CBSE Class 10

Mathematics
Important 4 marks questions
Question 1. For any positive integer n, prove that n3 – n is divisible by 6.

Solution.

n3  n  n  n2  1  n  n  1 n  1   n  1 n  n  1 = product of three consecutive positive

integers.

Now, we have to show that the product of three consecutive positive integers is divisible by 6.

We know that any positive integer n is of the form 3q, 3q + 1 or 3q + 2 for some positive integer
q.

Now three consecutive positive integers are n, n + 1, n + 2.

Case I. If n = 3q.

n(n + 1) (n + 2) = 3q(3q + 1) (3q + 2)

But we know that the product of two consecutive integers is an even integer.

∴ (3q + 1) (3q + 2) is an even integer, say 2r.

⟹ n(n + 1) (n + 2) = 3q × 2r = 6qr, which is divisible by 6.

Case II. If n = 3n + 1.

∴ n(n + 1) (n + 2) = (3q + 1) (3q + 2) (3q + 3)

= (even number say 2r) (3) (q + 1)

= 6r (q + 1),

which is divisible by 6.

Case III. If n = 3q + 2.

∴ n(n + 1) (n + 2) = (3q + 2) (3q + 3) (3q + 4)

= multiple of 6 for every q

= 6r (say),

which is divisible by 6.
Hence, the product of three consecutive integers is divisible by 6.
Question 2. The houses in a row are numbered consecutively from 1 to 49. Show that there
exists a value of x such that the sum of numbers of houses preceding the house numbered x is
equal to sum of the number of houses following x.

Solution.

The numbers of houses preceding x is 1, 2, 3, ...., x ‒ 1

Sum of the number of houses preceding the house x will be = 1 + 2 + 3+.... x ‒ 1.

Here, a = 1, d =1, n = x ‒ 1

Thus sum of numbers,

x 1  n 
S1   2 1   x  1  1 1  Sum of n terms, Sn  2  2a   n  1 d  
2 
x 1
 S1   2  x  2
2
x 1
 S1   x
2

Now the sum of the numbers of the houses following x is

(x +1) + (x + 2) +............+ 49

Here, a = x + 1, d =1, n = 49 − x

Thus sum of numbers,

49  x  n 
S2 
2 
 x  1  49   Sum of n terms,Sn  2  a  l 
49  x
 S2   x  50
2

According to question

S1 = S2

x 1 49  x
 .x   x  50 
2 2
 x 2  x  49 x  2450  x 2  50 x
 2 x 2  x  2450  x
 2 x 2  2450
 x 2  1225
 x  1225
 x  35
Thus the required number is x = 35.

Sum of (1,2,3.....34) = Sum of (36,37,....49)

Question 3. The first and the last terms of an AP are 10 and 361 respectively. If its common
difference is 9 then find the number of terms and their total sum?

Solution.

Given, first term, a = 10

Last term, al = 361
And, common difference, d = 9
 al  a   n  1
 361  10   n  1 9
 361  10  9n  9
 361  9n  1
 9n  360
 n  40
Therefore, total number of terms in AP = 40
Now, sum of total number of terms of an AP is given as:
n
S n   2a   n  1 d 
2
40
 S 40   2 10   40  1 9 
2 
  20  20  39  9
  20[20  351]
  20  371  7420
Thus, sum of all 40 terms of AP = 7420

Question 4. A motor boat whose speed is 24 km/hr in still water takes 1 hr more to go 32km
upstream than to return downstream to the same spot. Find the speed of the stream.
Solution.

Let the speed of stream be x.

Then,

Speed of boat in upstream is 24 ‒ x

In downstream, speed of boat is 24 + x

According to question,

Time taken in the upstream journey ‒ Time taken in the downstream journey = 1 hour
 32 32
  1
24  x 24  x
24  x  24  x 1
 
 24   x 2
2
32
2x 1
 
576  x 2
32
 x  64 x  576  0
2

 x 2   72  8  x  576  0
 x 2  72 x  8 x  576  0
 x  x  72   8  x  72   0
  x  8  x  72   0
 x  8, 72

Since speed cannot be negative,

So, speed of stream is 8km/hr.

Question 5. A train was to cover a distance of 2800km in a prefixed time duration. But due to
the foggy weather the speed of train was slowed down which reduced the average speed of the
train for the overall journey by 100 km/hr. The time duration for the journey also increased by
30min. Determine the original speed and travel time taken by the train.

Solution.

Distance to be covered = 2800 km

Let the average speed of train = x km/h

Then new speed = (x – 100) km/h

We know that,

Distance
Time =
Speed

2800
Thus, time taken by train with average speed = t1= hrs
x

2800
And time taken by train with reduced speed = t2= hrs
 x  100 
 t2  t1  30 min
2800 2800 1
  
 x  100  x 2
 1 1 1
 2800   
 x  100 x  2
x   x  100  1
 
x  x  100  2  2800
 x  x  100   100  5600 
 x 2  100 x  5, 60, 000  0
 x 2  800 x  700 x  5, 60, 000  0
 x  x  800   700  x  800   0
  x  800  x  700   0
 x  800,  700
Thus,speed of train = 800 km/h  speed cannot be negative 
2800 1
And, original time taken  t1  hrs  3 hrs
800 2

1
Question 6. Two taps running together can fill a tank in 3 hours. If one tap takes 3 hours
13
more than the other to fill the tank, then how much time will each tap take to fill the tank?

Solution.

Let time taken by one tap to fill the tank = x hours

Then, time taken by second tap to fill the tank = x + 3 hours

1
Thus, part of the tank filled by first tap in 1 hour =
x

1
And, part of the tank filled by second tap in 1 hour =
x3

1 1
Thus, part of the tank filled by both the taps in 1 hour =  …..(i)
x x3

1 40
But, given that time taken by both the taps to fill the tank = 3  h
13 13
 1 1 13
 
x x  3 40
x  3  x 13
 
x  x  3 40
 40  2 x  3  13  x 2  3 x 
 80 x  120  13 x 2  39 x
 13 x 2  41x  120  0
 13 x 2  65 x  24 x  120  0
 13 x  x  5   24  x  5   0
 13x  24  x  5  0
 13 x  24  0 or x  5 =0
24
 x or x  5
13
40
i.e., in h , part of tank filled by both taps = 1
13
13
 In 1 h, part of tank filled by both taps = …..(ii)
40
From equations (i) and (ii), we have:
1 1 13
 
x x  3 40
x  3  x 13
 
x  x  3 40
 40  2 x  3  13  x 2  3 x 
 80 x  120  13 x 2  39 x
 13 x 2  41x  120  0
 13 x 2  65 x  24 x  120  0
 13 x  x  5   24  x  5   0
 13x  24  x  5  0
 13 x  24  0 or x  5 =0
24
 x or x  5
13
But time cannot be negative.

Therefore, taking x = 5, we get:

Time taken by one tap to fill the tank = 5 hours

And time taken by the second tap to fill the tank = 5 + 3 = 8 hours.
Question 7. If  and  are the zeroes of polynomial p  x   3x 2  2 x  1 , find the polynomial
1 1 
whose zeroes are and .
1  1 

Solution.

Since  and  are the zeroes of polynomial 3x2  2 x  1

2
Hence,   
3

1
and  
3

Now for the new polynomial,

1   1   1         1       
Sum of the zeroes   
1  1  1   1   

2
2
2  2 3
 
1       1  2  1
3 3

4
Sum of Zeroes  3  2
2
3

 1     1    1    1   
Product of zeroes    
 1     1    1   1   

1       1       
 
1       1       

2 1 6
1 
Product of zeroes  3 3  3 3
2 1 2
1 
3 3 3

Hence, Required polynomial  x 2  (Sum of zeroes) x + Product of zeroes

 x2  2 x  3

Question 8. If a line is drawn parallel to one side of a triangle to intersect the other two sides in
distinct points, then the other two sides are divided in the same ratio. Prove it.
Solution.

Given: ABC is a triangle in which DE || BC.

AD AE
To prove: =
BD CE

Construction: Draw DN  AE and EM  AD . Join BE and CD.

Proof:

In ΔADE ,

1
area  ADE  = ×AE×DN ...  i 
2
In ΔDEC
1
area  ΔDEC   ×CE×DN ...  ii 
2

Divide (i) by (ii)

1
area  ΔADE  2 ×AE×DN

area  ΔDEC  1 ×CE×DN
2

area  ΔADE  AE
  ...  iii 
area  ΔDEC  CE

1
Again area  ΔADE   ×AD×EM  iv 
2
1
And area  ΔDEB    EM×BD  v
2

Divide (iv) by (v),

 1
area  ΔADE  2 ×AD×EM

area  ΔDEB  1 ×BD×EM
2

area  ΔADE  AD
 = ...  vi 
area  ΔDEB BD

ΔDEB and ΔDEC lie on the same base DE and between same parallel lines DE and BC.

 area  ΔDEB = area  ΔDEC

Thus equation (iii) can be written as,

area  ΔADE  AE
= ...  vii 
area  ΔDEB CE

From equations (vi) and (vii), we get

AE AD
=
CE BD

Hence, proved.

tan   sin  sec   1

Question 9. Prove that: 
tan   sin  sec   1

Solution.

tan   sin 
LHS. 
tan   sin 
sin 
 sin 
 cos 
sin 
 sin 
cos 
 1 
sin    1
  cos  
 1 
sin    1
 cos  
sec   1
  R.H.S.
sec   1

cosecA cosecA
Question 10. Prove that:   2sec2 A
cosecA  1 cosecA+1

Solution.
 cosecA cosecA
L.H.S.  
cosecA  1 cosecA+1
cosec 2 A + cosecA + cosec 2 A  cosecA
=
 cosecA  1 cosecA +1
2cosec 2 A
=
cosec 2 A  1
2cosec 2 A
=
cot 2 A
2
2
= sin 2A
cos A
sin 2 A
2 sin 2 A 2
= 2  
sin A cos A cos 2 A
2

=2sec2 A
= R.H.S.

cos 2  sin o 
Question 11. Prove that:   1  sin  cos  .
1  tan  sin   cos 

Solution.

cos 2  sin 3 
LHS  
1  tan  sin   cos 
cos 2  sin 3 
 
sin  sin   cos 
1
cos 
cos3  sin 3 
 
cos   sin  cos   sin 
cos3   sin 3 

cos   sin 
 cos   sin    cos2   sin 2   sin  cos  

 cos   sin  
 a 3
 b3    a  b   a 2  b 2  ab  
 1  sin  cos   sin 2   cos 2   1
 R.H.S.

sec   tan   1 cos 

Question 12. Prove that: 
tan   sec  1 1  sin 

Solution.
 sec   tan   1
LHS 
sec   tan   1
 sec   tan     sec2   tan 2  

tan   sec   1


 sec   tan     sec   tan   sec   tan  
 tan   sec   1

 sec   tan  1  sec   tan  
 tan   sec   1
1 sin 
 sec   tan   
cos  cos 
1  sin  1  sin  1  sin 
  
cos  cos  1  sin 
1  sin 2  cos 2 
 
cos  1  sin   cos  1  sin  
cos 
  RHS.
1  sin 

 1  tan 2 A   1  tan A 
2

   tan A.
2
Question 13. Prove that: 
 1  cot A   1  cot A 
2

Solution.

1
1  tan 2 A sec2 A
...  i 
2
We have   cos A  tan 2 A
1  cot A cos ec A
2 2
1
sin 2 A
2
 
 1  tan A   1  tan A 
2

Again    
 1  cot A   1  1 
 tan A 

 1  tan A
2

  tan A     tan A2 
 tan A  1 
 tan A
2

Question 14. Find the area of the minor segment of a circle of radius 14 cm, when its central
angle is 60°. Also find the area of the corresponding major segment. [Use π = 22/7 ]

Solution.
Given, radius of circle, r  14cm
And central angle,   60o
 1
Now, area of minor segment =  r 2  r 2 sin 
360 2
22 60 1 3
 14 14    14  14 
7 360 2 2
 308 
  49 3  cm 2  17.9cm 2  Approx.
 3 
Also, area of major segment
= Area of circle  Area of minor segment
 308 
= r 2    49 3 
 3 
22  308 
 14 14    49 3 
7  3 
308
 616   49 3
3
 1540 
  49 3  cm 2
 3 
 598.20 cm  Approx.
2

Question 15. Prove that the chords of a circle that are equidistant from the centre are equal in
length.

Solution.

Given: AB and CD are the two chords equidistant from the centre, i.e., OE = OF, where OE 
AB and OF  CD.

To prove: AB = CD

Construction: Join OA and OC.

Proof: Since OE  AB

 AE = EB (Since perpendicular from centre of a circle to a chord

bisects it)
 1
⟹ AE = AB
2

Also OF  CD

1
⟹ CF = CD
2

In ΔOAE and ΔOCF,

OA = OC = Radius of circle

OEA = OFC = 90o

OE = OF

 ΔOAE  ΔOCF (By RHS property)

⟹ AE = CF (By CPCT)

1 1
⟹ AB = CD
2 2

⟹ AB = CD

Hence proved.

Question 16. The angle of elevation of the top of a cliff when observed from the top of a
lighthouse is 60o and the angle of depression of the base of the cliff observed from the same point
comes to be 30o. If the height of the lighthouse above water level is 12 m then calculate the
height of the cliff and its distance from the lighthouse. [Use, 3 = 1.732]

Solution.

Given condition can be represented as below:

Let AB be the lighthouse and EC be the cliff.

Let the height of cliff be h m.
Then, we have,
EAD = 60° and DAC = 30o
And, CD = AB = 12 m
 DE = CE – DC =( h − 12)m
In ΔADE,
DE
tan 60o 
AD

 3
 h  12 
AD

 AD 
 h  12  ....  i 
3
Also,in ADC
CD
tan 30o 
AD
1 12
 
3 AD
 AD  12 3 ....  ii 
From equations  i  and  ii  , we have:
 h  12   12 3
3
 h  12  36
 h  48m
Thus, height of the cliff = 48 m
And distance of cliff from lighthouse = BC = AD = 12 3 m

Question 17. Construct a triangle ABC with side BC = 7 cm, ∠B = 45°, ∠A = 105°. Then
3
construct another triangle whose sides are times the corresponding sides of the ∆ABC.
4

Solution.

Here in ΔABC, ∠B = 45° and ∠A = 105°

Now, ∠A + ∠B + ∠C = 180o [Sum of interior angles of a triangle is 180o]

 105° + 45° + ∠C = 180o

 ∠C = 180°−(105° + 45°) = 30°

Now we draw the ΔABC by following the steps of construction as given below:
1. Draw line BC = 7 cm.
2. At B, construct ∠CBX= 45° and at C, construct ∠BCY= 30°.
3. The point of intersection of BX and CY gives A. Thus, ∆ABC is obtained.
3
Now to draw another triangle whose sides are times the corresponding sides of the ∆ABC,
4
follow the steps given below:
4. Draw any ray BZ making an acute angle with BC on the side opposite to the vertex A.
5. Locate four points B1, B2, B3 and B4 on BZ such that BB1 = B1B2 = B2B3 = B3B4.
6. Join B4C and draw a line through B3 parallel to B4C to intersect BC at C'.
7. Draw a line through C′ parallel to the line CA to intersect BA at A′.

3
Thus, ΔA′BC′ is the required triangle similar to the ΔABC with scale factor as .
4
Question 18. The following table gives the life time of 200 bulbs. Calculate the mean life time
of a bulb by step deviation method.

Life time 400-499 500-599 600-699 700-799 800-899 900-999

(in hours)
Number of 24 47 39 42 34 14
bulbs

Solution.

Let assumed mean, a = 649.5 and h = 100

Life time (in hrs) x1 x1  a fi fi ui

ui 
h
 400-499 449.5 -2 24 -48
500-599 549.5 -1 47 -47
600-699 649.5 0 39 1
700-799 749.5 1 42 42
800-899 849.5 2 34 68
900-999 945.5 3 14 42
Total  f1  200  fiui  57

  fi ui 
 Mean, x  a   h
 f 
 i 
57
 649.5  100
200
 649.5  28.5
 678.

Average life time is 678 hours.

Question 19. Draw “less than ogive” and “more than ogive” for the following distribution and
hence find its median.

Class Interval 20-30 30-40 40-50 50-60 60-70 70-80 80-90

Frequency 10 8 12 24 6 25 15

Solution.

Let’s draw the ‘less than’ orgive and’ more than’ on the same graph.

Class f Less than c.f. More than c.f.

Interval
20-30 10 30 10 20 100
30-40 8 40 18 30 90
40-50 12 50 30 40 82
50-60 24 60 54 50 70
60-70 6 70 60 60 46
70-80 25 80 85 70 40
80-90 15 90 90 80 15
Question 20. The following distribution gives the daily income of 100 workers of a factory.

Class Interval 0-10 10-20 20-30 30-40 40-50 50-60 60-70

Number of workers 5 5 12 28 32 13 5
Convert the distribution to a less than type of cumulative frequency distribution and draw its
ogive. Hence, obtain the median daily icome.

Solution.

Daily income No. of workers (c.f.)

Less than 10 5
Less than 20 10
Less than 30 22
Less than 40 50
Less than 50 82
Less than 60 95
Less than 70 100
 N 100
From graph,   50
2 2

Hence, Median daily income = Rs. 40.