Class X Mathematics – Board-Level Practice Paper (Solutions)
Time: 2½ Hours Maximum Marks: 80
SECTION A – Solutions
Q1. Simplify and evaluate: (3x - 2y)² + 4xy when x = 2, y = -1.
Step 1: Substitute x = 2, y = -1. (3x - 2y) = 3(2) - 2(-1) = 6 + 2 = 8. (3x - 2y)² = 8² = 64. 4xy = 4 × 2 × (-1) = -8.
Therefore expression = 64 + (-8) = 56. (Answer: 56)
Q2. Solve for x: 5x - 3 = 2x + 6.
Bring like terms together: 5x - 2x = 6 + 3 ⇒ 3x = 9 ⇒ x = 3. (Answer: 3)
Q3. Find the mean, median and mode of the data: 3, 5, 7, 3, 5, 9, 3, 5.
Ordered data: 3, 3, 3, 5, 5, 5, 7, 9. Mean = (3+3+3+5+5+5+7+9)/8 = 40/8 = 5.0. Median = average of 4th and 5th
terms = (5 + 5)/2 = 5.0. Mode = values with highest frequency. Both 3 and 5 occur 3 times → Bimodal: 3 and 5.
Q4. Find the value of k if (x - 2) is a factor of x² + kx - 6.
If (x - 2) is a factor, f(2) = 0. So 2² + 2k - 6 = 0 ⇒ 4 + 2k - 6 = 0 ⇒ 2k - 2 = 0 ⇒ k = 1. (Answer: 1)
Q5. A card is drawn from a pack of 52 cards. Find the probability of getting (i) a red king (ii) a number card.
(i) Red kings: hearts K and diamonds K ⇒ 2 favourable outcomes. Probability = 2/52 = 1/26. (ii) Number cards (2
to 10 inclusive) ⇒ 9 ranks × 4 suits = 36 cards. Probability = 36/52 = 9/13.
Q6. Find the distance between the points A(3, 4) and B(-1, -2).
Distance = √[(x2 - x1)² + (y2 - y1)²] = √[(-1-3)² + (-2-4)²] = √[(-4)² + (-6)²] = √(16+36) = √52 = 2√13.
Q7. Find the equation of a line passing through (1, 2) and perpendicular to 3x + 4y - 5 = 0.
Slope of given line: rewrite 3x + 4y - 5 = 0 ⇒ 4y = -3x + 5 ⇒ slope = -3/4. Slope of perpendicular line = 4/3. Using
point-slope: y - 2 = (4/3)(x - 1). Multiply both sides by 3: 3y - 6 = 4x - 4 ⇒ 4x - 3y + 2 = 0. (Answer: 4x - 3y + 2 = 0)
Q8. Evaluate: sin²45° + cos²45° + tan30° × cot60°.
sin²45° + cos²45° = 1 (identity). tan30° = 1/√3, cot60° = 1/√3 → product = 1/3. Total = 1 + 1/3 = 4/3.
SECTION B – Solutions (Answer any four questions)
Q9. A dealer buys an article at ■8000 and spends ■1000 on repair. He marks it up by 25% and sells it at a
discount of 10%. Find his gain or loss percent.
Cost price (total) = 8000 + 1000 = ■9000. Marked price = 9000 × 1.25 = ■11250. Selling price = 11250 × 0.90 =
■10125. Profit = 10125 - 9000 = ■1125. Profit percent = (1125/9000) × 100 = 12.5%.
Q10. Using remainder theorem, find the remainder when f(x) = x³ - 2x² + x + 1 is divided by (x - 2).
Remainder = f(2) = 2³ - 2·2² + 2 + 1 = 8 - 8 + 2 + 1 = 3.
Q11. A solid metallic sphere of radius 7 cm is melted and recast into smaller spheres of radius 3.5 cm. Find the
number of such small spheres formed.
Volume of large sphere = (4/3)π(7³) = (4/3)π(343). Volume of small sphere = (4/3)π(3.5³) = (4/3)π(42.875) =
(4/3)π(343/8). Number = (large volume)/(small volume) = 343 / (343/8) = 8.
Q12. A model of a railway engine is made to a scale of 1 : 20. If the length of the model is 35 cm, find the actual
length of the engine.
Actual length = 35 × 20 = 700 cm = 7 m.
Q13. Prove that: (1 + cot²A) = cosec²A.
Start with sin²A + cos²A = 1. Divide both sides by sin²A: 1 + (cos²A/sin²A) = 1/sin²A ⇒ 1 + cot²A = cosec²A.
(Proved)
Q14. Find the mode and median for the following data: Class intervals 0-10,10-20,20-30,30-40,40-50;
Frequencies 5,7,12,10,6.
Total frequency n = 5+7+12+10+6 = 40. Cumulative frequencies: 5, 12, 24, 34, 40. Median class: where
cumulative ≥ n/2 = 20 ⇒ class 20 - 30. Median = l + ((n/2 - cfb)/f) × h where l = 20, cfb = 12 (cumulative before
median class), f = 12, h = 10. Median = 20 + ((20 - 12)/12) × 10 = 20 + (8/12) × 10 = 20 + 6.666... = 26.67
(approx.). Modal class: class with highest frequency = 20 - 30 (fm = 12). Use mode formula: Mode = l + ((fm -
f1)/(2fm - f1 - f2)) × h where f1 = previous freq = 7, f2 = next freq = 10. Mode = 20 + ((12 - 7)/(24 - 7 - 10)) × 10 =
20 + (5/7) × 10 = 20 + 50/7 = 20 + 7.142857 = 27.14 (approx.).
Q15. The angle of elevation of the top of a tower from a point 50 m away from its foot is 30°. Find the height of the
tower.
tan 30° = height / 50 ⇒ height = 50 × tan 30° = 50 × (1/√3) ≈ 50/1.73205 = 28.87 m (approx.).
Marking Guidance: Provide full steps, correct formula application, and units. Marks should be allotted for method
(working) and final answer.
