CAPAWING, Meriam Grace A.
MAME 1
Pg. 14- 15
1. Think how you think about mathematics. If you meet a new problem which fits into
a pattern that you recognise, your solution may follow a time-honoured logical course,
but if not, then your initial attack may be anything but logical. Try these three problems
and do your best to keep track of the steps you take as you move towards a solution.
(a) John’s father is three times as old as John; in ten years he will only be twice John’s
age. How old is John now?
Let 𝒙 be the age of John
Let 𝟑𝒙 be the age of John’s father
Present In 10 years
John 𝒙 𝒙 + 𝟏𝟎
John’s 𝟑𝒙 𝟐(𝒙 + 𝟏𝟎)
father
𝟑𝒙 = 𝟐𝒙 + 𝟏𝟎
𝟑𝒙 − 𝟐𝒙 = 𝟏𝟎
𝒙 = 𝟏𝟎
2. Consider the two following problems:
(a) Nine square metres of cloth are to be divided equally between five dressmakers; how
much cloth does each one get?
(b) Nine children are available for adoption and are to be divided equally between five
couples; how many children are given to each couple?
Both of these problems translate mathematically into:
Find 𝑥 such that 5𝑥 = 9’.
Do they have the same solution? How can the mathematical formulation be qualified to
distinguish between the two cases?
Yes, because both problems need to be divided by five so that a metres of
cloth and children would be equally given to the dress makers and couples,
respectively. However, it may be mathematically right but when it comes to
𝟗
dividing children to each couples, it is not possible to have 𝟓 children each,
𝟗
because children should not be cut just achieve 𝟓
children of each couples.
3. Suppose that you are trying to explain negative numbers to someone who has not
met the concept and you are faced with the comment:
‘Negative numbers can’t exist because you can’t have less than nothing.’
How would you reply?
The concept of negative numbers is that, negative numbers are real numbers
that is less than zero. Negative numbers represent opposites. If positive
represents deposit, negative represents withdrawal. A debt that is owed may
be thought of as negative asset. It means that they have no money in their
possession and actually owe someone else money as well.
4. What does it mean to say that a decimal expansion ‘recurs’? What fraction is
represented by the decimal 0·333 ...? What about 0·999 ...?
Decimal expansion recurs when digits are periodic (repeating its values at
regular intervals) and infinitely repeated pattern is not zero.
𝟏 𝟗
The fraction representation of 0.333 … is while 0.999 … is because in
𝟑 𝟗
converting decimal you have to:
𝒙 = 𝟎. 𝟗𝟗𝟗 …
𝟏𝟎𝒙 = 𝟗. 𝟗𝟗𝟗 …
𝟏𝟎𝒙 = 𝟗. 𝟗𝟗𝟗 …
𝒙 = 𝟎. 𝟗𝟗𝟗 …
𝟗𝒙 = 𝟗
𝟗
𝟗
𝒙=
𝟗
5. Mathematical use of language sometimes differs from colloquial usage. In each of the
following statements, record whether you think that they are true or false. Keep them
for comparison when you read chapter 6.
(a) All of the numbers 2, 5, 17, 53, 97 are prime. TRUE
(b) Each of the numbers 2, 5, 17, 53, 97 is prime. TRUE
(c) Some of the numbers 2, 5, 17, 53, 97 are prime. FALSE
(d) Some of the numbers 2, 5, 17, 53, 97 are even. TRUE
(e) All of the numbers 2, 5, 17, 53, 97 are even. FALSE
(f ) Some of the numbers 2, 5, 17, 53, 97 are odd. TRUE
6. ‘If pigs had wings, they’d fly.’ Is this a logical deduction?
Yes, because according to its definition, logical deduction is the process of
reasoning from one or more statements to reach a logical conclusion. So in
that statement it first gives a condition “if pigs had wings” before reaching
to a conclusion that “they’d fly”.
7. ‘The set of natural numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, . . . is infinite.’ Give an explanation of what
you think the word ‘infinite’ means in this context.
The natural numbers are said to be infinite because of this “…”. In
mathematics, it means that number will go on. It will be limitless or endless.
8. A formal definition of the number 4 might be given in the following terms.
First note that a set is specified by writing its elements between curly brackets { } and
that the set with no elements is denoted by ∅. Then we define
4 = {∅, {∅}, {∅, {∅}}, {∅, {∅}, {∅, {∅}}}}.
Can you understand this definition? Do you think that it is suitable for a beginner?
We define the equation as an empty set, it is the unique set having no
elements, its size or cardinality is zero. So we define 4 = {∅, {∅}, {∅, {∅}}, {∅,
{∅}, {∅, {∅}}}} as a set containing the empty set, a set containing the empty
set, a set containing the empty set, a set containing the empty set and the
set containing the empty set. That makes up four elements.
I somehow managed to understand that { } means that the empty set is the
set containing no elements and ∅ means an empty set. However, I am not
sure if it was the exact definition of it. And I think that, beginners won’t
understand it at first but I’m sure they will get it after discussing it
thoroughly.
Pg. 44-45
3. Which of the following statements are true?
(a) If 𝑥 is rational and 𝑦 is irrational, then 𝑥 + 𝑦 is irrational.
𝟏
o Suppose 𝒙 = 𝟐
and 𝒚 = √𝟑
𝟏
𝒙+𝒚= 𝟐
+ √𝟑
𝟏+𝟐 √𝟑
= 𝟐
is an irrational number, so the statement is TRUE
(b) If x is rational and y is rational, then x + y is rational.
o Suppose 𝒙 = √𝟗 and 𝒚 = −𝟏
𝒙 + 𝒚 = √𝟗 + (−𝟏)
= 𝟑−𝟏
= 𝟐 is a rational number, so the statement is TRUE
(c) If x is irrational and y is rational, then x + y is rational.
𝟏𝟔
o Suppose 𝒙 = √𝟓 and 𝒚 = √ 𝟗
𝟏𝟔
𝒙 + 𝒚 = √𝟓 + √
𝟗
𝟒
= √𝟓 +
𝟑
𝟑√𝟑+𝟒
= is an irrational number, so the statement is FALSE
𝟑
(d) If x is irrational and y is irrational, then x + y is irrational.
𝟐 𝟐
o Suppose 𝒙 = √𝟓 and 𝒚 = √𝟓
𝟐 𝟐
𝒙+𝒚= √ +√
𝟓 𝟓
𝟐
= 𝟐√𝟓 is an irrational number, so the statement is TRUE
