Two functions g and h are defined on the set R of real numbers by \(g : x \to x^{2} - 2\) and \(h : x \to \frac{1}{x + 2}\). Find :
(a) \(h^{-1}\), the inverse of h ;
(b) \(g \circ h\), when \(x = -\frac{1}{2}\).
Express \(3x^{2} - 6x + 10\) in the form \(a(x - b)^{2} + c\), where a, b and c are integers. Hence state the minimum value of \(3x^{2} - 6x + 10\) and the value of x for which it occurs.
The twenty-first term of an Arithmetic Progression is \(5\frac{1}{2}\) and the sum of the first twenty-one terms is \(94\frac{1}{2}\). Find the :
(a) first term ; (b) common difference ; (c) sum of the first thirty terms.
Write down the first three terms of the binomial expansion \((1 + ax)^{n}\) in ascending powers of x. If the coefficients of x and x\(^{2}\) are 2 and \(\frac{3}{2}\) respectively, find the values of a and n.
The gradient function of \(y = ax^{2} + bx + c\) is \(8x + 4\). If the function has a minimum value of 1, find the values of a, b and c.