Edexcel Pure Paper 2 2024 Question 3

Edexcel Pure Paper 2 2024 Question 3 – Transformations

❓ The Question

🧠 Before you start

This question is one people often overthink a bit.

It’s not that it’s difficult — it’s more that the wording can make it feel like there’s more going on than there actually is. Especially in the final part.

Really, all you’re doing is tracking a single point. Nothing else. No algebra, no rearranging — just following where that point goes.

If you keep that in mind, it settles down quite quickly.

✏️ Working

We begin with the point:

$(3, -2)$

That’s all we need. Every part of the question just moves this point in some way.

Part (i)

$y = f(x - 2)$

This one is fairly direct.

The graph shifts to the right. So the x-value increases by 2. The y-value doesn’t change.

So we go from:

$(3, -2)$ to $(5, -2)$

There isn’t really anything else to do here.

Part (ii)

$y = f(2x)$

This is where people hesitate slightly.

It looks similar to the previous part, but it isn’t a shift. It’s changing the scale.

What actually happens is that x-values get smaller. So instead of multiplying, you divide.

That gives:

$(3, -2) \rightarrow \left(\frac{3}{2}, -2\right)$

It’s a small detail, but it matters. A lot of answers go the other way here and double the x-value instead.

Part (iii)

$y = 3f(-x) + 5$

This is the one that looks the busiest.

Best thing to do is slow it down and just take it piece by piece.

Start with the $-x$ . That reflects the point in the y-axis.

So:

$(3, -2)$ becomes $(-3, -2)$

Then the 3 in front affects the y-value. So multiply it:

$(-3, -2)$ becomes $(-3, -6)$

Then finally, add 5:

$(-3, -6)$ becomes $(-3, -1)$

So the final answer is:

$(-3, -1)$

If you try to do that in one step, it’s easy to lose track. Breaking it up avoids that.

🎯 Where the Marks Are

There isn’t anything complicated in how this is marked.

Each part is separate. You’re just being credited for moving the point correctly each time.

No long working needed. But equally, no room for guessing either.

⚠️ What Went Wrong

Most of the issues here were small, but consistent.

Part (ii) caused the most trouble. Instead of dividing by 2, some answers multiplied. It’s an easy mistake — but it flips the result completely.

Reflections also tripped people up. A few answers changed the y-value instead of the x-value when dealing with $-x$ .

And in the last part, trying to shortcut the process didn’t really help. Missing one step usually meant the final coordinate was off.

💡 The takeaway

If there’s more than one transformation, just write them down one at a time.

Even if it feels a bit slow, it keeps everything clear. Especially under time pressure.

🚀 If This Felt Difficult

If this didn’t feel completely comfortable, it’s not unusual.

Transformations tend to be one of those topics that take a bit of getting used to. They’re not hard once they click — but until then, they can feel slightly awkward.

Working through a few more of these helps you improve your maths, mainly because the patterns start to repeat.

And if you want something a bit more structured around that, an A level maths success course can help tie these ideas together so they feel less disconnected.

🔗 Next Steps

← Question 2 Solution
→ Question 4 Solution

👨‍🏫Author Bio

S Mahandru is an A Level Maths teacher focused on helping students stay accurate under exam pressure. The aim is to keep methods clear and build confidence through consistent exam-style practice.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

📌Why does the graph move right in part (i)?

Because the shift is inside the function, which reverses the direction.

📌 Why divide in part (ii)?

Because horizontal scaling works differently from vertical scaling.

📌Do I need to show steps?

Not always, but it’s safer — especially in multi-step parts.

📌 Is this typical of exam questions?

Yes, questions like this come up quite regularly.

Edexcel Pure Paper 2 2024 Question 3