Knowlet

Unit 1: Number System and Commercial Arithmetic

Number System

This unit covers the foundational concepts of different types of numbers and their properties.

Place Value and Face Value

  • Face Value: The inherent value of a digit, regardless of its position in a number.
    • Example: In the number 739, the face value of the digit '3' is simply 3.
  • Place Value: The value of a digit based on its position (ones, tens, hundreds, etc.) in the number.
    • Example: In the number 739, the place value of the digit '3' is 3 × 10 = 30.

Types of Numbers

  1. Natural Numbers (N): The set of counting numbers. N = {1, 2, 3, 4, ...}
  2. Integers (Z): The set of all whole numbers and their negative counterparts. Z = {..., -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, ...}
  3. Rational Numbers (Q): Any number that can be expressed as a fraction p/q, where 'p' and 'q' are integers and 'q' is not zero.
    • Includes all integers (e.g., 5 = 5/1).
    • Includes terminating decimals (e.g., 0.5 = 1/2).
    • Includes repeating decimals (e.g., 0.333... = 1/3).
  4. Real Numbers (R): The set of all numbers on the number line. This includes all rational numbers and irrational numbers (numbers that cannot be expressed as a simple fraction, e.g., √2, π).

Basic Operations

HCF (Highest Common Factor)

Also known as the Greatest Common Divisor (GCD). It is the largest positive integer that divides two or more numbers without leaving a remainder.

Example: Find the HCF of 12 and 18.

  1. Prime factors of 12: 2 × 2 × 3
  2. Prime factors of 18: 2 × 3 × 3
  3. Common factors: 2, 3
  4. HCF = Product of common factors = 2 × 3 = 6

LCM (Lowest Common Multiple)

It is the smallest positive integer that is a multiple of two or more numbers.

Example: Find the LCM of 12 and 18.

  1. Prime factors of 12: 2² × 3¹
  2. Prime factors of 18: 2¹ × 3²
  3. Take the highest power of each prime factor present in either number: 2² and 3²
  4. LCM = 2² × 3² = 4 × 9 = 36
Important Formula: For any two positive integers 'a' and 'b': HCF(a, b) × LCM(a, b) = a × b

Commercial Arithmetic

Ratio and Proportion

  • Ratio: A comparison of two quantities, written as `a:b` or `a/b`.
  • Proportion: An equality of two ratios. If `a:b` is proportional to `c:d`, we write `a:b = c:d` or `a/b = c/d`.
    • This implies the "product of extremes equals product of means": ad = bc.

Percentage

The word "percent" means "per hundred". It's a way to express a number as a fraction of 100.

Formula: Percentage = (Part / Whole) × 100%

Example: If you score 30 out of 40 on a test, your percentage is (30 / 40) × 100% = 0.75 × 100% = 75%.

Profit and Loss

  • Cost Price (CP): The price at which an item is purchased.
  • Selling Price (SP): The price at which an item is sold.
  • Profit: If SP > CP, then Profit = SP - CP.
  • Loss: If CP > SP, then Loss = CP - SP.
Formulas:
Profit % = (Profit / CP) × 100
Loss % = (Loss / CP) × 100
Exam Tip: Profit and Loss percentages are always calculated based on the Cost Price (CP), unless stated otherwise.

Simple Interest (SI)

Interest calculated only on the original principal amount.

  • P = Principal (the initial amount of money)
  • R = Rate of interest (per year)
  • T = Time (in years)
Formulas:
Simple Interest (SI) = (P × R × T) / 100
Total Amount (A) = Principal + Simple Interest = P + SI

Compound Interest (CI)

Interest calculated on the initial principal and also on the accumulated interest from previous periods ("interest on interest").

Formula (compounded annually):
Amount (A) = P × (1 + R/100)ᵀ
Compound Interest (CI) = A - P = P × [ (1 + R/100)ᵀ - 1 ]

Example: Find the CI on 1000 for 2 years at 10% p.a. compounded annually.

  1. A = 1000 × (1 + 10/100)²
  2. A = 1000 × (1.1)²
  3. A = 1000 × 1.21 =1210
  4. CI = A - P = 1210 -1000 = $210

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