Questions and Answers from Unit 1, Grade 8 mathematics

1. Describe Natural numbers.

Solution:
Natural numbers are set of numbers which are written in the form of N :
Where N= { 1, 2 , 3 ,… },
The smallest natural number is 1; we cannot find the largest natural
number.
2. Which whole number that is not a natural number.
Solution:
Whole number that is not a natural number is zero (0)
3. Which Integer numbers that is not a whole number.
Solution:
Integer numbers are set of numbers which are written in the form of Z :
Where Z={ …−3 ,−2 ,−1 , 0 , 1 ,2 , 3 , … }, Integers contain negative numbers,
zero and natural numbers. Therefore, Integer that is not a whole
number is negative integer.
4. Which of the following set of numbers include the other set of
numbers?
a. Whole numbers b. Integers c. Natural numbers
Solution:
a. Whole numbers contains zero and natural numbers. { 0 } ∪ N
b. An integer contains negative integer, zero and positive integer.
−¿¿
+¿∪ { 0} ∪Z ¿
Z
c. Natural numbers are positive integers. . N=Z +¿¿
Therefore, a, and b are contains the other set of numbers.
5. Define a rational number.
Solution:
where 𝑎 and 𝑏 are
a
A number that can be written in the form of

integers and 𝑏 ≠ 0 is called a rational number. The set of rational

b

numbers is denoted by ℚ.
6. Solomon has 5 cats and 3 dogs. He wants to buy a toy for each of his
pets. Solomon has 44 Birr to spend on pet toys. How much can he
spend on each pet? Write your answer as a fraction and as an amount
in Birr and Cents.
Solution:
Solomon has 5 cats and 3 dogs; 5+3=8. For each of his pets he spent:
1
× 44=5.5.
8
 Therefore, Solomon spends Birr 5.5(Birr 5∧5 Cents ) on each pet.
7. Describe a fraction.
Solution:
A fraction represents the portion or part of the whole thing. A fraction
has two parts, namely numerator (the number on the top) and
denominator (the number on the bottom).
2 4 12
Like:- , , , … .
5 8 16
There are three types of fraction, proper fraction, improper fraction
and mixed fraction.
8. Proper fraction: A fraction in which the numerator is less than the
denominator. ii. Improper fraction: A fraction in which the numerator is
greater than or equal to the denominator. If an improper fraction is
expressed as a whole number and proper fraction, then it is called
mixed fraction.
9. 1/5, 3/ 7, 3/ 5, − 8 /2, − 14/ 4 and 5/ 9 are rational numbers.
10. How can represent rational numbers on a number line.
Solutions:
Rational number can be represented on a number line by considering
the following facts.
I. Positive rational numbers are always represented on the right side of
zero and negative rational numbers are always represented on the
left side of zero on a number line. II. Positive
proper fractions always exist between zero and one on number line.
III. Improper fractions are represented on number line by first
converting into mixed fraction and then represented on the number
line.
11. Divide the number line between 0 and 1 into 5 equal parts. Then
the second part of the fifth parts will be a representation of 2 5 on
number line.
12. − 5 /2 < 0 and improper, first change in to mixed fraction. That
is, − 5/ 2 = (−2) 1/ 2 . To represent on the number line divide the
number line between −3 and −2 in to two equal parts and the first part
of the two parts is – 5/ 2.
13. Two rational numbers are said to be opposite, if they have the
same distance from 0 but in different sides of 0.
14. Between what consecutive integers the following rational
numbers exist? a) 3/ 7 b) 8/ 5 c) − 3 /5 d) −9/5
15. Change the following improper fractions to mixed fractions. a)
32/ 5 b) – 27/ 10 c) 7/ 3
16. Represent the following rational numbers on a number line. a) 5/
6 b) 3/ 5 c) − 5 /6 d) − 8 /5 e) (2)2/ 5
17. If you plot the point −8.85 on a number line, would you place it
to the left or right of −8.8? Explain.
18. Find the opposite of the following rational numbers. a) 4 /5 b) – 2/
3 c) (2) 3 /5 d) (−3) 4 /7
19. the sets of natural numbers (ℕ), whole numbers (W) and
integers (ℤ)

elements and is denoted by ∈. A Venn diagram uses intersecting

20. A collection of items is called a set. The items in a set are called

circles to show relationships among sets of numbers.

21. When a set is contained within a larger set in a Venn diagram,
the numbers in the smaller set are members of the larger set.
22. Classify the following numbers by naming the set or sets to
which it belongs. a. −13 b. 1 7 c. − 5 76 d. 10 Solution: a. integer,
rational number b. rational number c. rational number d. natural
number, whole number, integer, rational number. Example 1.6: Is it
possible for a number to be a rational number that is not an integer but
is a whole number? Explain. Solution: No, because a whole number is
an integer
23. The set of numbers consisting of whole numbers and its
opposites is called integers. b) Every natural number is a whole
number. c) The number (−3) 2 /7 belongs to negative integers.
24. What is the distance between 0 and 5 on the number line?
Between 0 and −5 on the number line? 5 unit to the left and 5 unit to
the right side.
25. The absolute value of a rational number ‘𝑥’, denoted by │𝑥│, is
defined as:

│𝑥│ = { x ,if x ≥ 0
−x if x <0
26. Simplify each of the following absolute value expressions. a. │8

An equation of the form │𝑥𝑥│=𝑎𝑎 for any rational number 𝑎𝑎 is

−3│ b. │– 25+13│ c. │0 − 10│
27.

The solution of the equation │𝑥│= 𝑎 for any rational number 𝑎,

called an absolute value equation.

has i. Two solutions 𝑥 = 𝑎 and 𝑥𝑥 = −𝑎 if 𝑎 > 0. ii. One solution, 𝑥 = 0

28.

if 𝑎 = 0 and iii. No solution, if 𝑎 < 0

29. Solve the following absolute value equations. a. │𝒙│ =13 b. │𝒙│
= 0 c. │𝒙│ = −6 Solution: a. │𝒙│ =13 Since, 13 > 0, │𝒙│ = 13 has two
 solutions: 𝑥 = 13 and 𝑥 = −13 b. │𝒙│ = 0 If │𝒙│ =0 , then 𝑥𝑥 = 0 c.
│𝒙│ = −6 Since, −6 < 0 , │𝒙│ = −6 has no solution.
30. Evaluate each of the following expressions. a. │−5│+│5│ b.
│−13│−│−8│+│7│ c. │0│+21 3 d. │−8+5│ e. │− 1 13│+│−15│−15

of 𝑥 and 𝑦. a. 5𝑥 − │𝑥 − 3│, 𝑥 = − 5 b. │𝑥│−𝑥 +9, 𝑥 = 3 c. │𝑥 +

31. Evaluate each of the following expressions for the given values

𝑦│−│𝑥│, 𝑥 = −3 and 𝑦 =6 d. │𝑥│+│𝑦│, 𝑥 =5 and 𝑦 = −10 e. −3│𝑥

+6│, 𝑥 = −5 f. │x│−│5y│/ │x + y│ , 𝑥 =4 and 𝑦 =8
32. Solve the following absolute value equations. a. │𝑥│=8 b. │𝑥│=
3/ 5
33. Solve the following absolute value equations. a. │𝑥 +4│=10 d.
│5𝑥 −3│= 5/ 2 b. 4│𝑥 +3│=123 e. │𝑥 −5│=(3) 2/ 3 c. 3−2│𝑥 −5│ = 9
34. Insert to express the corresponding relationship between the
following pairs of numbers. a. 0 ------- 15 b. −3 ------- −5 c. 6.7 -------
6.89
35. If the denominators of two rational numbers are the same, then

𝑎/ 𝑏 and 𝑐 /𝑏 are a given rational numbers and 𝑎/ 𝑏 > 𝑐 /𝑏 if and only if

the number with the greater numerator is the greater number. That is

𝑎 > 𝑐.

called Equivalent fractions. For any fraction 𝑎/ 𝑏 and 𝑚 is a rational

36. Fractions that represent the same point on a number line are

number different from 0 (𝑚 ≠ 0), then 𝑎/ 𝑏 = 𝑎 /𝑏 × 𝑚/ .

37. In order to compare any two rational numbers with different
denominators, you can use either of the following two methods:
Method 1: Change the fractions to equivalent fractions with the same
denominators. Step 1. Determine the LCM of the positive
denominators. Step 2. Write down the given rational numbers with the
same denominators. Step 3. Compare the numerators of the obtained
rational numbers.
38. Compare the following pairs of rational numbers. a. 3 /5 and 1 /2
b. 11 /16 and 7/ 8 Solution: a. To compare 3 /5 and 1 /2 i. Find the LCM
of 5 and 2 which is 10. ii. Express the rational numbers with the same

Method 2. ( Cross- product method ) Suppose 𝑎𝑎 𝑏𝑏 and 𝑐𝑐 𝑑𝑑

denominator 10.

are two rational numbers with positive denominators. Then I. 𝑎/ 𝑏 < 𝑐 /

39.

, if and only if 𝑎 < 𝑏 II. 𝑎𝑏 > , if and only if 𝑎 > 𝑏 III. 𝑎𝑏 = 𝑐𝑑 , if and
only if 𝑎 = 𝑏
 40. Example 1.13: a. 5 /7 < 8/ 3 because 5 × 3 =15 < 7 × 8 =56 b. –
12/ 9 < 6 /7 because −12 × 7 = −84 < 9 × 6 = 54 c. 9 /5 > 11/ 7
because 9 × 7 =63 > 5 × 11 = 55.
41. From the above fact, it follows that:  Every positive rational
number is greater than zero.  Every negative rational number is less
than zero.  Every positive rational number is always greater than
every negative rational number.  Among two negative rational
numbers, the one with the largest absolute value is smaller than the
other. For instance, −45 < −23 because│−45│ > │−23│.
42. Ordering rational numbers means writing the given numbers in
either ascending or descending order.
43. Arrange the following rational numbers in: i) Increasing
(ascending) order a. −25, 18, −45, 30, 28 b. 3 /5 , 4/ 9 , 7 /3 , 5/ 6 ,
11 /18 c. 2.5, 1.5, 3.21, 1.53, 2.05 ii) Decreasing (descending) order a.
−15, 45, 32, −23, b. 7/ 3 , (2) 4 /5 , 5 /2 , 8 /15, c. 4.5, 5.17, 3.75, 4.75
44. Find the sum of the following rational numbers a. 3 /5 + 6/ 5 b. 8/
7 + 5/ 7 + 6/ 7 c. – 3/ 4 + 11 /4 d. (2) 1/ 3 + 4 /3 +1
45. Find the sum of the following rational numbers. a. 3 /7 + 5 /4 b.
11/ 9 + 5/ 6 + 3 /4 Solution: a. The LCM of 7 and 4 is 28. Then, write
the fraction as a common denominator 28. 3/ 7 × 4/ 4 = 12/ 28 and 5/
4 × 7 /7 = 35/ 28, 3 /7 + 5 /4 = 12 /28 + 35 /28 = (12 + 35) 28 = 47/
28
b. The LCM of 9 , 6 and 4 is 36. Then, write the fraction as a common
denominator 36. 11 /9 × 4 /4 = 44/ 36 , 5 /6 × 6/ 6 = 30 /36 and 3/ 4 ×
9 /9 = 27/ 36

11 /9 + 5 /6 + 3/ 4 = 44/ 36 + 30 /36 + 27/ 36 = (44 + 30 + 27)/ 36 = 101/

36Always reduce your final answer to its lowest term.

46. Perform the following operation: − 8 /6 + (− 11 /8 ) Solution: −

8/ 6 + (− 11/ 8 ) i. Sign (−) ii. │− 8/ 6 │+│− 11 /8 │= 8 /6 + 11/ 8 =
65 /24 Therefore, − 8 /6 + (− 11/ 8 ) = − 65 /24
47. Perform the following operation a. – 9/ 4 + 5/ 4 b. − 5 /6 + 3/ 4
Solution: a. − 9 /4 + 5/ 4 i. Sign(−) because │ − 9/ 4│ > │ 5/ 4 │ ii.
Take the difference of the absolute values: │ − 9 4 │−│5 4 │ = 9 /4 − 5
/4 = 4/ 4 = 1 Therefore, − 9/ 4 + 5 /4 = − 4/ 4 = −1 b. – 5/ 6 + 3/ 4 i.
Sign(−) because │ − 5/ 6│ > │ 3/ 4 │ ii. Take the difference of the
absolute values: │ − 5/ 6 │ − │3/ 4 │ = 5/ 6 – 3/ 4 = 1/ 12 Therefore, −
5 /6 + 3/ 4 = − 1 /12
48. Find the sum of 5 8 and 2 8 using fraction bar. Solution: Divide
the fraction bar into 8 equal parts. Now shade 5 of them with gray
color and 2 of them with green color as shown in the figure below:

1 /8 1 /8 1 /8 1/ 8 1/ 8 1 /8 1 /8

numbers 𝑎𝑎, 𝑏𝑏 and 𝑐𝑐 the following properties of addition holds true:

49. Properties of Addition of Rational Numbers For any rational

a. Commutative: 𝑎𝑎 + 𝑏𝑏 = 𝑏𝑏 + 𝑎𝑎 b. Associative: 𝑎𝑎 + (𝑏𝑏 + 𝑐𝑐) =

(𝑎𝑎 + 𝑏𝑏) + 𝑐𝑐 c. Properties of 0: 𝑎𝑎 + 0 = 𝑎𝑎 = 0 + 𝑎𝑎 d. Properties
of opposites : 𝑎𝑎 + (-𝑎𝑎) =0
50. a. 3 /7 – (− 5 /9 )
51. Evaluate the following expressions: a. y−( 2 /7 + 5), when y = 9/
4 b. 15−(−y – 4/ 9 ), when y = 7
52. From a rope 23 m long, two pieces of lengths 12/ 7 m and 7/ 4 m
are cut off. What is the length of the remaining rope?
53. A basket contains three types of fruits, apples, oranges and
bananas, weighing 58/ 3 kg in all. If 18/ 7 kg be apples, 11/ 9 kg be
oranges and the rest are bananas. What is the weight of the bananas
in the basket?
54. a) 3 /2 × 7/ 8 = 3×7 /2×8 = 21/ 16 b) – 5/ 6 × 4/ 3 = −5×4/ 6×3
= −20/ 18 = −10/9 c. 2(5/ 7) × (− 3 /2 )
55. The product of two negative rational numbers is a positive
rational number.

numbers 𝑎𝑎, 𝑏𝑏 and 𝑐𝑐 ,the following properties of multiplication holds

56. Properties of multiplication of rational numbers For any rational

true: a. Commutative: 𝑎𝑎 × 𝑏𝑏 = 𝑏𝑏 × 𝑎𝑎 b. Associative: 𝑎𝑎 × (𝑏𝑏 ×

𝑐𝑐) = ( 𝑎𝑎 × 𝑏𝑏) × 𝑐𝑐 c. Distributive: 𝑎𝑎 × (𝑏𝑏 + 𝑐𝑐) = 𝑎𝑎 × 𝑏𝑏 + 𝑎𝑎
× 𝑐𝑐 d. Property of 0: 𝑎𝑎 ×0 = 0 = 0 × 𝑎𝑎 e. Property of 1: 𝑎𝑎 ×1 = 𝑎𝑎
= 1× 𝑎𝑎
57. 2 /5 ×( 3 /7 + 4/ 3 )
58. Find the cost of 35/ 9 m of cloth, if the cost of a cloth per meter
is Birr 162/ 4 . Solution: Total cost = 35 9 × 162 /4 = 5670 36 = Birr
315 2 = Birr 157.5
59. An airplane covers 1250 km in an hour. How much distance will it

𝑎𝑎 ÷ 𝑏𝑏 is read as 𝑎𝑎 is divided by 𝑏𝑏.  In 𝑎𝑎 ÷ 𝑏𝑏 = 𝑐𝑐, 𝑐𝑐 is

cover in 23/ 6 hours?

called the quotient, 𝑎𝑎 is called the dividend and 𝑏𝑏 is called the

60.

The quotient 𝑎𝑎 ÷ 𝑏𝑏 is also denoted by . If 𝑎𝑎, 𝑏𝑏 and 𝑐𝑐 are

divisor.

integers, 𝑏𝑏 ≠ 0 and 𝑎𝑎 ÷ 𝑏𝑏 = 𝑐𝑐, if and only if 𝑎𝑎 = 𝑐𝑐 ×b

61.
 For any two rational numbers 𝑎𝑎/ 𝑏𝑏 and 𝑐𝑐/ 𝑑𝑑 𝑎𝑎/ 𝑏𝑏 ÷
𝑐𝑐 /𝑑𝑑 = 𝑎𝑎/ 𝑏𝑏 × 𝑑𝑑/ 𝑐𝑐 = 𝑎d/ 𝑏𝑐(where 𝑐𝑐 ≠ 0)
62.

𝑎𝑎/ 𝑏𝑏 × 𝑏𝑏/ 𝑎𝑎 = 𝑎𝑎bb/aa𝑏𝑏 = 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 /𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 = 1, Then 𝑏𝑏/ 𝑎𝑎 is

63. 2 (3 /5) ÷ (− 4/ 3 )

called the reciprocal of 𝑎𝑎/ 𝑏𝑏

64.

65. There are four friends and they want to divide a cake equally
among themselves. Then, the amount of cake each friend will get is
one fourth of the total cake.
66. Three brothers buy sugarcane. Their mother says that she will
take over a fifth of the sugarcane. The brothers share the remaining
sugarcane equally. What fraction of the original sugarcane does each
brother get?
67. The interest paid on the original principal during the whole
interest periods is called simple interest. Interest can be calculated by:
I = PRT
68. Abebe borrowed Birr 20,000 from CBE five years ago. When he
first borrowed the money, they agreed that he would pay to CBE 15%
simple interest. If Abebe pays to it back today, how much interest does
he owe to it?
Solution:
Interest can be calculated by: I = PRT, where P=Principal, R=Rate, T=
Time
So, I =P × R ×T
15
P=20,000 Birr ; R=15 %= =0.15; T =5 years
100
So, I =P × R ×T =20,000 ×0.15 × 5
I =15,000 Birr
Therefore, Abebe pays to it back 15,000 Birr +20,000 Birr=35,000 birr after
five years.
1
69. What principal would give Birr 250 interest in 2( ) years at a rate
2
of 10%?
Solution:
I =P × R ×T ,
10
I =250 , R=10 %= =0.10 ,
100
T =2() 1
2
years=2 years+6 month

6
¿2 years=2.5 years ;
12
 P=?
So, I =P × R ×T → 250=P× 0.10 ×2.5 . This implies that
250 250 250
P= = = =1000 Birr .
0.10 ×2.5 0. 25 0.10 ×2.5
The principal is Birr 1000.

70. If Birr 1200 is invested at 10% simple interest per annum, then
What is simple interest after 5 years? 2. What principal will bring Birr
637 interest at a rate of 7% in 2 years?
71. Find the simple interest rate for a loan where Birr 6000 is
borrowed and the amount owned after 5 months is Birr 7500.
72. The sum of two opposite rational numbers is 0.
73. Rules of signs of Multiplication a. The product of two negative
rational numbers is positive. b. The product of negative and positive
rational numbers is negative.
74. Rules of signs for division: a. positive divided by negative equals
negative. b. negative divided by positive equals negative. c. negative
divided by negative equals positive.
75. │2𝑥 + 3│ = 5

If 𝑥 = −8 and 𝑦 = 4, then fined 3│x−5│−│4y│/ │x+y│

76. . 5+3│𝑥 − 3│= 2
77.
78. 3 /5 + 2 /7 ( 4 /5 + 3/ 2 )
79. (6 ÷ ( 1/ 3 + 4/ 5 ))/( 5 /2 + 1/ 3 ( 2/ 5 ÷ 3 /5 ))

80. Eleni baked a batch of 38 cupcakes and iced 29 of them. What

fractions of cupcakes were iced?
Solution:
Baked a batch of cupcakes are 38, from these cupcakes 29 are iced.
29
Then, cupcakes were iced in fraction form is
38
81. How long will take Birr 500 to get Birr 50 simple interest at rate
of 9.5%?
Solution:
Interest can be calculated by: I = PRT, where P=Principal, R=Rate, T=
Time
So, I =P × R ×T

2.If N, W, Z and Q represent the set of natural, whole, integer and rational numbers
respectively, among the relation given below which one is correct?
A. W(N B.Z( W C. Q(Z D. Z(Q