REAL NUMBERS

1. Important Concepts/ Result

Theorem 1.1 (Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic): Every composite number can be expressed
(factorised) as a product of primes, and this factorisation is unique, apart from the order in which the prime
factors occur.
HCF: Product of the smallest power of each common prime factor in the numbers.
LCM: Product of the greatest power of each prime factor, involved in the numbers.
Theorem 1.2: Let p be a prime number. If p divides a2, then p divides a, whereas is a positive integer.
Proof: Let the prime factorisation of 𝑎 be as follows:
𝑎 = 𝑝1 , 𝑝2 , . . . , 𝑝𝑛 , where 𝑝1 , 𝑝2 , . . . , 𝑝𝑛 are primes, not necessarily distinct. Therefore,
𝑎2 = ( 𝑝1𝑝2 . . . 𝑝𝑛)( 𝑝1𝑝2 . . . 𝑝𝑛) = 𝑝2 1𝑝2 2 . . . 𝑝2 𝑛. now, we are given that p divides a2.
Therefore, from the Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic, it follows that p is one of the prime factors of a2.
However, using the uniqueness part of the Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic, we realise that the only
prime factors of a2 are 𝑝1 , 𝑝2 , . . . , 𝑝𝑛 . So p is one of 𝑝1 , 𝑝2 , . . . , 𝑝𝑛 .
Now, since 𝑎 = 𝑝1 , 𝑝2 , . . . , 𝑝𝑛 , and 𝑝 divides a.
We are now ready to give a proof that 2 is irrational. The proof is based on a technique called „proof by
contradiction‟.
Theorem 1.3: 2 is irrational.
Proof: Let us assume, to the contrary, that 2 is rational.
r
So, we can find integers r and s (≠ 0) such that 2 = s . Suppose r and s have a common factor other than 1.
a
Then, we divide by the common factor to get 2 ,  where a and b are co-prime.
b
So, b 2 = a.
Squaring on both sides and rearranging, we get 2b2 = a2 . Therefore, 2 divides a2.
Now, by Theorem 1.3, it follows that 2 divides a.
So, we can write a = 2c for some integer c.
Substituting for a, we get 2b2 = 4c2 , that is, b2 = 2c2.
This means that 2 divides b2, and so 2 divides b (again using Theorem 1.3 with p = 2). Therefore, a and b
have at least 2 as a common factor.
But this contradicts the fact that a and b have no common factors other than 1. This contradiction has arisen
because of our incorrect assumption that 2is rational. So, we conclude that 2 is irrational.
2. Some Illustrations/ Examples
i) MCQs
1. What is the HCF of the least prime number and the least composite number
(a) 1 (b) 2 (c) 3 (d) 4 Solution: (b) Least prime number = 2,
Least composite number = 4, HCF = 2
2. If two positive integers p and q are written as p = x5y2, q = x3y3, where x, y are prime no‟s then HCF (p, q)
is : (a) xy (b) x2y2 (c) x3y2 (d) x5y3
5 2 3 3
Solution: (c) p = x y , q=x y, HCF = x3y2
3. The values of r and s in the given figure is
4
3
s
r 7
(a) r = 10, s = 14 (b) r = 21, s = 84 (c) r = 21, s = 25 (d) r = 10, s = 40
Solution: (b) r = 3 x 7 = 21, s = 4 x r = 4 x 21 = 84,
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4. The sum of exponents of prime factors in the prime factorisation of 196 is
(a) 3 (b) 4 (c) 5 (d) 2
Solution: (b) 4, 196 = 22 x 72, Sum = 2 + 2 = 4
5. The prime factorisation of 96 is:
(a) 25 × 3 (b) 26 (c) 24 × 3 (d) 24 × 32
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Solution: (a) 2 × 3, The prime factorisation of 96 is: 96 = 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 3 = 2 5 × 3
ii) Short answer type questions
1. Show that 6- 2 is irrational
𝑎
Solution: Let 6- 2 is rational. Then, 6- 2 = 𝑏
(where a, b are co-prime integers and b ≠ 0)
𝑎 6𝑏−𝑎
6- 𝑏
= 2=> 𝑏
= 2
𝑎
Since a and b are integers, we get 6 - 𝑏
is rational and so 2 is rational.
But this contradicts the fact that 2is irrational. Hence out assumption 6- 2 is rational is wrong. So 6- 2is
irrational.
2. Find the HCF and LCM of 12, 14 and 16 using prime factorisation method.
Solution: 12 = 2 x 2 x 3 = 22 x 31, 14 = 2 x 7 = 21 x 71, 16 = 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 = 24
H.C.F (12, 14, 16) = 21 = 2, LCM (12, 14, 16) = 24 x 31 x 71 = 16 x 21= 336
3. If the HCF of 65 and 117 is expressible in the form 65m – 117, then the value of m is
Solution: 117 > 65, 117 = 65 × 1 + 52, 65 = 52 × 1 + 13, 52 = 13 × 4 + 0, HCF(65,117) = 13
According to the given, 65𝑚 – 117 = 13, 65m = 117 + 13, 65m = 130, m = 130/65 = 2
3. Questions for Practice:
i) MCQs
1. The LCM of two numbers is 2079 and their HCF is 27. If one of the number is 297.The other number is
(a) 190 (b) 189 (c) 163 (d) 199
2. The values of x and y in the given below figure are:
(a) 𝑥 = 25 , 𝑦 = 75 (b) 𝑥 = 20 , 𝑦 = 80 (c) 𝑥 = 21 , 𝑦 = 84 (d) 𝑥 = 23 , 𝑦 = 92
3. 5050 as product of its prime factors is.
(a) 2 × 52 × 101 (b) 2 × 5 × 5 x 5 × 101 (c)2 × 53 × 100 (d) 2 × 52
4. The expression of 2658 as a product of its prime factors.
(a) 2 × 3 × 443 (b) 2 × 4 × 443 (c)2 × 3 × 333 (d) 2 × 2 × 443
5. The ratio between the LCM and HCF of 5, 15 and 20.
(a) 1:12 (b) 12 : 11 (c)14 : 1 (d) 12 : 1
6. The HCF of two numbers 𝑎 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑏 𝑖𝑠 5 and their 𝐿𝐶𝑀 𝑖𝑠 200. The product 𝑎𝑏 is:
(a)1001 (b) 1000 (c)100 (d) 2000
7. The product of two numbers is 1050 and their HCF is 25. Their LCM is:
(a) 24 (b) 42 (c) 44 (d) 40
8. The LCM of two numbers is 182 and their HCF is 13. If one of the numbers is 26, the other number is.
(a)84 (b) 90 (c) 81 (d) 91
9. The least number that is divisible by all the numbers from 1 to 5 is:
(a) 70 (b) 60 (c) 80 (d) 90
10. ASSERTION: 5 is an example of a rational number.
REASON: The square root of all positive integers is irrational numbers.
(a) Both assertion (A) and reason (R) are true and assertion reason R is the correct explanation of
assertion A.
(b) Both assertion A and reason R are true but reason R is not the correct explanation of assertion A
(c) Assertion A is true but reason R is false. (d) Assertion A is false but reason R is true.
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ii) Short answer type questions(5)
1. Complete the following factor tree and the composite number x.

2. Find the least positive integer divisible by first five natural numbers.
3. Find the HCF of the numbers: 𝑘, 2𝑘, 3𝑘, 4𝑘 𝑎𝑛𝑑 5𝑘, where k is any positive integer.
4. Explain why 11 × 7 × 5 × 3 + 3 is a composite number.
5. The HCF of two numbers is 27 and their LCM is 162. If one of the numbers is 54, find the other number.
ANSWERS
i) MCQs
1. (b) 189 2 (c ) x=21 ,y=84 3. (a) 2 × 52 × 101 4. (a) 2 × 3 × 443 5 (d) 12 : 1
6. (b) 1000 7 (b) 42 . 8 (d) 91 9.(b) 60 10.(c)
ii) Short answer type questions
1. z=53, x= 11130, y= 5565, 2. LCM= 60 3. HCF= K 4. 11 × 7 × 5 × 3 can be expressed as a
product of primes. Therefore, it is a composite numbers. 5. Other number = 81

TEST PAPER 1: REAL NUMBERS (CLASS -X) M.M. 20

Section A (Each question carries 1 mark)
Q.1 Which of the following is a real number?
22
(a) 23 (b) 1.234 (c) 7
(d) all the above
Q.2 If p and Q are two consecutive natural numbers then HCF (a ,b) is
(a) 1 (b) 2 (c) 3 (d) 4
Section B (Each question carries 2 marks)
Q.3 Find the prime factorization of the denominator of the rational number 2.345.
Q.4 Find the LCM and HCF of 24 and 56 by Prime factorization method.
Q.5 Prove that 7 + √5 is irrational.
Section C (Each question carries 3 marks)
Q.6 Check whether 3n never ends with the digit 0 for any natural number n.
Q.7 Prove that √7 is irrational.
Q.8 Three alarm clocks ring at intervals of 6, 10, and 14 minutes respectively. If they start ringing together,
after how much time will they ring together?
Q.9 Given that HCF (25 , 45) = 5 , find their LCM.

TEST PAPER 2 REAL NUMBERS (CLASS -X-) M.M. 30

Q.1 The largest number which divides 70 and 125, leaving remainders 5 and 8 respectively is
(a) 13 (b) 65 (c) 875 (d) 1750
Q.2 If two positive integers p and q can be expressed as p = a³b² and q = ab where a and b are prime
numbers then LCM (p , q) is
(a) ab ( b) a²b² (c) a³b² ( d) ab²
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Q.3 A (Assertion): If the product of two numbers is 5780 and their HCF is 17, then their LCM is 340 &
R (Reason): HCF is always a factor of LCM.
(a) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true & Reason (R) is the correct explanation of Assertion (A)
(b) Both Assertion (A) & Reason (R) are true and Reason (R) is not the correct explanation of Assertion (A)
(c) Assertion (A) is true but Reason (R) is false. (d) Assertion (A) is false but Reason (R) is true
Q.4 If the product of two numbers is 34560 and their HCF IS 24 then find their LCM.
Q.5 Given that LCM (91, 26) = 182. Find the HCF OF 91and 26.
Q.6 Is it possible for the HCF & LCM of two numbers to be 18 and 378 respectively? Justify your answer.
Q.7 The LCM of two numbers is 9 times their HCF. The sum of LCM and HCF is 500. Find their HCF.
Q.8 Find the least number which is divisible by all the numbers from 1 to 10.
Q.9 Four bells toll together at 9:00 am. They toll after 6,8,10 and 12 seconds respectively. How many times
will they toll together again in next 3 hours.
Q.10 What will be the least possible number of planks, if three pieces of timber 42 m, 49 m, and 63 m long
have to be divided into planks of the same length.
Q.11 Prove that 3 + 7 is an irrational.
Q. 12 Check whether 4n can end with the digit 0 for any natural number n.
Q 13 There is a circular path around a sports field. Shyama takes 18 minutes to drive one round of the field,
while Sunny takes 12 minutes for the same. Suppose they both start at the same point and at the same time
and go in the same direction. After how many minutes will they meet again at the starting point?