NCERT Solutions for Class 8

Maths
Chapter 16 – Playing with Numbers

Exercise 16.1
1. Find the values of the letters in the following and give reasons for the steps
involved.
3 A
+2 5
B 2
Ans:
• The addition of A and 5 gives 2 i.e., a number whose one’s digit is 2 . This
is possible only when the digit A is 7 . In this case, the addition of A ( 7 )
and 5 will give 12 and thus, 1 will be the carry for the next step.
• In the next step,
1+ 3 + 2 = 6
Therefore, the addition is as follows:
3 7
+2 5
6 2
Clearly, B is 6 .
Hence, A and B are 7 and 6 respectively.

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2. Find the values of the letters in the following and give reasons for the steps
involved.
4 A
+ 9 8
C B 3
Ans:
• The addition of A and 8 gives 3 i.e., a number whose one’s digit is 3 . This
is possible only when digit A is 5 . In this case, the addition of A and 8
will give 13 and thus, 1 will be the carry for the next 1 step.
• In the next step,
1 + 4 + 9 = 14
Therefore, the addition is as follows:
4 5
+ 9 8
14 3
Clearly, B and C are 4 and respectively.
Hence, A, B , and C are 5, 4, and 1 respectively.

3. Find the values of the letters in the following and give reasons for the steps
involved.
A B
+ 3 7
6 A
Ans: The addition of A and 3 is giving 6 . There can be two cases.

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(1) First step is not producing a carry
• In this case, A comes to be 3 as 3 + 3 = 6.
• Considering the first step in which the addition of B and 7 is giving A (i.e.,
3 ), B should be a number such that the units digit of this addition comes to
be B . It is possible only when B = 6 .
• In this case, A = 6 + 7 = 13 . However, A is a single digit number. Hence,
it is not possible.

(2) First step is producing a carry

• In this case, A comes to be 2 as 1 + 2 + 3 = 6 .
• Considering the first step in which the addition of B and 7 is giving
2 5
+3 7
6 2
A (i.e., 2 ), B should be a number such that the units digit of this addition
comes to be 2 . It is possible only when B = 5 and 5 + 7 = 12.
• Hence, the values of A and B are 2 and 5 respectively.

4. Find the values of the letters in the following and give reasons for the steps
involved.
A B
 3
CA B
Ans:
• The multiplication of 3 and B gives a number whose one’s digit
is B again. Hence, B must be 0 or 5 .

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 • Let B is 5 .
Multiplication of first step 3  5 = 15
1 will be a carry for the next step.
We have, 3  A + 1 = CA
This is not possible for any value of A .
Hence, B must be 0 .
If B = 0 , then there will be no carry for the next step. We should obtain,
3  A = CA
• That is, the one’s digit of 3  A should be A . This is possible when
A = 5 or 0 . However, A cannot be 0 as AB is a two-digit number.
• Therefore, A must be 5 . The multiplication is as follows:
50
 3
150
• Hence, the values of A, B, and C are 5, 0, and 1 respectively.

5. Find the values of the letters in the following and give reasons for the steps
involved.
A B
 5
CA B
Ans:
• The multiplication of B and 5 is giving a number whose one’s digit is B
again. This is possible when B = 5 or B = 0 only.

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 • In case of B = 5 , the product,
• B  5 = 5  5 = 25
2 will be a carry for the next step.
• We have, 5  A + 2 = CA , which is possible for A = 2 or 7
The multiplication is as follows:
2 5 7 5
 5  5
12 5 37 5
• If B = 0 ,
B5 = B
 05 = 0
• There will not be any carry in
this step. In the next step,
5  A = CA .
• It can happen only when A = 5
or A = 0
However, A cannot be 0 as AB is a two-digit
number.
• Hence, A can be 5 only. The multiplication is
as follows:
5 0
 5
25 0
• Hence, there are three possible values of
A, B, and C.
(i) 5, 0, and 2 respectively
(ii) 2, 5, and 1 respectively
(iii) 7, 5, and 3 respectively
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6. Find the values of the letters in the following and give reasons for the steps
involved.
A B
 5
BB B
Ans:
The multiplication of 6 and B gives a number whose one’s digit is B
again. It is possible only when B = 0, 2, 4, 6, or 8
• If B = 0 , then the product will be 0 .
Therefore, this value of B is not possible. If B = 2 , then B  6 = 12
and 1 will be a carry for the next step.
6A + 1 = BB = 22
 6A = 21
Hence, any integer value of A is not possible.
• If B = 6 , then B  6 = 36 and 3 will be a carry for the next step.
6A + 3 = BB = 66
 6A = 63
Hence, any integer value of A is not possible.
• If B = 8 , then B  6 = 48 and 4 will be a carry for the next step.
6A + 4 = BB = 88
 6A = 84
Hence, A = 14 . However, A is a single digit number. Therefore, this value of
A is not possible.
• If B = 4 , then B  6 = 24 and 2 will be a carry for
the next step.
6A + 2 = BB = 44
 6A = 42
Hence, A = 7
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 • The multiplication is as follows:
7 4
 6
44 4
Hence, the values of A and B are 7 and 4 respectively.

7. Find the values of the letters in the following and give reasons for the steps
involved.
A 1
+ 1 B
B 0
Ans:
• The addition of 1 and B gives 0 i.e., a number whose one’s digits is 0 .
This is possible only when digit B is 9 .
• In this case, the addition of 1 and B will give 10 and thus, 1 will be the
carry for the next step.
• In the next step,
1+ A +1 = B
Clearly, A is 7 as 1 + 7 + 1 = 9 = B
• Therefore, the addition is as follows:
7 1
+ 1 9
9 0
Hence, the values of A and B are 7 and 9 respectively.

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8. Find the values of the letters in the following and give reasons for the steps
involved.
2A B
+A B 1
B 1 8
Ans:
• The addition of B and 1 gives 8 i.e., a number whose one’s digits is 8 .
This is possible only when digit B is 7 .
• In this case, the addition of B and 1 will give 8 . In the next step,
A + B =1
Clearly, A is 4 .
4 + 7 = 11and 1 will be a carry for the next step.
• In the next step, 1 + 2 + A = B
1 + 2 + 4 =7
Therefore, the addition is as follows:
24 7
+4 7 1
7 1 8
Hence, the values of A and B are 4 and 7 respectively.

9. Find the values of the letters in the following and give reasons for the steps
involved.
12 A
+6 A B
A 0 9
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Ans:
• The addition of A and B is giving 9 i.e., a number whose one’s digits is 9
. The sum can be 9 only as the sum of two single digit numbers cannot be
19 . Therefore, there will not be any carry in this step.
• In the next step, 2 + A = 0
It is possible only when A = 8
2 + 8 = 10 and 1 will be the carry for the next step.
1 + 1 + 6 = A Clearly, A is 8 . We know that the addition of A and B is
giving 9 . As A is 8 , therefore, B is 1 .
• Therefore, the addition is as follows:
12 8
+6 8 1
8 0 9
Hence, the values of A and B are 8 and 1 respectively.

Exercise 16.2
1. If 21y5 is a multiple of 9 , where y is a digit, what is the value of y ?
Ans:
• If a number is a multiple of 9 , then the sum of its digits
will be divisible by 9 .
Sum of digits of 21y5 :
21y5 = 2 + 1 + y + 5
= 8 + y
• Hence, 8 + y should be a multiple of 9 .
This is possible when 8 + y is any one of these numbers 0, 9, 18, 27, and
so on.
• However, since y is a single digit number, this sum can be 9 only.

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 Therefore, y should be 1 only.

2. If 31z5 is a multiple of 9 , where z is a digit, what is the value of z ?

You will find that there are two answers for the last problem. Why is
this so?
Ans:
• If a number is a multiple of 9 , then the sum of its digits will be
divisible by 9 .
• Sum of digits of 31z5 :
31z5 = 3 + 1 + z + 5 = 9 + z
Hence, 9 + z should be a multiple of 9 .
• This is possible when 9 + z is any one of these numbers 0, 9, 18, 27 , and
so on.
• However, since z is a single digit number, this sum can be either 9 or 18 .
Therefore, z should be either 0 or 9 .

3. If 24x is a multiple of 3 , where x is a digit, what is the value of x ?

(Since 24x is a multiple of 3 , its sum of digits 6 + x is a multiple of 3 ; so
6 + x is one of these numbers: 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18 …. But since x is a
digit, it can only be that 6 + x = 6 or 9 or 12 or 15 . Therefore, x = 0 or
3 or 6 or 9 . Thus, x can have any of four different values)
Ans:
• Since 24x is a multiple of 3 , the sum of its digits is a multiple of 3 .
• Sum of digits of 24x = 2 + 4 + x = 6 + x . Hence, 6 + x is a
multiple of 3 .
• This is possible when 6 + x is any one of these numbers 0, 3, 6, 9, and
so on … Since x is a single digit number, the sum of the digits can be 6

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 or 9 or 12 or 15 and thus, the value of x comes to 0 or 3 or 6 or 9 .
respectively.
• Thus, x can have its value as any of the four different values 0, 3, 6, or
9.

4. If 31z5 is a multiple of 3 , where z is a digit, what might be the values of z

?
Ans:
• Since 31z5 is a multiple of 3 , the sum of its digits will be a multiple of
3 . Hence, 3 + 1 + z + 5 = 9 + z is a multiple of 3 .
• This is possible when 9 + z is any one of the following:
0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, and so on …
• Since z is a single digit number, the value of 9 + z can only be 9,12,15
or 18 and thus, the value of x comes to 0, 3, 6, or 9 respectively.
• Thus, z can have its value as any one of the four different values 0, 3, 6,
or 9 .

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