Vectors in 2 Dimensions (CIE A Level Maths: Pure 3)

Exam Questions

3 hours36 questions
1
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5 marks

The vectors a and b are given by bold a equals 3 bold i minus 5 bold j and bold b equals negative bold i plus 3 bold j.

Find:

(i)
a + b
(ii)
5a,
(iii)
3a - 2b
(iv)

a - t b,

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2
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4 marks

In triangle A B C comma space space stack A B with rightwards arrow on top equals 5 bold i plus bold j space space a n d space space stack A C with rightwards arrow on top equals 3 bold i minus 2 bold j.

q2-11-1-vectors-in-2-dimensions-easy-a-level-maths-pure

(i)
Find stack B C with rightwards arrow on top in terms of i and j.

(ii)
Calculate open vertical bar stack B C with rightwards arrow on top close vertical bar.

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3a
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3 marks

The vectors a, b, c and d are given by 

bold a equals 2 bold i plus 4 bold j comma space space space space space space bold b equals 3 bold i plus straight p bold j comma space space space space space space space bold c equals straight q bold i minus 2 bold j comma space space space space space space space bold d equals 6 bold i minus 2 bold j

Given that a - 2b  =  3c, find the values of the constants p and q.

3b
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2 marks

Find |d|.

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4
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3 marks

On the same diagram sketch the following position vectors

(i)
3i + 4j,
(ii)
-5i,
(iii)

-8i - 6j.

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5
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3 marks

The vectors a, b and c are given as

space bold a equals open parentheses table row cell 3 space end cell row cell negative p end cell end table close parentheses ,    space bold b equals open parentheses table row p row 4 end table close parentheses space ,    space bold c equals open parentheses table row 9 row 3 end table close parentheses space

Given that  bold a plus bold b is parallel to c find the value of p.

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6
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4 marks

The position vector stack A B with rightwards arrow on top is given by stack A B with rightwards arrow on top equals 6 bold i plus 3 bold j.

(i)
Find the magnitude of stack A B with rightwards arrow on top, giving your answer in the form p square root of q where p and q are integers to be found.

(ii)
Find the angle between stack A B with rightwards arrow on top and the positive x-axis, giving your answer in degrees to one decimal place.

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7
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2 marks

The vector stack O A with rightwards arrow on top is given by stack O A with rightwards arrow on top equals open parentheses table row cell negative 4 end cell row 3 end table close parentheses.

Find a unit vector in the direction of stack O A with rightwards arrow on top.

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8
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4 marks

Starting at the origin, a ship sails on a bearing of 060° for 400 km, until it reaches point P.  Find the position vector of P relative to the origin.

Giving your answer in the form open parentheses x bold i plus y bold j close parentheses km, where x and y are exact values.

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9
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2 marks

The points A and B have position vectors bold space bold a equals 3 bold i minus 7 bold j bold spaceand bold space bold b equals negative 3 bold i plus bold j bold spacerespectively.

Find the distance AB.

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10
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2 marks

A force F acts on a particle, where  bold F equals p bold i plus 2 p bold j space straight N.

Calculate the magnitude of the force F, giving your answer in terms of p.

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1a
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3 marks

In triangle ABCstack A B with rightwards arrow on top equals 7 bold i plus bold j bold space and space stack A C with rightwards arrow on top equals 4 bold i minus 3 bold j

q2-11-1-vectors-in-2-dimensions-easy-a-level-maths-pure

(i)
Write down stack space C A space with rightwards arrow on topin terms of i and j. 
   
(ii)
Find stack B C with rightwards arrow on top.
1b
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1 mark

Calculate open vertical bar stack B C with rightwards arrow on top close vertical bar.

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2a
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3 marks

bold a equals open parentheses table row 7 row 2 end table close parentheses bold space bold b equals open parentheses table row m row cell negative 3 end cell end table close parentheses  bold c equals open parentheses table row 5 row n end table close parentheses space

Given that  bold a plus 2 bold b equals bold c, find the values of m and n

2b
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2 marks

space bold d equals open parentheses table row cell negative 5 end cell row k end table close parentheses space

Given that open vertical bar bold d close vertical bar equals 15, find two possible values for k.  Give your answer as an exact value.

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3
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3 marks

The point A lies on the line with equationspace y equals 3 x plus 5.  The position vector of A isspace stack O A with rightwards arrow on top equals 2 k bold i plus 7 k bold j.  Find the value of k, and hence determine the coordinates of A.

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4
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4 marks

The vectors a, b and c are given as

space bold italic a equals open parentheses table row cell negative 5 end cell row 17 end table close parentheses bold b equals open parentheses table row k row cell space 5 end cell end table close parentheses bold c equals open parentheses table row 9 row cell negative 29 end cell end table close parentheses space

Given that  bold a minus bold b is parallel to bold b plus bold c find the value of k

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5a
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3 marks

stack A B with rightwards arrow on top equals 11 bold i minus 2 bold j

Find 

(i)
the magnitude of stack A B with rightwards arrow on top, giving your answer as an exact value

(ii)
the angle between stack A B with rightwards arrow on top and the positive x-axis, giving your answer in degrees correct to two decimal places.
5b
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2 marks

Find a unit vector in the direction of stack A B with rightwards arrow on top.

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6
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4 marks

A ship leaves its starting position O in port and travels 300 km on a bearing of 120°.  It then travels 500 km due south before dropping anchor at point A.  Given that the position vector of A relative to O is open parentheses space x bold i plus y bold j bold space close parentheseskm, find the exact values of x and y.

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7a
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3 marks

Two forces F1 and F2 act on a particle, where  bold F subscript 1 equals 7 bold i minus 2 bold j bold spacenewtons and bold F subscript 2 equals negative 12 bold i minus 10 bold j newtons.

The resultant force R acting on the particle is given by bold R equals bold F subscript 1 plus bold F subscript 2.

Calculate the magnitude of R in newtons.

7b
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3 marks

A third force bold F subscript 3 equals k bold j newtons is to be applied to the particle.  The constant k is to be selected so that the line of action of the new resultant force space bold R subscript new equals bold F subscript 1 plus bold F subscript 2 plus bold F subscript 3 space end subscriptis at an angle of 45 degrees to the vector j, measured anticlockwise.

Find the value of k.

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8a
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3 marks

Points A, B and C have position vectors stack O A with rightwards arrow on top equals negative 4 bold i minus 7 bold jstack O B with rightwards arrow on top equals 3 bold j  and  OC with rightwards arrow on top equals 6 bold i plus 18 bold j, respectively.

Find  stack A B with rightwards arrow on top and stack A C with rightwards arrow on top.

8b
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2 marks

Show thatspace stack A B with rightwards arrow on top space andspace stack A C space with rightwards arrow on top are parallel, and state what this tells you about the points A, B and C.

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9a
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3 marks

In triangle ABC, stack A B with rightwards arrow on top equals bold a bold space and  stack A C with rightwards arrow on top equals bold b.  Point P divides BC in the ratio 3:2.

q9-11-1-vectors-in-2-dimensions-easy-a-level-maths-pure

i)
Write down vectorstack space B C space with rightwards arrow on top in terms of a and b.

 

ii)
Find stack B P with rightwards arrow on top in terms of a and b.
9b
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2 marks

Given that space bold a equals 7 bold i plus 8 bold j bold spaceand bold b equals 12 bold i plus 3 bold j , find stack B P with rightwards arrow on top in terms of i and j.

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1a
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1 mark

In triangle ABCstack A B with rightwards arrow on top equals 5 bold i plus 8 bold j space and  stack B C with rightwards arrow on top equals bold i minus 5 bold j

q1-11-1-vectors-in-2-dimensions-hard-a-level-maths-pure

Explain why stack A B with rightwards arrow on top plus stack B C with rightwards arrow on top plus stack C A with rightwards arrow on top equals 0.

1b
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3 marks

Find space stack C A with rightwards arrow on top spaceand calculate its magnitude.

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2a
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2 marks

bold a equals open parentheses table row cell negative 1 end cell row n end table close parentheses space comma space space bold b equals open parentheses table row 5 row cell negative 4 end cell end table close parentheses space comma space bold space bold c equals open parentheses table row m row 6 end table close parentheses space

Given that the resultant of a, b and c is the zero vector, find the values of m and n

2b
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2 marks

bold d equals open parentheses table row cell negative 3 k end cell row k end table close parentheses

Given that open vertical bar bold d close vertical bar equals 2 square root of 15 comma find two possible values for k.  Give your answer as an exact value.

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3
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4 marks

The point A lies on the curve with equation y equals x squared minus 2.  The position vector of A is stack O A with rightwards arrow on top equals 3 k bold i minus 17 k bold j, where k is a positive constant.  Find the value of  k, and hence determine the coordinates of  A.

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4
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4 marks

The vectors a, b and c are given as

 bold a equals open parentheses table row 3 row 5 end table close parentheses space comma space space bold b equals open parentheses table row cell negative 3 k end cell row k end table close parentheses space comma space space bold c equals open parentheses table row 0 row cell negative 4 end cell end table close parentheses space

Given that  bold a minus bold b is parallel to bold a plus bold c find the value of k

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5a
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3 marks

Vector stack A B with rightwards arrow on top  has a magnitude of 6 square root of 3 and makes an angle of 150° with the positive x-axis.

 Find stack space A B space with rightwards arrow on topin the form x bold i plus y bold j comma where both x and y are given as exact values.

5b
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2 marks

Find a unit vector in the direction of stack A B with rightwards arrow on top.

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6
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6 marks

In the enchanted kingdom of Vectoria, a magical flying unicorn takes off from the wizard’s palace at the point known as O and travels 30 km on a bearing of 300°.  Chased by an evil dragon, it then travels an unknown distance of  k km due north before reaching the enchanted grove at point P.  Given that the position vector of P relative to O is open parentheses x bold i plus y bold j close parentheses space km, and that the straight-line distance between the grove and the palace is known to be 30 square root of 3 space km, find the exact values of x and y.

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7a
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2 marks

Two forces F1 and F2 act on a particle, where  space bold F subscript 1 equals 5 bold i minus 3 bold j bold spacenewtons and bold F subscript 2 equals x bold i plus y bold j newtons.

The resultant force R acting on the particle is given by bold R equals bold F subscript 1 plus bold F subscript 2, and acts in a direction parallel to the vector open parentheses negative bold i minus 3 bold j close parentheses.

Find the angle between R and the vector j, giving your answer in degrees correct to 2 decimal places.

7b
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3 marks

Show that 3 x minus y equals negative 18.

7c
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3 marks

Given thatspace y equals negative 3, find the magnitude of R.

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8
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5 marks

Points A, B and C have position vectors stack O A with rightwards arrow on top equals negative 9 bold i plus 4 bold jstack O B with rightwards arrow on top equals negative 6 bold i space and  stack O C with rightwards arrow on top equals 3 bold i minus 12 bold j comma respectively.

Use a vector method to show that points A, B and C lie on the same straight line.

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9a
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1 mark

In triangle ABC, point F lies on AB and point G lies on BC.  

F divides AB in the ratio m:n.  

The line segment FG is parallel to AC.

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Explain why stack B G with rightwards arrow on top equals lambda stack B C with rightwards arrow on top for some constant lambda, where 0 less or equal than lambda less or equal than 1.

9b
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4 marks

Given that space stack A B with rightwards arrow on top equals bold a  and space stack A C with rightwards arrow on top equals bold b,   show that

stack F G with rightwards arrow on top equals open parentheses fraction numerator n over denominator m plus n end fraction minus lambda close parentheses bold a plus lambda bold b

9c
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3 marks

Using your result from (b), prove that G divides BC in the ratio n:m.

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1a
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2 marks

A, B and C are the three vertices of a triangle.  space stack A C with rightwards arrow on top equals 5 bold i minus 2 bold j bold space spaceand  stack B C with rightwards arrow on top equals negative 3 bold i plus k bold j, where k is a constant.

Find stack A B with rightwards arrow on top in terms of i, j and k.

1b
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3 marks

Given thatspace open vertical bar stack A B with rightwards arrow on top close vertical bar equals square root of 89, find the two possible values of k.

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2a
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3 marks

bold a equals open parentheses table row 8 row m end table close parentheses comma space space bold b equals open parentheses table row n row cell negative 2 end cell end table close parentheses space comma space bold space bold c equals open parentheses table row m row n end table close parentheses space

Given that bold a plus bold b equals bold c minus 2 bold b, find the values of m and n

2b
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2 marks

bold d equals open parentheses table row cell 2 k plus 1 end cell row cell 2 k minus 1 end cell end table close parentheses space

Given that open vertical bar bold d close vertical bar equals 3 k square root of 2, find two possible values for k.  Give your answer as an exact value.

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3a
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4 marks

The point A lies on the circle with equation open parentheses x minus 11 close parentheses squared plus open parentheses y minus 7 close parentheses squared equals 34A has position vector stack O A with rightwards arrow on top equals 3 k bold i plus 5 k bold j, where k is a constant.

Find the value of k , and hence determine the coordinates of A.

3b
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2 marks

Explain why a line passing through O and A must be a tangent to the circle.

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4
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5 marks

Points A, B and C have position vectors stack O A with rightwards arrow on top equals negative 6 bold i minus 2 bold jspace stack O B with rightwards arrow on top equals bold i plus m bold j bold space spaceand  stack O C with rightwards arrow on top equals 3 bold i minus 8 bold j, respectively.

Given that A, B and C lie on the same straight line, use a vector method to find the value of m.

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5a
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3 marks

Vector stack A B space with rightwards arrow on top has a magnitude of 2 square root of 6 and makes an angle of 165° with the positive y-axis (measuring anticlockwise from the positive y-axis).

 Find stack A B with rightwards arrow on top in the form a bold i plus b bold j, where both a and b are given as exact values.

5b
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2 marks

Find a unit vector in the direction of stack A B with rightwards arrow on top.

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6a
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7 marks

A ship is searching for a radio buoy whose transmitter has ceased functioning.  The ship sets out from point O and heads in the approximate direction of the buoy, travelling at a constant speed of 40 km/h in a direction parallel to the vector bold i plus 3 bold j.  After travelling for ninety minutes the ship has reached point P.  At that time, the ship receives a brief transmission from the buoy indicating that the buoy is at a bearing of  210° from the ship.  The ship heads on that bearing at the same constant speed, and reaches the buoy at point Q in another 45 minutes.  Given that vector stack O Q with rightwards arrow on top equals x bold i plus y bold j space km, find the exact values of x and y.

Given that vector stack O Q with rightwards arrow on top equals x bold i plus y bold j bold space km, find the exact values of x and y.

6b
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3 marks

How far was the buoy from the ship, and at what bearing, at the time the ship initially left point O?  Give the distance in kilometers, and give your answers correct to 1 decimal place.

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7a
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4 marks

In an experiment, three forces are acting on a particle.  space bold F subscript 1 equals 7 bold i minus bold j bold space bold spacenewtons and text bold F end text subscript 2 equals x bold i plus y bold j newtons are both constant forces, although the values of x and y are initially unknown.  The third force isspace bold F subscript 3 equals k bold i plus k square root of 3 bold j spacenewtons, where k greater or equal than 0 is a parameter that can be varied by the experimenters.  The resultant force R acting on the particle is given by bold R equals bold F subscript 1 plus bold F subscript 2 plus bold F subscript 3.

Given that bold R equals bold 0 when the magnitude of bold F subscript 3 is 10 newtons, find the exact values of x and y.

7b
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3 marks

Find the magnitude of bold F subscript 2 and the angle it makes with the vector i.  Give your answers correct to 1 decimal place.

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8a
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3 marks

In triangle ABC, D is the midpoint of AB and E is the midpoint of AC BE and CD intersect at point F.

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Given that  stack A B with rightwards arrow on top equals 2 bold a space and  stack A C with rightwards arrow on top equals 2 bold b, write the vectors space stack B C with rightwards arrow on top comma space space stack B E space with rightwards arrow on topand stack C D with rightwards arrow on top in terms of
a and b.

8b
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6 marks

By setting up and solving suitable vector equations, prove that each of BE and CD divides the other in the ratio 1:2.

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