra (E), Farid (F) and Grace (G), to three tasks: legal (L), monitoring (M) and verification (V).

LMVE007F038G100\begin{matrix} & L & M & V \\ E & 0 & 0 & 7 \\ F & 0 & 3 & 8 \\ G & 1 & 0 & 0 \end{matrix}

The optimal allocation is

A

E to V, F to M and G to L.

B

E to V, F to L and G to M.

C

E to M, F to L and G to V.

D

E to M, F to V and G to L.

Reveal Answer
A

E to V, F to M and G to L.

This allocation is invalid because it assigns tasks based on non-zero entries in the matrix (e.g., E to V is 7), whereas the optimal solution must use only zero entries.

B

E to V, F to L and G to M.

Although F and G are assigned to zeros, this option assigns E to V, which has a value of 7 in the reduced matrix, indicating it is not part of the optimal solution.

C

E to M, F to L and G to V.

Correct Answer

Row F has only one zero at column L, forcing F to L. This leaves E with only one available zero at M, which in turn forces G to V, resulting in an allocation using only zeros.

D

E to M, F to V and G to L.

This allocation is suboptimal because it uses non-zero entries for F to V (value 8) and G to L (value 1).

Q34
2023
VCAA
Paper 1
1 mark
Q34
1 mark

A bipartite graph is typically used to display which one of the following?

A

the allocation of tasks on a construction site

B

the path used to visit five different construction sites

C

the total distance travelled between two construction sites

D

the critical path of activities to be completed in a construction project

E

the minimum length of cable required to connect six construction sites

Reveal Answer
A

the allocation of tasks on a construction site

Correct Answer

Bipartite graphs are ideal for modeling assignment problems, such as allocating a set of workers to a set of tasks, where edges connect the two distinct groups.

B

the path used to visit five different construction sites

Finding a path to visit multiple sites is a routing problem (like the Travelling Salesperson Problem), which is typically modeled using a complete or general graph.

C

the total distance travelled between two construction sites

Determining the distance between two sites is a shortest path problem, which is best modeled using a weighted graph rather than a bipartite graph.

D

the critical path of activities to be completed in a construction project

Critical path analysis for project activities is modeled using a directed acyclic graph (DAG) or an activity network, as it requires showing dependencies and sequence.

E

the minimum length of cable required to connect six construction sites

Finding the minimum cable to connect multiple sites is a minimum spanning tree problem, which is modeled using a weighted graph.

Q1
2023
QCAA
Paper 2
5 marks
Q1
5 marks

A triathlon relay has three sections: swim (S), cycle (C) and run (R). The matrix shows the average number of minutes for three athletes, Jane (J), Knox (K) and Levi (L), to complete each section.

 SCR
J405666
K366072
L254878

Use the Hungarian algorithm to predict the minimum total relay time if assigning each athlete to completing one section.

Reveal Answer

SCRJ405666K366072L254878\begin{matrix} & \text{S} & \text{C} & \text{R} \\ \text{J} & 40 & 56 & 66 \\ \text{K} & 36 & 60 & 72 \\ \text{L} & 25 & 48 & 78 \end{matrix}

column reduction 254866-25 \quad -48 \quad -66

row reduction
[1580111260012]060\begin{bmatrix} 15 & 8 & 0 \\ 11 & 12 & 6 \\ 0 & 0 & 12 \end{bmatrix} \begin{matrix} -0 \\ -6 \\ -0 \end{matrix}

[15805600012]\begin{bmatrix} 15 & 8 & 0 \\ 5 & 6 & 0 \\ 0 & 0 & 12 \end{bmatrix}

Number of lines needed to cover all zeroes < number of tasks
2<32 < 3, so continue algorithm steps.
Smallest uncovered number is 5. Subtract 5 from all uncovered numbers and add 5 to number covered twice.

[10300100017]\begin{bmatrix} 10 & 3 & 0 \\ 0 & 1 & 0 \\ 0 & 0 & 17 \end{bmatrix}

Number of lines needed to cover all zeroes = number of tasks
3=33 = 3, so assign tasks.
To minimise the total relay time, assign Jane to run, Knox to swim and Levi to cycle.
Predicted minimum total relay time
=66+36+48= 66 + 36 + 48
=150 min= 150 \text{ min}
=2 h 30 min= 2 \text{ h } 30 \text{ min}

Marking Criteria
DescriptorMarks

correctly reduces each column

1

reduces each row

1

continues algorithm steps until number of lines needed to cover all zeroes equals number of tasks

1

assigns each athlete to complete one section

1

predicts minimum total relay time including units

1

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