Mastering Class 10 Maths Chapter 1: Real Numbers - Notes, Practice Problems, and Tips for Success

Real Numbers:

All rational and irrational numbers taken together make the real numbers. On the number line, any real
number can be plotted.

Euclid’s Division Lemma: (Not available in the current syllabus)

A lemma is a verified statement that is used to prove another. Euclid’s Division Lemma states that for
any two integers

and

, there exists a unique pair of integers

and

such that a = b x q + r where 0 ≤ r < b.

The lemma can be simply stated as : Dividend = Divisor x Quotient + Remainder

For any pair of dividend and divisor, the quotient and remainder obtained are going to be unique.

Euclid’s Division Algorithm:

An algorithm is a set of well-defined steps that describe how to solve a certain problem. The Highest
Common Factor (HCF) of two positive integers is computed using Euclid's division algorithm.

Follow the steps below to find the HCF of two positive integers, say c and d with c > d:

Step 1: We apply Euclid’s Division Lemma to find two integers q and r such that c = d x q + r where 0 ≤ r <
d.
Step 2: If r = 0, the H.C.F is d, else, we apply Euclid’s division Lemma to d (the divisor) and r (the
remainder) to get another pair of quotient and remainder.

Step 3: Repeat Steps 1–3 until the remainder is zero. The needed HCF will be the divisor at the last step.

The Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic:

The process of expressing a natural number as a product of prime numbers is known as prime
factorization.

Apart from the sequence in which the prime components occur, the prime factorisation for a given
number is unique.

Example: 12=2 x 2 x 3, here 12 is represented as a product of its prime factors 2 and 3.

Finding LCM and HCF:

HCF is the product of the smallest power of each common prime factor in the given numbers.

LCM is the product of the greatest power of each prime factor, involved in the given numbers.

For any two positive integers

and

L.C.M can be used to find common occurrence sites. For instance, the time when two people running at
different speeds meet, or the ringing of bells with various frequencies.
Rational and Irrational Numbers:

If a number can be expressed in the form

where

and

are integers and

, then it is called a rational number.

If a number cannot be expressed in the form

where

and

are integers and

, then it is called an irrational number.

Number Theory:

If

(a prime number) divides

, then

divides

as well. For example,

divides

, resulting in

, implying that
divides

The sum or difference of a rational and an irrational number is irrational

A non-zero rational and irrational number's product and quotient are both irrational.

is irrational when

is a prime number. For example,

is a prime number and

is irrational. The preceding statement can be proven by the process of “Proof by contradiction”.

Decimal Expansions of Rational Numbers:

Let

be a rational number with the prime factorization

, where

and

are non-negative integers. The decimal expansion of

then comes to an end. Then

has a non-terminating repeating decimal expansion (recurring).

If

is a rational number, then its decimal expansion would terminate if both of the following conditions are
satisfied :
The H.C.F of

and

is

can be expressed as a prime factorisation of

and

i.e in the form

where either

or

, or both can be zero.

If the prime factorisation of

contains any number other than

or

, then the decimal expansion of that number will be recurring

Class 10 notes of real numbers are given here in detail, go through all the concepts given below for
better understanding.

Introduction to Real Numbers

Real Numbers

Real numbers consist of the union of all the rational and irrational numbers, and any of the real numbers
can be plotted on the number line for representation.
Euclid’s Division Lemma (Not available in the current syllabus)

According to Euclid’s Division Lemma statement, the given two integers a and b, there exists a unique
pair of integers q and r, such that a = b × q + r and 0 ≤ r < b.

The above lemma is equivalent to dividend = divisor × quotient + remainder.

For all the given pair of dividend and divisor, the obtained quotient and remainder is always going to be
unique.

Euclid’s Division Algorithm

This method is very important to find the HCF of two numbers, consider two integers a and b where a >
b.

We apply Euclid’s Division Lemma to find two integers q and r such that a = b × q + r and 0 ≤ r < b.

If the remainder is equal to 0, the H.C.F is b, else, we can apply Euclid’s Division Lemma to b (the divisor)
and r (the remainder) to get a different pair of quotient and remainder.

This method is repeated until a remainder of zero is obtained and the divisor in that step is the H.C.F of
the given set of numbers.

Method of Finding The Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic

Prime Factorisation

This method is used to express a natural number as a product of prime numbers.

Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic

This theorem states, the prime factorisation of a given number is always unique if the arrangement of
the prime factors is ignored.

Example: 36 = 2 × 2 × 3 × 3 or, 36 = 2 × 3 × 2 × 3.

In the above example, 36 is represented as a product of prime factors (2s and 3s) in which the
arrangement of the factor doesn’t matter.

Method of Finding LCM

Example: To find the LCM of 36 and 56,

36 = 2 × 2 × 3 × 3

56 = 2 × 2 × 2 × 7

The common prime factors are 2 × 2.

The uncommon prime factors are 3 × 3 for 36 and 2 × 7 for 56.

LCM of 36 and 56 = 2 × 2 × 3 × 3 × 2 × 7 which is 504.

There are two methods to find the HCF of the number, which are Prime factorisation and Euclid’s
division algorithm.

Prime Factorisation:

The two numbers are given, where both of them can be expressed as products of their respective prime
factors, later, we can select the prime factors that are common to both the numbers

Ex – To find the H.C.F of the two numbers 20 and 24.

20 = 2 × 2 × 5 and 24 = 2 × 2 × 2 × 3.

The factor common to 20 and 24 is 2 × 2, which is 4, which in turn is the H.C.F of 20 and 24.

Euclid’s Division Algorithm: (Not available in the current syllabus)

It is the repeated use of Euclid’s division lemma to find the H.C.F of two numbers.

Product of Two Numbers = HCF × LCM of the Two Numbers.

For any two positive integers a and b,

a × b = H.C.F × L.C.M.
For example, consider 36 and 56, the H.C.F is 4 and the L.C.M is 504

36 × 56 = 2016

4 × 504 = 2016

Thus, solving both you get the same answer 36 × 56 = 4 × 504.

This relationship is not true for 3 or more numbers.

Applications of HCF & LCM in Real-World Problems

L.C.M is mainly used to find the point of the common occurrence of two or more numbers.

For example, the ringing of bells that ring with different frequencies and to find the time where two
persons are running at different speeds, meet, and so on.

Revisiting Irrational Numbers

Irrational Numbers

Any number which cannot be expressed in the form of

(where p and q are integers and q ≠ 0.) is an irrational number, some of the examples: √2, π, e and so
on.

Number Theory: Interesting Results

The sum or difference between a rational and an irrational number is irrational.

The product and quotient of a non-zero rational number and irrational number always result in irrational
numbers.

√p is irrational when ‘p’ is a prime, for example, you can consider, 7 is a prime number and √7 is
irrational, this statement can be proven by the method of “Proof by contradiction”.

Proof by Contradiction

In the method of contradiction, check whether the given statement is true.

(i) First we have to assume that the given statement is TRUE.

(ii) Then solving, we arrive at some point that contradicts our assumption, thereby proving the contrary.

Eg: Prove that

is irrational.

Assumption:

is rational.

Since it is rational

can be expressed as:

On squaring,

Hence, 7 divides a, and then, there exists a number c such that

. Then,

. Hence,

or

Hence 7 divides b, since 7 is a common factor for both a and b, it contradicts our assumption that a and
b are coprime integers.

Hence, our initial assumption is wrong that

is a rational number and therefore,

is an irrational number.

Revisiting Rational Numbers and Their Decimal Expansions (Not available in the current syllabus)

Rational Numbers

The real numbers can be written in the form of p/q, where p and q are integers and q is not equal to
zero, example of a rational number is -1/2, 4/5, 1, 0, -3, and so on.
Terminating and Nonterminating Decimals

Terminating decimals are kind of decimals having a certain point of end, for example, 0.2, 2.56, and so
on.

Non-terminating decimals are a kind of decimals where the decimals don’t have any end so it is known
as non-terminating decimals, for example, 0.333333….., 0.13135235343…

Non-terminating decimals can be:

a) Recurring – same part of the decimals keep on repeating (0.142857142857….)

b) Non-Recurring – No repetition of part of decimal takes place, an example is = 3.1415926535…

How to check if the given rational number is terminating or not?

Consider, if a/b is a rational number, then its decimal expansion would terminate if the below-given
conditions are satisfied:

a) The H.C.F of two integers a and b is 1.

b) b can be expressed as a prime factorisation of 2 and 5 i.e b = 2m × 5n where either m or n, or both

Consider, if the prime factorisation of ‘b’ has any other number rather than 2 or 5, then the decimal
expansion of that number will be recurring.
Example:

1/40 = 0.025 is a terminating decimal, as the Highest Common Factor of two number 1 and 40 is 1, and
the denominator (40) can be expressed in the form of 23 × 51.

3/7 = 0.428571 is a recurring decimal as the Highest Common Factor of 3 and 7 is 1 and the denominator
of (7) is equal to71.