Finish Line & Beyond

1. Whole numbers are closed under addition and multiplication, but are not closed
under subtraction and division. Let us see what does this mean.

Example: 4+7=11
5+3=8
The addition of two or more whole numbers always result in a whole number that is
why it is termed as closed.

Similarly, multiplication of two or more whole numbers always results in a whole

number. Example: 2X3=6, 5X7=35

On the other hand subtraction and division of two whole numbers may not always
result in whole number, hence it is not a closed case.
Example: 5-7= -2 is not a whole number
5
5 ÷ 7= is not a whole number.
7
2. Rational numbers are closed under the operations of addition, subtraction and
p
multiplication. As you know rational numbers can be written in the form , where p
q
and q are integers and q ≠ 0. Rational numbers can either be positive or negative.
Following examples illustrate how rational numbers are closed that is result in a ra-
tional number after operations of addition, subtraction and multiplication.

1 1 1
Addition: + = is a rational number.
2 2 1
3 1 1
Subtraction: − = is a rational number.
4 4 2
3 1 3
Multiplication: × = is a rational number.
4 4 16
Division: For any rational number a, a ÷ 0 is not defined, so this is not a closed case.
Numbers Closed Under
Addition Subtraction Multiplication Division
Rational Numbers Yes Yes Yes No
Integers Yes Yes Yes No
Whole Numbers Yes No Yes No
Natural Numbers Yes No Yes No

2. The operations addition and multiplication are

(i) commutative for rational numbers, which means that for any two rational num-
bers a and b, a+b=b+a and aXb=bXa
3 1 1 3
Example: + = +
4 4 4 4
3 1 1 3
× = ×
4 4 4 4

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Numbers Commutative for

Rational Numbers Yes No Yes No
Integers Yes No Yes No
Whole Numbers Yes No Yes No
Natural Numbers Yes No Yes No

(ii) associative for rational numbers, which means that for any three rational num-
bers a, b and c, a+(b+c) = (a+b)+c
− 2 3  − 5  − 2  − 7  − 27 − 9
Example: + 5+   = +   = =
3   6  3  30  30 10
 − 2 3  − 5 − 1  − 5  − 27 − 9
 3 + 5  +   = +   = =
 6  15  6  30 10

Numbers Associative for

Addition Subtraction Multiplication Division
Rational Numbers Yes No Yes No
Integers Yes No Yes No
Whole Numbers Yes No Yes No
Natural Numbers Yes Yes Yes No

3. The rational number 0 is the additive identity for rational numbers.

For given rational number a, a+0= a
Zero is called the identity for the addition of rational numbers, integers and whole
numbers.

4. The rational number 1 is the multiplicative identity for rational numbers.

5. The additive inverse of the rational number a and b is –a and –b and vice versa
is also true.

6. The reciprocal or multiplicative inverse of the rational number is the numbers

which result in 1 after multiplication with the number.
a b
Example: × = 1,
b a
7. Distributivity of rational numbers: For all rational numbers a, b and c,
a(b + c) = ab + ac
and a(b – c) = ab – ac
8. Rational numbers can be represented on a number line.
9. Between any two given rational numbers there are countless rational numbers.
The idea of mean helps us to find rational numbers between two rational numbers.

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 Finish Line & Beyond

Exercise 1

1. Using appropriate properties find

2 3 5 3 1
(i) − × + − ×
3 5 2 5 6
2 3 3 1 5
Answer: − × − × +
3 5 5 6 2
3 2 1 5
= − − + (distributive property)
5 3 6 2
3 5 5
= × − +
5 6 2
1 5 4
= − + = = 2
2 2 2
2  3 1 3 1 2
(ii) ×  −  − × + ×
5  7  6 2 14 5
2 3 1  1 3
= − + − × (distributive property)
5  7 14  6 2
2  − 6 + 1 1
=  −
5  14  4
2 5 1
= × − −
5 14 4
− 1 1 − 4− 7 11
= − = = −
7 4 28 28

2. Write the additive inverse of following:

2
(i)
8
2 2 2
Answer: − ; Proof: + − = 0
8 8 8
− 5
(ii)
9
5 − 5 5
Answer: ; Proof: + = 0
9 9 9
− 6
(iii)
− 5
6 6 6
Answer: − ; Proof: + − = 0
5 5 5

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2
(iv)
− 9
2 2 2
Answer: ; Proof: + = 0
9 − 9 9
19
(v)
− 6
19 19 19 19 − 19
Answer: ; Proof: + = = 0
6 − 6 6 − 6
3. Verify that –(-x)=x for
11
(i) x=
15
 11  11
Answer: -(-x) = − −  =
 15  15
13
(ii) x= −
17
  13    13  13
Answer: -(-x) = −  −  −   = −   = −
  17    17  17
4. Find the multiplicative inverse of the following:
(i) -13

1
Answer: −
13
13
(ii) −
9
9
Answer: −
13
1
(iii)
5
Answer: 5
5 − 3
(iv) × −
8 7
5 3 15
Answer: − × − =
8 7 56
56
So multiplicative inverse=
15
2
(v) − 1× −
5
2 2
Answer: − 1× − =
5 5

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5
So multiplicative inverse=
2
(Vi) -1

Answer: 1
5. Name the property under multiplication used in each of the following:
− 4 − 4 4
(i) × 1 = 1× = −
5 5 5
Answer: Here, 1 is the multiplicative identity.

13 − 2 − 2 − 13
(ii) − × = ×
17 7 7 17
Answer: Here commutativity of multiplication is shown.

− 19 29
(iii) × = 1
29 − 19
Answer: Here, multiplicative inverse is used.

6 7
6. Multiply by reciprocal of −
13 16
7 16
Answer: Reciprocal of − = −
16 7
6 16 96
Multiplication: × − = −
13 7 91

7. What property allows you to compute

1  4 1  4
×  6 ×  as  × 6  ×
3  3 3  3

Answer: Here, associativity is being used.

8 1
8. Is the multiplicative inverse of − 1 ? Why or why not?
9 8
8 9
Answer: × − = − 1≠ 1
9 8
Hence, this is not a case of multiplicative inverse.

1
9. Is 0.3 the multiplicative inverse of 3 ? Why or why not?
3
3 1 10
Answer: 0.3 = and 3 =
10 3 3
3 10
× = 1
10 3

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Hence, this is a case of multiplicative inverse.

10. Write.
(i) The rational number that does not have a reciprocal.

Answer: 0 does not have a reciprocal. Because a number divided by 0 is undefined.

(ii) The rational numbers that are equal to their reciprocals.

Answer: 1 and -1 are equal to their reciprocals.

(iii) The rational number that is equal to its negative.

Answer: 0 is the number equal to its negative.

11. Fill in the blanks.

(i) Zero has no reciprocal.
(ii) The numbers 1 and -1 are their own reciprocals
1
(iii) The reciprocal of – 5 is −
5
1
(iv) Reciprocal of , where x ≠ 0 is x .
x
(v) The product of two rational numbers is always a rational number
(vi) The reciprocal of a positive rational number is positive

Exercise 2

1. Represent these numbers on the number line:

7
(i)
4

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 Finish Line & Beyond

5
(ii) −
6
Answer:

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2 5 9
2. Represent − , − and − on the number line.
11 11 11

Answer:

3.Write five rational numbers which is smaller than 2.

Answer: To write such type of numbers either put a number less than 2 in the nu-
merator or greater than 2 in the denominator.

1 2 2 2 2
, , , , ,.............................
2 3 4 5 6

2 1
4. Find five rational numbers between − and
5 2
Answer: Keep on increasing denominator while writing such numbers

2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1
− ,− ,− ,− ,0, , , , ..............
6 7 8 9 9 8 7 6 3

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