The Teacher’s Choice

CLASSROOM
MATHEMATICS

CLASSROOM MATHEMATICS
South Africa’s most popular Mathematics
course is trusted for guaranteed results.
If you are serious about Mathematics, look
no further than Classroom Mathematics.
CLASSROOM
+
Problem-solving Skills
Worked Examples
MATHEMATICS
+ Plenty of Exercises
= CLASSROOM MATHEMATICS

J Aird, C Brownbill, R Essack, S Hoole, A Kitto,

M Pike, R Rhodes-Houghton, M Sasman,
P Tebeila, J van Duyn

South Africa’s leading Mathematics publisher

Grade 8

Grade 8
ISBN: 978-0-796-24835-0
Learner’s Book

www.heinemann.co.za

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za_cvr.indd 1 2014/07/05 3:14 PM

 Published by Heinemann Publishers (Pty) Ltd
Heinemann House, Building No.3
Grayston Office Park
128 Peter Road, Athol Ext. 12
Sandton, 2196
PO Box 781940, Sandton, 2146
Gauteng, South Africa
www.heinemann.co.za
Tel. (011) 322 8600
Fax (086) 687 7822
email: [email protected]

© in text: authors, 2013

© in published edition: Heinemann Publishers (Pty) Ltd, 2013

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, republished, reused, photocopied,
reprinted, digitised, adapted, performed in public, broadcast, transmitted, disseminated or stored in any
manner or form by any means, whether for commercial or non-commercial purposes, without the prior
written authorisation of the Publisher.

First published 2013

2015 2014 2013 2013
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
ISBN: 9780796248350
ePDF ISBN: 9780636160019

Pack ID: 4-MAT-EN-99-001

Authored by Kitto; Aird; Brownbill; Essack; Hoole;

Pike; Rhodes-Houghton; Sasman; Tebeila; van Duyn
Edited by F Cronje
Typeset by Suzanne Guldemond, IO Publishing
Illustrations by Kim Johnston and Walter Pichler
Book design by Martingraphix
Cover design by Foolmoon Design
Printed and bound by

Acknowledgements
The Publisher is grateful to the following for permission to reproduce copyright material:
Photographs: P
 age 238 – [email protected]; Page 288 – [email protected];
Page 368 – [email protected]

Every effort has been made to trace the copyright holders. In the event of unintentional omissions or errors,
any information that would enable the publisher to make the proper arrangements will be appreciated.

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 2 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Contents
Term 1 Chapter 6 Algebraic expressions 1 69
Rewriting problems in symbols – the need for
Chapter 1 Whole numbers, ratio, rate and algebra 71
finance 1 Variables and operations 71
Natural and whole numbers 1 Algebraic expressions – multiplication 74
Properties of whole numbers 3 Expressions and terms 77
Division by zero 4 Constants and coefficients 79
Multiples and factors 5 Addition and subtraction of like terms 81
Exponent notation 9 Using algebraic expressions 84
The highest common factor (HCF) and the Check your skills 86
lowest common multiple (LCM) 10 Extend your skills 87
Ratios 11
Rate 14 Chapter 7 Algebraic equations 1 88
Percentages 16 Solving equations by inspection 88
Simple interest 17 Setting up equations 90
Loans and hire purchase agreements 19 Analysing and interpreting equations 92
Check your skills 21 Check your skills 95

Chapter 2 Integers 23 Chapter 8 Cumulative revision 1 96

Ordering of integers 23
Addition of integers 25 Term 2
The commutative and associative properties of Chapter 9 Algebraic expressions 2 98
addition in the case of integers 26 Adding and subtracting like terms 98
Subtraction of integers 27 Multiplying terms 99
Multiplication of integers 29 Simplification of algebraic expressions by
Division of integers 32 distribution 103
Squares and cubes of integers 33 Evaluating algebraic expressions using
Check your skills 34 substitution 108
Extend your skills 34 Division of algebraic terms 109
Chapter 3 Exponents 35 Determining squares and cubes of algebraic
Perfect squares 35 expressions 112
Perfect cubes 37 Determining square roots and cube roots of
Operations with square roots and cube roots 38 algebraic expressions 112
Factors of perfect squares and perfect cubes 40 Check your skills 114
Exponential form 41 Extend your skills 115
Multiplication of numbers with the same base 42 Chapter 10 Algebraic equations 2 116
Multiplication with two or more variables 44 Solving equations by inverse operations 116
Division of numbers with the same base 45 Equivalent equations 118
Division involving more than one variable 46 Solving equations using additive and
Raising a power to a further power 47 multiplicative inverses 120
The zero exponent law 48 Solving more complex equations 121
Scientific notation 50 Solving equations with brackets and fractions 122
Check your skills 54 Solving equations using the laws of exponents 124
Chapter 4 Numeric and geometric patterns 55 Creating and working with mathematical models 124
Revision of numeric and geometric patterns 55 Check your skills 127
Check your skills 60 Chapter 11 Geometric constructions 128
Extend your skills 61 Constructing angles 128
Chapter 5 Functions and relationships 1 62 Quadrilaterals 136
Input values, output values and rules 62 Construction of rectangles and parallelograms 138
Relationships between numbers and Constructing regular polygons 138
mathematical rules 65 Check your skills 139
Check your skills 68 Chapter 12 Geometry of 2D shapes 140
Triangles 140
Theorem of Pythagoras 145
Quadrilaterals 149
Similarity 154
Congruency 158
Check your skills 166
Extend your skills 167

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 3 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Chapter 13 Geometry of straight lines 168 Chapter 19 Surface area and volume 252
Geometry terminology 168 Formulae for calculating surface area and
Naming angles 169 volume 252
Types of angles 171 Check your skills 260
Angles round a point and adjacent angles on a
straight line 172 Chapter 20 Organising and representing
Vertically opposite angles 175 data 261
Parallel lines 177 Terminology used in data handling 261
Co-interior angles 178 Conducting surveys 262
Check your skills 185 Questionnaires 264
Stem-and-leaf plots 266
Chapter 14 Cumulative revision 2 186 Representation of data 270
Exemplar of mid-year examination 188 Taking a critical view 273
Grouped data and histograms 276
Term 3 Check your skills 280
Chapter 15 Common fractions 191 Chapter 21 Cumulative revision 3 282
Mixed numbers and improper fractions 192
Equivalent fractions 193 Term 4
Addition and subtraction of fractions 195
Addition and subtraction of mixed numbers 196 Chapter 22 Functions and relationships 2 286
Multiplication of fractions 197 Equivalent forms of descriptions of the same
Using reciprocal relationships to divide fractions 198 relationship 290
Division of fractions 199 Check your skills 294
Dividing by a number is the same as Chapter 23 Algebraic equations 3 295
multiplying by its reciprocal 200 Solving equations 295
Solving problems using fractions 201 Solving equations where the unknown is
Fractions and the calculator 202 an exponent 295
Squares and cubes of common fractions 202 Check your skills 300
Square roots and cube roots of common Extend your skills 300
fractions 203
Percentages 204 Chapter 24 Graphs 301
Check your skills 206 Graphical representation 301
Extend your skills 206 Increasing and decreasing graphs 304
Interpreting graphs 304
Chapter 16 Decimal fractions 207 The Cartesian coordinate plane 309
Decimal fractions 207 Linear vs non-linear graphs 312
Converting a common fraction to a Check your skills 316
decimal fraction 209
Percentages and decimal fractions 211 Chapter 25 Transformation geometry 318
Addition and subtraction of decimal numbers 213 Transformations 318
Multiplication and division by powers of 10 214 Translating triangles on a coordinate plane 322
Division of decimals 218 Reflections in (or about) a line 324
Dividing decimals by decimals 218 Rotations 329
Squares, cubes, square roots and cube roots 220 Enlargements 333
Approximating (rounding off) decimal fractions 221 Check your skills 339
Rough estimates 222
Solving problems involving decimal numbers 223 Chapter 26 Geometry of 3D objects 342
Measuring with decimal numbers 225 Terminology regarding the geometry of
Check your skills 225 3D objects 342
The five Platonic solids 345
Chapter 17 Theorem of Pythagoras 226 Check your skills 349
Revising the Theorem of Pythagoras 226
Applications of the Theorem of Pythagoras 230 Chapter 27 Probability 350
Check your skills 232 The relative frequency of a random event 351
The definition of probability 353
Chapter 18 Area and perimeter 233 The probability scale 356
Perimeter 233 Using probability to make predictions 359
Area 236 Check your skills 362
Circles 243 Extend your skills 363
The irrational number π (pi) 245
Check your skills 251 Chapter 28 Cumulative revision 4 364
Glossary 367

Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 4 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 5 2014/07/11 11:16 AM
 Whole numbers,
ratio, rate and finance 1
In this chapter you will learn about:
zz The properties of natural and whole numbers
zz Multiples and factors
zz HCF and LCM
zz Ratio and rate
zz Percentages
zz Simple interest, loans and hire purchase agreements.

Natural and whole numbers

Natural numbers
Natural numbers are also sometimes called counting numbers. They are the numbers
1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; … The symbol used to represent the set of natural numbers is ℕ.

Whole numbers
These numbers are natural numbers together with the number zero. They are
represented by the symbol ℕ0. The whole numbers are 0; 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; ...
All numbers, no matter how big or small, can be represented by using the ten digits
0; 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 8; 9.

Order of operations
When a calculation involves a number This is how you can remember the order:
BODMAS:
of different operations, the order in B(rackets)
which these operations are done is O(f)
D(ivision) and
important. Do any operations which M(ultiplication) – from left to right
A(ddition) and
are bracketed first. Next is ‘of’, S(ubtraction) – from left to right
which is a ‘strong’ multiplication,
then division and multiplication from
left to right and, lastly, addition and
subtraction from left to right.

Term 1 Week 1 Chapter 1 Whole numbers, ratio, rate and finance 1

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 1 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Example 1

Without using a calculator, determine the value of 12 × (3 – 2) – 5 + 2.

Solution
12 × (3 – 2) – 5 + 2 = 12 × 1 – 5 + 2 Brackets first
= 12 – 5 + 2 Then multiplication
= 9 Then addition and subtraction from left to right

Exercise 1.1

This exercise should be done without a calculator.

1. Choose the correct way of writing ‘five thousand and two’.
502 50 002 5 002 52
2. a) W
 hat is the largest three digit number that can be made by using the
digits 2, 8 and 5?
b) What is the smallest three digit number that can be made by using the
digits 2, 8 and 5?
3. Write the following numbers in order from smallest to largest:
547; 475; 725; 527; 257; 1 245; 245; 425; 524; 2 457; 7 423.
4. Add the following numbers: 2 043; 612; 1 004; 14 306.
5. Calculate:
a) 12 × 201 b) 21 × 5 001
6. Write down the answers to each of the following:
a) (i) 12 × 8 (ii) 8 × 12
b) (i) 12 ÷ 8 (ii) 8 ÷ 12
c) (i) 12 + 8 (ii) 8 + 12
d) (i) 8 – 12 (ii) 12 – 8

7. a) 130 – 10 +10 +10 b) 130 − 10 × 10

8. Calculate:
a) (i) (11 + 9) + 32 (ii) 11 + (9 + 32)
b) (ii) (6 × 5) × 4 (ii) 6 × (5 × 4)

9. Calculate:
a) (i) 11 × (5 + 3) (ii) (11 × 5) + (11 × 3)
b) (i) 12 × (8 – 3) (ii) (12 × 8) – (12 × 3)

2 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 2 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Properties of whole numbers

1. The commutative property of addition and multiplication

In question 6 in the last exercise you will have noticed that the order in which
you add or multiply numbers does not matter. However, this does not apply to
subtraction and division.
a) 12 + 4 = 4 + 12
This is known as the commutative property of addition. The order in which you
add any two numbers does not matter. It is also interesting to notice that if you
add any two whole numbers together, you will always get another whole number.
b) 12 × 4 = 4 × 12
Multiplication also has the commutative property.
The order in which you multiply any two numbers does not matter.
Note that subtraction and division do not have this property.
For example, 12 – 4 = 8 and 4 – 12 = –8. The answers are not the same.
Similarly, 12 ÷ 4 = 3 and 4 ÷ 12 = _​  13 ​. The answers are different.
2. The associative (grouping) property of addition and multiplication
Question 8 in the last exercise illustrates this property. The way in which you group
numbers when you just add or just multiply does not matter.
a) 5 + (6 + 2) = (5 + 6) + 2
b) 5 × (6 × 2) = (5 × 6) × 2
This property is called the associative property of addition and multiplication.
It does not apply to subtraction and division.
3. The distributive property of multiplication over addition and subtraction
a) 5 × (7 + 3) = (5 × 7) + (5 × 3)
b) 5 × (7 – 3) = (5 × 7) – (5 × 3)
This property is known as the distributive property of multiplication over
addition and subtraction. This means that the number outside the bracket can be
multiplied by each number inside the bracket if the numbers inside the bracket
are added or subtracted.
You don’t need to use a multiplication sign in front of the bracket.
For example:
5(7 + 3) = (5 × 7) – (5 × 3)

Term 1 Week 1 Chapter 1 Whole numbers, ratio, rate and finance 3

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 3 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 4. The special properties of one
Multiplying any number by one does not
1 is called the identity element for
change the number. multiplication, and this property is
For example: unique to the number 1.

22 × 1 = 22
13 × 1 = 13
188 × 1 = 188
5. The special properties of zero
Zero is a special whole number which Zero is called the identity element
has certain unique properties. for addition. There is no other
number that has this property.

a) Adding zero to any number does

not change the number.
For example:
8 + 0 = 8
55 + 0 = 55
2 709 + 0 = 2 709
b) Multiplying any number by zero always gives zero.
This property is unique to the number zero.
For example:
27 × 0 = 0
84 × 0 = 0
7 950 × 0 = 0

Division by zero

Exercise 1.2

1. Complete the number statements by replacing * with a number, if possible.

6
Use the format of this example: ​ __
2
​ = 3 because 2 × 3 = 6.
a) ​ __
10
5
​ = 2 because 5 × 2 = *

b) ​ _91 ​ = 9 because 1 × 9 = *

c) ​ _02 ​ = 0 because 2 × 0 = *

2. Find a value for * to make the following statement true:

​  60 ​ = * because 0 × * = 6
__

3. Write a short explanation for your solution to question 2.

4 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 4 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Note
zz In mathematics we say that division by zero is undefined. This is because there is
no value for * in calculations such as those in question 2 in the previous exercise
that will make the statement 0 × * = 6 true.
zz If you try to find _​ 60 ​using a calculator, it will give you an error message on the screen.
zz ​ 00 ​, which is not equal to 1, even though 0 × 1 = 0.
This also applies to __
The reason is that 0 × * = 0 is true for any value of *.

Exercise 1.3

1. Calculate the following without using a calculator, and then check your
answers with a calculator.
a) 74 × 0 b) 74 × 1 c) 50 × 0
d) 50 × 1 e) 50 + 0 f) 0 × 0
g) 0 ÷ 0 h) 17 × 1 i) 17 + 1
j) 17 ÷ 1 k) 0 ÷ 17 l) 1 × 17
m) 0 ÷ 10 n) 10 ÷ 0 o) 17 × 2 × 0
p) 18 ÷ 2 ÷ 0 q) ____
​  510
–5
​ r) 0 ÷ 2 ÷ 18

Multiples and factors

zz Factors of a natural number are any natural numbers which divide into the number
without any remainder. For example, the factors of 18 are 1, 2, 3, 6, 9 and 18,
because all these natural numbers divide into 18 without a remainder.
zz When a natural number is multiplied by any natural number, the answer is a multiple
of the original number. The numbers 6; 12; 18; 24; 30; 36; 42 ... are all multiples of 6.
zz Numbers which have only two factors that are different from each other, namely 1
and the number itself, are called prime numbers.
Examples of prime numbers are 11 and 13.
The only factors of 11 are 1 and 11, and the
only factors of 13 are 1 and 13. The number 1 is the only natural
number that is neither a prime
number nor a composite number.
zz Numbers which have more than two factors 1 is not a prime number because
are called composite numbers. 1 does not have two distinct
(different) factors like all other
prime numbers.
The numbers 8 and 12 are examples of
composite numbers.
The factors of 8 are 1, 2, 4 and 8, and the
factors of 12 are 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 12.

Term 1 Week 1 Chapter 1 Whole numbers, ratio, rate and finance 5

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 5 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 1.4

1. Write down all the prime numbers that are less than 20.

2. Write down all the composite numbers that are less than 20.

3. Write down all the factors of each of the following:

a) 10 b) 15 c) 6
d) 18 e) 30 f) 8

4. Write down the first four multiples of each of these numbers:

a) 3 b) 5 c) 7
d) 12 e) 20 f) 25

5. a) List the factors of 60.

b) List the prime factors of 60.
c) List the even factors of 60.
d) List the factors of 60 which are multiples of 3.
e) List the odd composite factors of 60.

6. a) List all the factors of 6.

b) Is the product of all these factors equal to 6?
c) List all the factors of 13.
d) Is the product of all these factors equal to 13?
e) F
 ind three other numbers which are equal to the product of all their
factors.
7. a) Write down the first seven prime numbers.
b) List the first seven composite numbers.

8. a) List all the factors of 24.

b) Write down the first four multiples of 24.

9. List all the prime numbers between 15 and 30.

10. From the set of numbers {1; 2; 3; 4; 7; 9; 12; 18; 19; 24; 27; 48; 80; 84; 92; 96}
write down:
a) the factors of 12
b) the multiples of 12
c) the prime numbers
d) the even prime numbers.

6 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 6 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 11. Two thousand years ago, a Greek mathematician, Eratosthenes, found a way to
find prime numbers. This method became known as the sieve of Eratosthenes.
a) Write down all the numbers from 1 to 100 in a table, as shown:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50

51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60

61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70

71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80

81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90

91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100

• Cross out 1, since 1 is not a prime number.

• C
 ircle 2, and then cross out all its multiples, because all these numbers
will have 2 as a factor and therefore will not be prime numbers.
• C
 ircle the next number which has not been crossed out, and then cross
out all the multiples of this number.
• Repeat the previous step until every number is circled or crossed out.
• All the circled numbers will be the prime numbers between 1 and 100.
b) List all the prime numbers between 1 and 100.
c) T
 win primes are pairs of prime numbers which differ by 2.
For example, 17 and 19 are twin primes. List all the twin primes
between 1 and 100.

12. a) Write down all the factors of 12.

b) Write 12 as a product of two factors in as many ways as possible.

13. In each of the following cases, list the following if possible:

a) the factors of 16
b) the first five multiples of 12
c) the factors of 32
d) the last three multiples of 5
e) the multiples of 40 between 89 and 165.

Term 1 Week 1 Chapter 1 Whole numbers, ratio, rate and finance 7

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 7 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 14. Copy the table below and decide whether each of the numbers in the first
column is a prime number or a composite number. Tick the correct column in
each case.

Number Prime number Composite number

2
6
8
9
11
13
16
23
25
27
60

Exercise 1.5

The mathematician Fermat investigated which of the prime numbers can be

written as the sum of two squares.
For example:
29 = 25 + 4
= 52 + 22

1. Use your answer from question 11 b) in Exercise 1.4 and make a list of the
prime numbers less than 100 that you can write as the sum of two squares.
There are in fact 11 such prime numbers less than 100.
2. Try to establish a rule that will determine which prime numbers can be written
as the sum of two squares.

8 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 8 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exponent notation
Repeated multiplication of the same factor can be written in a more condensed
or shortened way by using a superscript (the small number printed above another
number), which is called an exponent.
For example:
Every composite natural number
1. 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 = 25 can be written as a product of
This is read as ‘2 to the power of 5’, and prime numbers in a unique way.
This is known as the fundamental
5 is called the exponent. theorem of arithmetic.

2. 34 = 3 × 3 × 3 × 3

Example 1 Example 2
Write 12 as the product of prime Write 15 as the product of prime
numbers. numbers.

Solution Solution
12 = 2 × 2 × 3 15 = 5 × 3
= 22 × 3

When numbers are large, you need a more systematic approach to writing a number as
the product of its prime factors.

Example 3
Write 360 as the product of its prime factors.

Solution We can do this by successive division by prime numbers.

Start by dividing 360 by the smallest prime number that is
a factor of 360, which in this case is 2.
2 360
Continue by repeating the process, each time dividing the
2 180 quotient by the smallest prime number that is a factor of
2 90 the quotient until the quotient becomes 1.

3 45
3 15 360 = 2 × 2 × 2 × 3 × 3 × 5
5 5 = 23.32.5
1

Exercise 1.6

1. Write the first 15 composite natural numbers as products of their prime factors.
2. Write each of the following numbers as the products of its prime numbers:
a) 50 b) 225 c) 54
d) 48 e) 216 f) 1 125
g) 525 h) 900 i) 735

Term 1 Week 1 Chapter 1 Whole numbers, ratio, rate and finance 9

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 9 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 The highest common factor (HCF) and the lowest common
multiple (LCM)
The highest common factor (HCF) is the largest factor that is common to two or more
numbers. The lowest common multiple (LCM) is the smallest multiple that is common to
two or more numbers.

Example 1
a) Find the HCF of 12 and 30. b) Find the LCM of 12 and 30.
Solution

a) The factors of 12 are 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 12.

The factors of 30 are 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 10, 15 and 30.
 he highest common factor (HCF) is 6, which is the largest number that will
T
divide into both 12 and 30.
b) The multiples of 12 are: 12; 24; 36; 48; 60; 72 ...
The multiples of 30 are: 30; 60; 90; 120 ...
 he lowest common multiple is 60, because it is the smallest multiple
T
common to both numbers.

An alternative method
You can also find the HCF and LCM by using the prime factors. This may be a more
efficient method if the numbers are very large.
We can prime factorise 12 and 30 in the following way:
12 = 2 × 2 × 3 = 22 × 3
30 = 2 × 3 × 5
The HCF is found by multiplying the lowest powers of the prime factors common to
both numbers. HCF = 2 × 3 = 6.
The LCM is found by multiplying the highest power of all the prime factors found in
both numbers. LCM = 22 × 3 × 5 = 60.

Example 2
a) Find the HCF of 1 620, 72 and 180.
b) Find the LCM of 1 620, 72 and 180.

Solution
HCF: The lowest power of the common
factor 2 multiplied by the lowest power
a) First, we prime factorise the numbers: of the common factor 3.
LCM: The highest power of the factor 2
1 620 = 22 × 34 × 5 72 = 23 × 32 multiplied by the highest power of the
180 = 22 × 32 × 5 HCF = 22 × 32 = 36 factor 3 and the highest power of the
factor 5.
b) LCM = 23 × 34 × 5 = 3 240

10 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 10 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 1.7

1. Find the LCM and HCF of each of the following:

a) 4 and 10 b) 6 and 8 c) 6 and 12
d) 8 and 24 e) 12 and 18 f) 10 and 15
g) 16 and 24 h) 18 and 24 i) 24 and 54
j) 42 and 63 k) 6, 8 and 12 l) 12, 18 and 30
m) 28, 36 and 12 n) 36, 48 and 54 o) 120, 200 and 300

Ratios

Comparing quantities by using ratios

In everyday life, we often make comparisons. Comparing quantities by subtraction can
be misleading and does not always give the correct picture.
For example, the meaning of the statement “Jabu earns R1 000 more than Sipho” does
not tell us much. It would depend on how much Sipho earns.
If Jabu earns R2 000, then Sipho earns only R1 000 and Jabu earns twice as much as
Sipho. We can also say that for every rand that Sipho earns, Jabu earns two rand.
We also say that the ratio of Sipho’s earnings to those of Jabu is 1 : 2.
However, if Jabu earns R13 000, then Sipho earns R12 000, which means that Jabu and
Sipho earn almost the same. For every R12 that Sipho earns, Jabu earns R13, or the
ratio of Sipho’s earnings to those of Jabu is 12 : 13.
Sipho’s earnings
___________
​   
Jabu’s earnings
​ = _____
​  12 000
13 000
​ = __
​  12
13
​
We write the ratio in its simplest form, which is obtained by dividing each number by
the HCF. This can also be written as Sipho’s earnings : Jabu’s earnings = 12 : 13, and it
is read as ‘the ratio of Sipho’s earnings to Jabu’s earnings is 12 to 13’.
Note
Ratio is the comparison of two quantities with the same units by division.
If any two quantities A and B are in the ratio a : b, then we can write:
Quantity A : Quantity B = a : b
This can also be written as __
​ AB ​ = __
​  ka
kb
​= _​  ab ​, where k is a constant.

Term 1 Week 1 Chapter 1 Whole numbers, ratio, rate and finance 11

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 11 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Example 1
Thirty millilitres of red, 18 millilitres of yellow and 12 millilitres
of blue dye are mixed into 10 litres of white paint to get the
right colour for a painting job. Calculate the ratio of red,
yellow and blue dye in its simplest form.

Solution

The ratio of red : yellow : blue is 30 : 18 : 12.

Simplify by dividing each number by the HCF, which is 6.
Quantity of red : yellow : blue
= __
​  30
6
​ : __
​  18
6
​ : __
​  12
6
​
= 5 : 3 : 2

Sharing in a given ratio

Example 2
Kelisha, Jane and Sibulele share the profit from their business
in the ratio 1 : 2 : 3. Their business made a profit of
R120 000 at the end of last year. Calculate how much
money each of them received.

Solution
Method 1
If the profit is shared in the ratio 1 : 2 : 3, then it must be
divided into 6 parts (1 + 2 + 3 = 6).
For every R6, Kelisha will get R1, Jane R2 and Sibulele R3.
We therefore need to divide the money into six parts.

Kelisha’s share: ​ _16 ​ × 120 000 = R20 000

Jane’s share: ​ _26 ​ × 120 000 = R40 000

Sibulele’s share: ​ _36 ​ × 120 000 = R60 000         

Method 2
The profit must be divided into 6 parts, therefore one part is ​ ______
120 000
6
​ = R20 000.
Kelisha’s share is R20 000.
Jane’s share is 2 × 20 000 = R40 000.
Sibulele’s share is 3 × 20 000 = R60 000.

12 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 12 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 1.8

1. Use ratios in their simplest form to compare the salaries of Simon, Julie and
John if Simon earns R4 000 per month, Julie earns R6 000 per month and John
earns R3 500 per month.
2. A triangle has sides AB = 12 cm, AC = 16 cm and BC = 20 cm.
Determine the ratio of the lengths of the sides, AB : AC : BC,
in its simplest form.
3. Mary and Lerato are in the same netball team. In one
season Lerato scored 6 more goals than Mary. Use ratios to
compare the number of goals scored by Mary and Lerato
in each of the following situations:
a) Lerato scored 42 goals.
b) Mary scored 18 goals.
4. Company A spends R150 000 on advertising and makes a profit of R1 200 000,
while company B spends R250 000 and makes a profit of R2 000 000.
Calculate the ratio of the money spent on advertising to the profit in each case.
5. Divide 36 in the ratio:
a) 1 : 2 b) 1 : 3 c) 5 : 4

6. Mr Makanya has a herd of 65 cattle.

He wants to split the herd in the ratio 2 : 3 for
his two sons, the elder son getting the larger
portion of the herd.
Calculate how many cattle each son will receive.
7. Langa and Ray share R24 000 in the ratio 5 : 3. How much does each get?
8. Two bricklayers, Tshepo and John, work on a building.
Tshepo worked for 140 hours, while John worked for 80 hours.
They were paid R14 000 to do the job.
They share the money in the same ratio as the hours they worked.
Calculate how much pay each of them will receive.
9. Mary, Rethabile and Kagiso own shares in a business in the ratio 2 : 3 : 5.
The business is sold and they get R1,2 million, which they divide in the same ratio
as the shares that they owned. Calculate how much each of them will receive.
10. A farmer employs two students to pack peaches into
trays for the market. At the end of the day they have
packed a total of 288 trays. If student A packed 5 trays
for every 7 that student B packed, how many trays did
each of them pack?

Term 1 Week 1 Chapter 1 Whole numbers, ratio, rate and finance 13

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 13 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Rate
A rate is used to compare quantities that have different units, for example kilometres
and hours. It is useful to think of rate as ‘how many of a given quantity for every unit
of another quantity’. • The speed of a car: 50 km per hour
• The petrol used by a car: 15 km per litre
Examples of rates: • Exchange rate: R12 per British pound
• Interest rate: 8% per annum

Example 1
In a science experiment, the temperature increased steadily from 12 °C to 77 °C
in 5 minutes.
Calculate the rate of temperature increase per minute.

Solution
We need to calculate how much the temperature rises every minute.
Increase in temperature over the total time period: 77 – 12 = 65 °C
Total time period: 5 minutes
​ 65
The rate of temperature increase is ___5
​ = 13 °C per minute.

Example 2
A car travels 180 km from Mooi River along the N3 highway to the South Coast.
It takes the driver 4 hours. Determine the average speed of the car in km per hour.

Solution

We want to find the distance travelled in one unit

of time (an hour).
The average speed will be: ___
​ 180
4
​ = 45 km per hour
= 45 km/h

Example 3
A painter normally gets paid R80 per hour and gets R120 per hour for overtime.
Didi works 52 hours normal time and 8 hours overtime on a particular job.
Calculate how much she will get paid.

Solution

For 52 hours of normal time, Didi gets paid: 52 × 80 = R4 160

For 8 hours of overtime, Didi gets paid: 8 × 120 = R960
Total amount paid for the job: 4 160 + 960 = R5 120

14 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 14 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 1.9

1. A car uses 40 litres of petrol to drive 500 km.

Calculate the rate of petrol consumption

in km per litre. 

2. A car drives 740 km from Port Elizabeth to

Johannesburg in 9 hours.
Calculate the average speed.

3. The exchange rate of the US dollar is given as R7,50 per US dollar.

Calculate how much you will have to pay for $2 500.

4. A car travels at an average speed of 90 km per hour

along the N1 from Bloemfontein to Johannesburg.
Calculate how far the car is likely to travel in
2 hours 30 minutes.

5. A man weighs 95 kg and starts an exercise and eating

programme to lose weight.
If he sticks to the programme, he will lose 0,4 kg per week.
Calculate how much he will weigh after 36 weeks.

6. The temperature of water in an urn increases at a rate of 15 °C

per minute. Calculate how long it will take the water to boil
(at 100 °C) if the temperature of the water poured into the urn
is 20 °C.

7. Water is pumped into a farm dam at a rate of 40 litres per minute.

Calculate how much water will have been pumped into the dam in 8 hours.

8. John has a pulse rate of 70 heartbeats per minute.

Calculate how many times his heart will beat in 12 hours.

9. Mutinta runs 100 m in 16 seconds and Sam runs 400 m in

62 seconds. Calculate how fast each of them runs in metres
per second. Who runs faster?

Term 1 Week 2 Chapter 1 Whole numbers, ratio, rate and finance 15

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 15 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 10. Sindi covers 72 km in 6 hours and 15 minutes on her
racing bike. Calculate her average speed.

11. The exchange rate for the British pound is given as

R12,40 per British pound (£).
Calculate how much it will cost to buy £500.

12. Peter is a plumber and runs his own business. He charges R300 for a call out
and then charges R250 per hour during normal working hours and R350 per
hour for work done after normal working hours.
He is called out to repair burst water mains, and the job takes him 12 hours, of
which 4 hours is completed outside of his normal working hours.
Calculate how much he will charge for fixing the burst water mains.

Percentages

Percentage comes from the Latin word per centum, which means ‘per 100’.
Therefore, 23% means 23 per 100, or 23 out of 100. Hence:
23% = ​ ___
23
100
​ = 0,23

Example 1 Example 2
A clothing shop has Mr Mkhize buys a car which costs
a sale and offers a R160 000 excluding VAT.
discount of 20% on all The dealer must add 14% VAT.
items of clothing. How much will the car cost?
Khanyi buys items of
clothing to the value
VAT is value-added tax.
of R840. Calculate how All retailers add VAT to
all goods except essential
much she will have to food items such as bread.
pay after the discount.

Solution

The discount offered is R20 per R100

or R20 out of every R100. Solution
The total discount is ___
20
​ 100 ​ × 840 = R168.
VAT: ___14
​ 100 ​ × 160 000 = R22 400
The total amount that must be paid is
The total cost of the car will be
R840 – R168 = R672.
160 000 + 22 400 = R182 400.

16 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 16 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Simple interest

Interest
zz Interest is the money that is paid for the use of money lent or borrowed.
zz Money deposited into a savings account is called the capital.
This money is used by the bank or financial institution to lend or invest elsewhere.
After an agreed period of time the bank will repay the capital together with an
additional sum of money, which is called interest.
zz When you borrow money from a bank in the form of a loan, you will have to pay
the money back over an agreed period of time together with an additional sum of
money, called interest, for the use of the money borrowed.

Simple interest is usually calculated as a percentage per annum (per year) on the capital,
which is the original (initial) amount that was lent or borrowed.

Example 1
R5 000 is deposited into a savings account.
The bank pays 9% p.a. (per annum) simple interest
for five years. How much money will you have in
the savings account at the end of five years?

Solution

The interest earned each year is ___9

​ 100 ​ × 5 000.
∴ Total interest after five years will be
___ 9
​  100 ​ × 5 000 × 5 = R2 250.
The total amount in the savings account will be
the capital plus the interest.
Total amount = R5 000 + R2 250
= R7 250

Exercise 1.10

You may use a calculator in this exercise.

1. Calculate:
a) 10% of R50 b) 25% of R132
c) 36% of R80 000 d) 12% of R7 200
e) 14% of R55 200 f) 16% of R400

Term 1 Week 2 Chapter 1 Whole numbers, ratio, rate and finance 17

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 17 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 2. Teen Fashion sells the following clothing items at a discount:
• Item 1: Marked at R300; now reduced by 25%
• Item 2: Normal price R260, with a discount of 40%
• Item 3: Reduced by 35% from the marked price of R380

In each case, calculate the selling price after the discount.

3. a) What is 12% of R100,00?
b) Calculate 12% of R500,00.
c) J oyce calculates 12% of R500,00 by using a calculator.
She presses the keys on her calculator in this order: 0.12; ×; 500.
Is this correct? Explain.
4. Port Shepstone Outfitters has a summer sale. They
decide to reduce the price of all their clothing by 20%.
a) A shirt is priced at R150,00.
Determine the sale price of the shirt.
b) A pair of jeans is marked at R220,00.
What will the sale price be?
c) L
 indi selects clothing to the value of R500.
How much will she have to pay after the discount?
5. A car dealer sells a car for R240 000, but must still add 14% VAT.
How much will the customer have to pay for the car?
6. Maduna’s Gift Shop buys African art and curios from rural areas and sells them
in Cape Town. They calculate the selling price by increasing the price of goods
by 70%. Calculate the selling price of each of the following items:
a) a sculptured rhino that originally cost R600
b) a set of beaded mats that originally cost R420.
7. Mr Naidoo takes out a loan of R12 000 to buy a
television set and a playstation.
He repays the loan over three years. The interest
charged on the loan is 12% p.a. simple interest.
Calculate how much money he will have to pay.

8. Lindiwe deposits R8 000 into a savings account

for five years. The interest paid on the account is simple interest at 8% p.a.
Calculate how much money she will have in her savings account at the end of
five years.

18 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 18 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Loans and hire purchase agreements

zz Hire purchase loans are short term loans which are used to buy furniture, appliances,
curtains and other goods.
zz A hire purchase loan is often referred to as a hire purchase agreement because the
buyer is entering into a contract with the financial institution providing the loan.
zz The interest charged on a hire purchase loan is simple interest. It is charged on the
full amount of the loan over the period taken to repay the loan.
zz When you buy goods on hire purchase, you are usually required to pay a certain
percentage of the price of the goods in cash as a deposit.
The balance is then paid off over a period of time together with the interest.

Example 1
Palesa buys furniture to the value of R12 000.
She pays a 10% cash deposit and the balance is
paid off on a hire purchase loan agreement.
She pays for the goods over a period of four years
and the interest charged is 15% p.a. simple interest
on the full amount of the loan.
a) Calculate the amount that she must pay in cash as a deposit.
b) Determine the amount of money that she borrows on the loan agreement.
c) Calculate how much she will pay over four years, excluding the deposit.
d) Calculate how much she will have to pay each month, assuming that she pays
an equal amount each month.
e) How much does Palesa pay for the goods in total over four years?

Solution

a) ​ ___
10
100
​ × 12 000 = R1 200
b) The amount borrowed: 12 000 – 1 200 = R10 800
c) The loan plus the interest: 10 800 + ​ ___
15
100
​ × 10 800 × 4 = R17 280
d) S he repays the loan over 48 months.
Therefore her monthly payment (instalment) will be 17 280 ÷ 48 = R360.
e) 17 280 + 1 200 = R18 480

zz Buying goods on hire purchase is not ideal, because it is very costly. You will notice in
this example that Palesa pays R5 280 in interest over the four year period.
zz The total price paid is 54% more than the cash price.
zz Note that if the monthly payments are not met, the goods can be repossessed (which
means they can be taken back by the seller) and the money that you have already paid
will be lost.

Term 1 Week 2 Chapter 1 Whole numbers, ratio, rate and finance 19

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 19 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 1.11

1. Thobani buys a set of drums for his band

that costs R18 000. He pays 20% in cash
as a deposit and the balance is paid on
a hire purchase loan agreement.
He pays for the drums over three years and the
interest charged is 12% p.a. simple interest
on the full amount of the loan. 
a) Calculate the amount that he must pay in cash as a deposit.
b) Determine the amount of money that he borrows on the loan agreement.
c) Calculate how much he will pay over three years, excluding the deposit.
d) Calculate how much he will have to pay each month, assuming that he
pays an equal amount each month.
e) Calculate the total amount that Thobani pays for the drums over three years.
2. Reitumetse buys a television set, DVD player and music sound system by using
a hire purchase loan. The loan amount is R14 000. She pays for
the goods over two years and is charged 10% p.a. simple
interest on the full amount.
a) C
 alculate how much she will have to pay over two years.
b) H
 ow much will she have to pay each month if
she pays equal amounts each month?
3. A school buys speakers and an amplification sound system for their hall at a
cost of R42 000. The school pays 20% in cash and the balance is paid through
a hire purchase loan which is repaid over a period of four years by means of
equal monthly payments. The interest is 12% p.a. simple interest on the full
amount of the loan over four years.
a) Calculate the loan amount.
b) Determine the monthly payments.
4. Mrs Mkhize buys furniture and curtains for her house on hire purchase at a cost
of R80 000. She pays a deposit of 10% of the purchase price, and the balance is
paid through a hire purchase loan agreement which is repaid over five years.
The interest charged is 15% p.a. simple interest over five years on the full
amount of the loan.
a) C
 alculate the amount of money paid as a
deposit. Do not include VAT.
b) Calculate the loan amount.
c) 
How much will she have to pay each
month if she pays equal amounts every
month over the five year period?

20 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 20 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Check your skills
Exercise 1.12

1. a) List all the factors of 36.

b) Write down the first three multiples of 36.
c) Write 36 as the product of prime numbers.

2. Consider all the natural numbers between, but not including, 15 and 26, and
from this set of numbers:
a) Write down all the prime numbers.
b) W
 rite down the first three composite numbers and express each of these
numbers as a product of prime numbers.

3. Divide R18 000 in the ratio 2 : 3.

4. a) Find the HCF of 24, 36 and 60.

b) Write the ratio 24 : 36 : 60 in its simplest form.

5. A retailer for sports equipment buys the following items from various factories.
The factory prices of the goods are given below:
Soccer balls R360
Hockey sticks R240
Cricket bats R400
a) C
 alculate the selling price of each of the items if they increase the factory
price by 40%.
b) C
 alculate the retailer’s profit if he sells eight soccer balls, five hockey sticks
and three cricket bats.

6. Shaun buys a shirt at a sale at the Southgate

shopping mall. The shirt is priced at R250.
The sale discount on all goods is 25%.
Calculate how much he will have to pay
for the shirt after the discount.

7. Z
 andile buys a car and borrows R40 000 from her uncle.
She agrees to repay the money together with 8% p.a.
simple interest at the end of three years.
Calculate how much money she will have to pay.

 Chapter 1 Whole numbers, ratio, rate and finance 21

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 21 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 8. a) Write the following numbers as products of their prime factors: 120; 180; 300.
b) U
 se these prime factors to determine the highest common factor and lowest
common multiple of 120, 180 and 300.
c) Write the ratio 120 : 180 : 300 in its simplest form.
9. A car travels at an average speed of 85 km per hour.
Calculate how far the car will travel in 3 hours and
15 minutes.

10. Talia picks 3 360 apples in 8 hours.

Linda picks 3 240 apples in 6 hours.
Calculate the number of apples picked by each of them in one minute.

11. Sarah buys a laptop which costs R7 200.

She pays 12% in cash as a deposit and the rest of the
money is paid by means of a hire purchase loan which is
repaid over a period of three years.
The interest charged on the loan is 15% p.a. on the
full amount of the loan over three years.
a) C
 alculate the amount of money that must be paid as a deposit.
b) Calculate the amount of money that will be loaned.
c) C
 alculate the amount of money that will be repaid on the loan at the end
of three years, including the interest.
d) H
 ow much money must be paid each month if the loan is repaid by means
of equal monthly instalments?

12. a) P
 eter scored 100 runs more than Sam during the cricket season.
Compare the number of runs scored by Peter and Sam using a ratio in its
simplest form if Sam scored 150 runs.
b) Peter scored 100 runs more than Langa during the cricket season.
Compare the runs scored by Peter and Langa using a ratio in its simplest
form if Peter scored 650 runs.


22 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 22 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Integers 2
In this chapter you will learn about:
zz Ordering of integers
zz Addition and subtraction of integers
zz Multiplication and division of integers.

Ordering of integers
Integers can be represented on a number line and are ordered from the smaller
numbers on the left to the larger numbers on the right, as shown in the diagram below.
Integers

Negative integers Zero Positive integers

−7 −6 −5 −4 −3 −2 −1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

For example:
3 is smaller than 7.
−2 is smaller than 1.
−7 is smaller than −3.
This can be written in the following way: 3 < 7; −2 < 1; −7 < −3

Exercise 2.1

1. Arrange the following integers from smallest to largest: 4; −5; 7; −1; 0; −7; 2

2. Arrange the following integers from largest to smallest: −21; 15; −9; 24; − 40; 3

3. Arrange the following integers in descending order (that is from the largest to
the smallest): 12; −15; 7; −31; 11; −12; −22

4. Insert > or < into the block in each of the following:

a) 8 □ 12 b) −15 □ 8 c) 4 □ −5
d) −3 □ 6 e) −7 □ −11 f) −31 □ −42
g) 2 □ −19 h) −3 □ −21 i) 0 □ −17

Term 1 Week 2 Chapter 2 Integers 23

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 23 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 5. Write down the integers which are:
a) greater than −5 but smaller than 2
b) smaller than 0 but greater than −4
c) greater than −7 but less than −4
d) less than −4 but greater than −6.

6. a) T
 he maximum temperature in Bloemfontein on a cold winter’s day is
8 °C. What will the minimum temperature be if the temperature drops by
12 degrees during the night?
b) The minimum temperature at Sutherland is
−11 °C. What will the temperature be if the
temperature increases by 14 degrees?
c) The temperature in Helsinki, the capital city
of Finland, is −7 °C and the temperature in
Durban is 25 °C.
What is the difference in the temperatures?

7. Write down the answer in each of the following cases if the integer is increased
by 4:
a) 3 b) −5 c) −11 d) 11
e) −6 f) 6 g) −22 h) 22
8. A hotel has 6 parking levels below ground level, which are labelled −1, −2,
−3 ... to −6, where −6 is the lowest level. The floors above ground level are
labelled with positive integers in the usual way. Calculate in which direction
(up or down) and by how many levels the lift travels when it moves from:
a) level 1 to level 5 b) level −2 to level 5
c) level 7 to level −6 d) level 4 to level −3
e) level −5 to level −1 f) level −2 to level −5
g) level −2 to level 5 h) level −4 to level −3.
9. Eunice’s bank balance is −R150. What will the balance be after a:
a) deposit of R200
b) deposit of R500
c) deposit of R120
c) withdrawal of R120
e) withdrawal of R250
f) deposit of R70
g) deposit of R400 followed by a withdrawal of R300
one week later?

24 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 24 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Addition of integers

zz Adding a positive integer to a positive integer gives a sum that is bigger than both of
the integers. For example, 3 + 8 = 11. The answer will always be a positive integer.
This can be illustrated on a number line. Adding positive numbers on the number
line is indicated by a shift to the right.
+3
+8

−8 −7 −6 −5 −4 −3 −2 −1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

zz Adding a negative integer to a negative integer gives a sum that is smaller than both
of the integers. For example, (−5) + (−2) = −7. This is often written as −5 − 2 = −7.
The answer will always be a negative integer. This is illustrated on the number line
below.
Adding negative numbers on the number line or subtracting numbers is indicated by
moving to the left on the number line.
−2
−5

−8 −7 −6 −5 −4 −3 −2 −1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Adding a negative integer to a positive integer (or adding a positive integer to a

negative integer) gives a sum that is smaller than the positive integer and bigger
than the negative integer. The sum can be positive or negative.

Example 1

Calculate 8 + (−3).

Solution
8 + (−3) = 5. This can be written as 8 − 3 = 5.
−3

−1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Example 2

Calculate 8 + (−12).

Solution
8 + (−12) = −4. This can be written as 8 − 12 = − 4.
−12

−4 −3 −2 −1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Term 1 Week 2 Chapter 2 Integers 25

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 25 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 2.2

This exercise should be done without a calculator.

1. Calculate:
a) (−8) + 5 b) (−8) + (−5) c) 8 + (−5)
d) 12 + (−7) e) (−12) + 7 f) (−12) + (−7)
g) 3 + 4 h) (−3) + (−4) i) (−3) + 4
j) 3 + (−4) k) 12 + 8 l) (−12) + (−8)
m) (−12) + 8 n) 12 + (−8) o) 11 + 15
p) (−11) + (−15) q) (−11) + 15 r) 11 + (−15)

2. Calculate:
a) 20 − 14 b) 9 + 9 c) −9 − 9
d) −9 + 9 e) −13 − 17 f) −18 + 7
g) 15 − 6 h) −3 − 5 − 7 i) −7 − 10 − 5
j) −12 − 8 − 20 k) −8 + 12 − 6 l) −10 + 6 − 12

The commutative and associative properties of addition in the case

of integers
The commutative property of addition which applies to whole numbers also applies to
integers. The order in which you add integers does not matter.

For example: 5 + (−8) = (−8) + 5 = −3

The associative (grouping) property which applies to whole numbers also applies to
integers: (a + b) + c = a + (b + c).

Example 1

Calculate 5 + (−7) + (−6).

Solution This means that we can add

the negative numbers first,
Method 1 which makes it easier when
adding a large number of
[5 + (−7)] + (−6) integers.

= −2 + (−6)
= −8
Method 2
5 + [(−7) + (−6)]
= 5 + (−13)
= −8

26 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 26 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Example 2

Determine (−8) + 5 + (−3) + 12 + (−7) + (−4).

Solution
It is easier to add all the
(−8) + 5 + (−3) + 12 + (−7) + (−4) positive integers and all the
negative integers first by
= 5 + 12 + (−8) + (−3) + (−7) + (−4) using the commutative and
= 17 + (−22) associative properties.

= −5

Exercise 2.3

Calculate the following without using a calculator:

1. a) (−5) + (−3) + 11 + (−7) b) (−5) + 6 + (−11) + (−2) + 4
c) (−1) + 7 + (−8) + (−15) + 9 d) 6 + (−9) + 10 + (−3) + (−4)
e) (−1) + (−7) + 14 + (−5) + (−3) f) 10 + 4 + (−8) + 3 + (−6)
g) (−1) + (−7) + 14 + (−5) + (−3) h) (−3) + (−4) + 12 + (−2) + (−6)
i) 12 − 5 + 11 − 14 + 6 j) −15 + 14 − 25 + 25 − 5
k) 6 + (−7) + 12 + (−8) + 4 + (−9) l) 12 + 3 − 7 + 15 − 4 − 5

Subtraction of integers

A number and its additive inverse always add up to zero.

For example: (−3) + 3 = 0. Therefore the additive inverse of (−3) is 3.
Also, 3 + (−3) = 0. The additive inverse of 3 is (−3).
Complete the table below by writing down the additive inverse of each of the numbers:

Number Additive inverse

8
−5
15
−1
−5
7

Subtraction can be considered to be the addition of the additive inverse.

Term 1 Week 2 Chapter 2 Integers 27

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 27 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 For example: 7 − (+3) = 7 + (−3) = 4
Subtraction can be changed to the addition of the additive
inverse. The additive inverse of (+3) is (−3). Hence we change the
subtraction of 3 to the addition of (−3).
In each of the following
This is particularly useful when it comes examples we are changing
subtraction to the addition
to subtracting negative numbers. of the additive inverse.

For example: 7 − (−3) = 7 + (+3) = 10

In this case we are subtracting and so we change the subtraction to
the addition of the additive inverse, which is (+3).

Examples
Calculate the following by using additive inverses:
a) 8 − (−5) b) 7 − 12
c) −5 − (−8) d) −3 − 9

Solution

a) 8 − (−5) = 8 + (+5) The additive inverse of (−5) is (+5), therefore we

= 13 can write 8 + 5.
b) 7 − 12 = 7 − (12)
= 7 + (−12)
= −5 The additive inverse of 12 is (−12).
c) −5 − (−8) = −5 + 8
= 3 The additive inverse of (−8) is 8.
d) −3 − 9 = −3 + (−9)
= −12 The additive inverse of 9 is (−9).

Exercise 2.4

1. Calculate each of the following by changing the subtraction to the addition of

the additive inverse.
a) 5 − (−2) b) 10 − 4 c) 4 − 10
d) 11 − (−6) e) 6 − 11 f) 6 − (−11)
g) −6 − (−11) h) −11 − (−6) i) 16 − (−8)
j) 3 − 17 k) 3 − (−17) l) −7 − (−9)
m) 18 − 13 n) 13 − 18 o) 3 − (−18)

28 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 28 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 p) −13 − (−18) q) 22 − (−12) r) 11 − 15
s) 6 − (−7) + (−4) t) 6 − (−7) − 4 u) −2 −(−5) − 8

Multiplication of integers
Multiplication can be viewed as successive addition.
For example: 6 × 5 = 5 + 5 + 5 + 5 + 5 + 5 = 30
This is particularly important when multiplying negative integers:
(−5) + (−5) + (−5) + (−5) + (−5) + (−5) = 6 × (−5)
= −30

Exercise 2.5

1. Complete the table below by writing the product as successive addition and
then calculating the answer by adding the negative integers.
The first row has been completed for you.
Integers multiplied The product written as addition Answer
a) 3 × (−4) (−4) + (−4) + (−4) −12
b) 4 × (−7)
c) 5 × (−2)
d) 4 × (−9)
e) 7 × (−1)
f) 6 × (−5)

2. Complete the table below.

Multiplication of integers Product

a) 2 × (+3) 6

b) 2 × (+2)

c) 2 × (+1)

d) 2×0

e) 2 × (−1)

f) 2 × (−2)

g) 2 × (−3)

From question 1 in the previous exercise, it can be seen that when we multiply a
positive integer by a negative integer, the product will be negative. This can also be

Term 1 Week 2 Chapter 2 Integers 29

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 29 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 seen by completing the table in question 2 and studying the pattern. The products are
decreasing by 2 and therefore should become negative after reaching zero.
Multiplication is commutative and therefore (−5) × 3 = 3 × (−5) = (−5) + (−5)+ (−5) = −15.
Hence it will also be true that the product of a negative integer and a positive integer
will be negative.
Rule 1: The product of a positive integer and a negative integer will be negative.
The product of a negative integer and a positive integer will also be negative.
Rule 2: The product of two positive integers will be positive.
The product of two negative integers will be positive.
The second rule is more difficult to justify. Study the pattern in the table below:

Multiplication of integers Product

(−2) × (+3) −6

(−2) × (+2) −4
positive × positive = positive
(−2) × (+1) −2 positive × negative = negative
negative × positive = negative
negative × negative = positive
(−2) × 0 0

(−2) × (−3) +2

(−2) × (−2) +4

(−2) × (−3) +6

In the pattern in the table, you will notice that each product increases by 2 and so
becomes positive after reaching zero.
We conclude that the product of two negative numbers is positive.

Example 1 Example 2

Calculate (−5) × (−4). Calculate (−5) × 4.

Solution Solution
(−5) × (−4) = +20 (−5) × 4 = −20

30 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 30 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Note
The multiplication sign is not needed when brackets are used.
Note that (−5) × (−4) can be written as (−5)(−4).
The first bracket is often omitted and so −5(−4) also means (−5)(−4).
The second bracket can be omitted if the second number is positive.
(−5)3 means (−5)(3) = −15, but (−5)−3 means (−5) + (−3) = −8.

The following exercise offers practice in the multiplication, addition and subtraction
of integers.

Exercise 2.6

1. Evaluate each of the following without using a calculator:

a) (−2) × (−6) b) (−1) × (+12) c) 3(−5)
d) (−5) × 3 e) (−9)2 f) (−11)(−7)
g) 9 × (−3) h) 4(−4) i) (7)(−4)
j) −2(−3)(−5) k) (−2)(−3)(−4) l) −1(−2)(−3)3

The next exercise is a mixed exercise incorporating addition, subtraction and

multiplication.

Exercise 2.7

1. Evaluate each of the following without using a calculator:

a) (−6) × (−4) b) (−6) + (−4) c) (−6) − (−4)
d) (−6) × 4 e) (−6) + 4 f) (−6) − 4
g) 6 × (−4) h) 6 + (−4) i) 6 − (−4)
j) (−4)(−12) k) (−4) + (−12) l) (−4) − (−12)
m) 4 − (−12) n) 4 + (−12) o) (4)(−12)

2. Simplify:
a) −2(5) b) −3(5 −2) c) 5 − 2(−3)
d) (−5)(−5) × 3 e) (−5)(−5) × (−5) f) −5 + (−5) × (−2)

Term 1 Week 3 Chapter 2 Integers 31

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 31 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Division of integers
Division is the inverse operation of multiplication.
For example:
a) 2 × 6 = 12 ∴ __
​  12
6​=2

b) 2 × (−6) = −12 ∴ ​ ___

−12
−6
​ = +2
c) (−2) × (−6) = 12 ∴ ​ ___
12
−6
​ = −2

Note
The rules for the division of integers work in the same way as those for multiplication.
Rule 1: A positive integer divided by a negative integer gives a negative number.
A negative integer divided by a positive integer gives a negative number.
Rule 2: A negative integer divided by a negative integer gives a positive number.
A positive integer divided by a positive integer gives a positive number.

Example
Evaluate the following without using a calculator:
a) ​ __
12
−3
​ b) ​ ___
−12
3
​ c) ​ ___
−12
−3
​

Solution

a) __
​  −123 ​ = −4 b) ___
​  −312 ​ = −4 c) ___
​  −−12
3
​ = +4

Exercise 2.8

1. Determine each of the following without using a calculator:

−12 −24 −14
a) ​  ____ ​ b) ​  ____ ​ c) ​  ____ ​
4 −6 7
−15 −12 −25
d) ​  ____ ​ e) ​  ____ ​ f) ​  ____ ​
3 −4 5
−32 (−5)(−4) (−5) + (−4)
g) ​  ____ ​ h) ​  ________ ​ i) ​  ___________
   ​
−8 −10 −3

4 12 + 4 ​ (−3)(−6)
j) ​  _______ ​ k) ​  −
________ l) ​  ________ ​
−8 − 4 4 9

32 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 32 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Squares and cubes of integers

Repeated multiplication of the same number can be written as a power.

For example, 5 × 5 × 5 × 5 can be conveniently written as 54 and read as ‘5 to the
power of 4’.

Note
83 = 8 × 8 × 8 = 512 Note that 83 is read as ‘8 cubed’.
(−6)2 = (−6) × (−6) = 36 We say ‘negative 6 squared’.
−62 = −6 × 6 = −36 Note that only the six is squared.
(−6)3 = (−6) × (−6) × (−6) = 36 × (−6) = −216

Example 1 Example 2

Calculate −2(−3)2. Calculate −(−10)2 × (−2)3.

Solution Solution
−2(−3)2 −(−10)2 × (−2)3
= −2(9) = −100 × − 8
= −18 = 800

Example 3 Example 4

Calculate (−2)3 − (−4)3. Calculate −52 − 5.

Solution Solution
(−2)3 − (−4)3 −52 − 5
= −8 − (−64) = −25 − 5
= −8 + 64 = −30
= 56

Exercise 2.9

1. Calculate each of the following without using a calculator:

a) (−2)2 b) (−2)3 c) (−3)2
d) (−3)3 e) (−4)2 f) (−4)3
g) 32 + (−5)2 h) 62 + (−1)2 i) 42 + (−2)2
j) (−7)2 + (−3)2 k) (−1)2 + (−2)2 l) (−8)2 − (−10)2
m) 22 − 42 n) (−2)3 + 42 o) (−2)3 + (−4)3

Term 1 Week 3 Chapter 2 Integers 33

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 33 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Check your skills
Exercise 2.10

1. Determine the value of each of the following without using a calculator:

a) (−3)(2) b) (−7)(5) c) 15 − (−3)
d) (−12) + (−8) e) −22 − 15 f) −13 − (−19)
g) (−11) × 5 h) −6 − 15 i) 7 + (−17)
j) −10 − (−14) k) (−5)2 l) −8 + (−18)
m) (−9)(−5) n) 13 − (−6) o) −10 − (−15)
p) −10(−15) q) −10 − 15 r) 19 − 24
s) (−3)3 t) −92 u) (−9)2
(−2)(−3) −2(8) 3(−5)(−2)
v) ​ ________​ w) ​ _____​ x) ​ _________​
6 (−4) (−6)
(−3)(−4) (−3) + (−4)
y) ​ ________​ z) ​  ___________
   ​
(−2) (−7)

Extend your skills

Exercise 2.11

1. Evaluate each of the following without using a calculator:

a) 2(−4) + 12 − (−3) b) (−5)2 + 4(−3) − (−2)
c) −7 + (−2)(−7) − 5 d) 2(−8) + 16 + (−6)
e) (−3) − 4(−3) + (−2)
3 2
f) (9)(−3) − 6 − 10
g) −(−3) − 6 + (−1)(5) h) 2(8) − 4(3) + (−15)
i) (−1)3 − 2(−3)2 + (−2)(+2) j) (−7)(−4) − 12 + (−16)
k) −15 − 10 + (−2)(−25) l) −(−8) − (−9) + 9 − 3(9)
m) −3(−12 + 8) + 2(−4 − 5) n) −2(−10 + 6) − 2(−4 + 7)
o) −5 − 3(−3) p) (−5)(−3) − 3
q) (−5)(−3)3 r) −5(3) − 3 − 5
−12 − 4(−2) −2(4) − 4
s) ​  ___________
   ​ t)​  _________ ​ − 20
−2 −2 − 4
(−3) 3
−3(5 − 9)
u) ​ _____2 ​ v) ​  _________ ​
(−3) (−3 + 5)3
(−2) − 2(2)
3
−1(−3) − 5
w) ​  ___________
   ​ x) ​  __________
   ​
5(−2)
2 −4 − 4
y) −(−1)2 − (−2)3

34 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 34 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exponents 3
In this chapter you will learn about:
zz Perfect squares and perfect cubes
zz Square roots and cube roots
zz Operations with square roots and cube roots
zz Factors of perfect squares and perfect cubes
zz Scientific notation.

Perfect squares
You have already encountered numbers that are perfect
squares and some that are perfect cubes.
You will be expected to recognise some of the perfect
square and perfect cube numbers.
Note that we get a perfect square number when any
number is multiplied by itself.

For example:
a) When 3 is multiplied by itself, we get 3 × 3 = 9.
This is written as 32 = 9.
b) When 5 is multiplied by itself, we get 5 × 5 = 25.
This is written as 52 = 25.
52 = 25 is read as ‘5 to the power of 2 is equal to 25’,
or ‘5 squared is equal to 25’.
9 and 25 are examples of perfect squares.

Square roots
___
The square root of a number, say 49, written as √
​ 49 ​, is the number that must be
multiplied by itself to give 49.
___ __
​ 49 ​= √
72 = 49, so √ ​ 72 ​= 7
____ ____
​ 121 ​= √
112 = 121, so √ ​ 112 ​= 11
Squaring and square rooting are the inverse operations of one another.
The one reverses the other.

Term 1 Week 4 Chapter 3 Exponents 35

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 35 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Study the perfect squares and the square roots in the tables below:
Perfect squares Square roots
__ ______
12 = 1 × 1 = 1 √ ​ 1 × 1 ​= 1
​ 1 ​= √
__ ______
22 = 2 × 2 = 4 ​ 2 × 2 ​= 2
​ 4 ​= √
√
__ ______
32 = 3 × 3 = 9 ​ 3 × 3 ​= 3
​ 9 ​= √
√
___ ______
42 = 4 × 4 = 16 √ ​ 4 × 4 ​= 4
​ 16 ​= √
___ ______
52 = 5 × 5 = 25 √ ​ 5 × 5 ​= 5
​ 25 ​= √
___ ______
62 = 6 × 6 = 36 √ ​ 6 × 6 ​= 6
​ 36 ​= √
___ ______
72 = 7 × 7 = 49 √ ​ 7 × 7 ​= 7
​ 49 ​= √
___ ______
82 = 8 × 8 = 64 ​ 8 × 8 ​= 8
​ 64 ​= √
√
___ ______
92 = 9 × 9 = 81 √ ​ 9 × 9 ​= 9
​ 81 ​= √
____ ________
102 = 10 × 10 = 100 √ ​ 10 × 10 ​= 10
​ 100 ​= √
____ ________
112 = 11 × 11 = 121 √ ​ 11 × 11 ​= 11
​ 121 ​= √
____ ________
122 = 12 × 12 = 144 ​ 12 × 12 ​= 12
​ 144 ​= √
√
____ ________
132 = 13 × 13 = 169 √ ​ 13 × 13 ​= 13
​ 169 ​= √

Example 1 Example 2
___________ ___ ___
Simplify: √
​82
  + 102 + 5 ​ Simplify: √
​ 49 ​ × √
​ 64 ​ × 12

Solution Solution
___________ ___ ___
√
​8  2
+ 102 + 5 ​ ​√49 ​ × √
​ 64 ​ × 12
____________
=√​ 64
   + 100 + 5 ​ =7×8×1
____
= ​√169 ​ = 56

= 13

36 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 36 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Perfect cubes
We obtain a perfect cube when a number is multiplied by itself twice.

For example:
When 5 is multiplied by itself and again by itself, we get 5 × 5 × 5 = 125.
This is written as 53 = 125.
This is read as ‘5 to the power of 3 is equal to 125’, or ‘5 cubed is equal to 125’.

Cube roots
3 ____
The cube root of a number, say 125, written as ​√125 ​, is the number that must be
multiplied by itself twice to give 125.
3 ____ 3 __________ 3 __
53 = 125, so ​√125 ​= ​√5 × 5 × 5 ​= ​√53 ​= 5
3 ____ 3 __________ 3 __
63 = 216, so ​√216 ​= ​√6 × 6 × 6 ​= ​√63 ​= 6

Finding the cube root and cubing a number are the inverse operations of one
another. The one reverses the other.
Memorise the perfect cubes and the cube roots in the tables below.

Perfect cubes Cube roots

3 __ 3 __________
13 = 1 × 1 × 1 = 1 ​√1 ​= ​√1 × 1 × 1 ​= 1
3 __ 3 __________
23 = 2 × 2 × 2 = 8 ​√8 ​= ​√2 × 2 × 2 ​= 2
3 ___ 3 __________
33 = 3 × 3 × 3 = 27 ​√27 ​= ​√3 × 3 × 3 ​= 3
3 ___ 3 __________
43 = 4 × 4 × 4 = 64 ​√64 ​= ​√4 × 4 × 4 ​= 4
3 ____ 3 __________
53 = 5 × 5 × 5 = 125 ​√125 ​= ​√5 × 5 × 5 ​= 5
3 ____ 3 __________
63 = 6 × 6 × 6 = 216 ​√216 ​= ​√6 × 6 × 6 ​= 6
3 ______ 3 _____________
103 = 10 × 10 × 10 = 1 000 ​√1 000 ​= ​√10
   × 10 × 10 ​= 10

Note
___ ___
(i) √ ​  25
​ ___81
​√25 ​ 5
​ ​ = ____
​  ___ ​ = __
​ 81 ​ 9
√
​  ​
____ 3 __
3
√
(ii) ​ ____8
​  125 ​ ​ = _____
​√8 ​
​  25 ​
​  3 ____ ​ = __
​√125 ​
____ _____ ____
​ – 64 ​, √
Numbers such as √ ​ –100 ​and √
​ –36 ​are called non-real numbers.
No real number multiplied by itself will give a negative number.
3 ____
On the other hand, ​√– 64 ​= – 4 since (– 4) × (– 4) × (– 4) = – 64.
3 ___
Similarly, ​√– 8 ​= – 2 since (–2) × (–2) × (–2) = – 8.

Term 1 Week 4 Chapter 3 Exponents 37

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 37 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Operations with square roots and cube roots
When a number of different operations need to be done, the order of operations is:
Brackets; Of; Division and Multiplication; Addition and Subtraction.
This is commonly known as BODMAS.
Exponents come to the fore, so we now replace the rarely used ‘of’ by exponents:
Brackets; Exponents; Division and Multiplication; Addition and Subtraction.
This is commonly known as BEDMAS.
A square root or cube root sign also serves as a bracket, so what is added or subtracted
under the sign must be calculated before the square root or cube root is calculated.
For example:
______ 3 ______
(i) ​√16 + 9 ​ (ii) ​√9 – 36 ​
___ 3 ____
= ​√25 ​ = ​√–27 ​
___ __
= 5 (but ​√16 ​+ √
​ 9 ​= 4 + 3 = 7) = –3
When numbers are multiplied or divided under a square root or cube root sign, this
calculation may be carried out before the square root or cube root is calculated or the
calculation may be split up.
For example:
_______ __ ___ _______ ____
(i) ​√9 × 16 ​= √
​ 9 ​ × ​√16 ​= 3 × 4 = 12 or √
​ 9 × 16 ​= √
​ 144 ​= 12
___ ___

√
​  25
(ii) ​ ___81
​√25 ​ 5
​ ​ = ____
​  ___ ​ = __
​ 81 ​ 9
√
​  ​
____ 3 __
3
√
(iii) ​ ____8
​  125 ​ ​ = _____
​√8 ​
​  25 ​
​  3 ____ ​ = __
​√125 ​
Example 1 Example 2
Without using___a calculator, determine Without using_________
a calculator, determine
3 ____ 3 __
​ 64 ​+ ​√– 64 ​.
the value of √ ​ 144 + 25 ​+ 32 – ​√8 ​.
the value of √

Solution Solution Note that 144

___ 3 ____ _________ 3 __ and 25 are added
​√64 ​+ ​√–  64 ​ ​ 144 + 25 ​+ 32 – ​√8 ​
√ before finding the
____
= 8 + (–4) = ​√169 ​+ 9 – 2 square root.
=8–4 = 13 + 9 – 2
=4 = 20

38 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 38 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Example 3 Example 4
Without using___a calculator, determine Without using___a calculator, determine
3 ____ 3 __
​ 49 ​ × ​√–27 ​+ (4 + 1)2.
the value of √ the value of √
​ 7  ​– (​√8 ​) .
2 3

Solution Solution
___ 3 ____ ___ ___
​√49 ​ × ​√–27 ​+ (4 + 1)2 √
​ 72 ​= √
​ 49 ​= 7
___ The operations of squaring
3 __
= 7 × (–3) + 52 ​√72 ​– (​√8 ​)3 and finding the square root
‘reverse’ one another,
= –21 + 25  ote that 4 and
N =7–8 3 __
therefore (​√8 ​)3 = (2)3 = 8.
1 must be added
=4 before squaring. = –1 The operations of finding the
cube root and cubing also
‘reverse’ one another.

Exercise 3.1

1. State whether each of the following numbers is a perfect square, a perfect cube,
both or neither.
a) 100 b) 1 000 c) 80 d) –125
e) 169 f) 122 g) 64 h) – 49

2. Calculate without using a calculator:

___ 3 ___ ________ ___ ___
a) ​√25 ​+ ​√27 ​ b) ​√36 + 64 ​ c) ​√36 ​+ √
​ 64 ​
__________ ____ ____ 3 _____
d) √
​ 169 – 144 ​ e) ​√169 ​– √
​ 144 ​ f) ​√–125 ​
__ __ ____
___
g) √
​ 9 ​+ 33 h) (4)2 + √
​ 4 ​ i) ​√​√81 ​ ​
____________ __________ _______
j) ​ (10
√    + 2) × 3 ​ k) ​√10
   + 2 × 3 ​ l) ​√32 + 42 ​
_____ 3
____ ___
m) √
​ (11)2 ​ n) ​√(5)3 ​ o) (​√10 ​)2
3 ____ ______ 3 ____
p) (​√–17 ​)3 q) ​√(314)2 ​ r) (​√457 ​)3

3. Calculate without using a calculator:

__ 3 ___ ___________ ____ 3 ____
a) (​√7 ​)2 + (​√–8 ​)3 b) ​√81
   + 4 × 10 ​ c) ​√144 ​ ÷ ​√–64 ​
3
_____ _____ __________ 3 __________
d) ​√(22)3 ​– √
​ (15)2 ​ e) ​√ 5 × 3 + 72 ​ f) ​√23 – 2 × 8 ​
____ ____ ____ ____
3 3 125
√
​  121 ​ ​
g) ​ ____
16 √
​  125 ​ ​
h) ​ ____
8
i) √ ​  121
​ ____4
​ ​ + ​√ ____
​ 
8
​ ​
___ ____ ____
3 3 _____
j) √​ 6​ __14​ ​ √ 3
k) ​ –3​ __ ​ ​
8
l) (​√150 ​)2 ÷ ​√–125 ​
__________________
____ __ 3 ____ 3 ____ _________
m) √
​ 144 ​+ √
​ 4 ​ × 33 n) ​√ 32
   + ​√125 ​+ 2 × 11 ​ o) ​√216 ​+ √
​ 4 + 4 × 8 ​

Term 1 Week 4 Chapter 3 Exponents 39

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 39 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Factors of perfect squares and perfect cubes
Notice that the factors of:
perfect squares occur in pairs, for example 6 × 6 = 36
• 
perfect cubes occur in threes, for example 4 × 4 × 4 = 64.
• 

Using this fact we can determine the square and cube roots of fairly large numbers by
using prime factorisation.

Example 1
______
Find √
​ 1 764 ​by using prime factorisation.

Solution Note that one of each

of the pairs of factors
Finding the prime factors of 1 764 using of 1 764 is a factor of
the ‘ladder’ method: its square root.

1 764 = 2 × 2 × 3 × 3 × 7 × 7
1 764 = 22 × 32 × 72 2 1 764
2 882
______ ____________
​√1 764 ​ = √
​2 2
   × 32 × 72 ​ 3 441
___ ___ ___ 3 147
= ​√22 ​ × √
​ 32 ​ × √
​ 72 ​
______ 7 49
​√1 764 ​ = 2 × 3 × 7 7 7
= 42 1

Example 2
3 ______
Without using a calculator, determine ​√3 375 ​.

Solution
3 3 375
Finding the prime factors of 3 375 using the ‘ladder’ method:
3 1 125
3 375 = 3 × 3 × 3 × 5 × 5 × 5 = 33 × 53 3 375
3 ______ 3 _______ 3 ___ 3 ___ 5 125
​√3 375 ​ = ​√33 × 53 ​ = ​√33 ​ × ​√53 ​
3 ______
5 25
​√3 375 ​= 3 × 5 = 15 5 5
One of each lot of three factors is a factor of its cube root. 1

Note
Care must be taken with signs when evaluating exponents:
(–2)2 = (–2) × (–2) = +4
(–2)3 = (–2) × (–2) × (–2) = –8
(–2)4 = (–2) × (–2) × (–2) × (–2) = +16

40 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 40 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 A negative number raised to an even power gives a positive result.
A negative number raised to an odd power gives a negative result.
However, note the difference in the case below:
–22 = –1 × 22
= –1 × (2) × (2)
= –4

Exercise 3.2

1. Evaluate without using a calculator:

a) (–3)2 b) –52 c) (–2)3
d) (–2)4 e) –22 f) (–5)3
g) (–5)2 h) (–2)3 × (–2) i) (–1)2 × (–1)3

2. Evaluate by means of prime factorisation and without the use of a calculator:

____ 3 ______ ____
a) √
​ 625 ​ b) ​√2 744 ​ c) √
​ 225 ​
3 ______ ____
d) ​√9 261 ​ e) √
​ 900 ​

Exponential form
We will now move on to formally expressing numbers and variables in exponential form.
Before we do, let us just remind ourselves of notation used in algebra:
A constant is a number with a specific value, for example 12, 9 and 26.
A variable is an unspecified number that is represented by a letter of the alphabet,
for example a, k, p and x.

Notation
(i) A ‘ב (times) sign is rarely used in algebra.
7 × a is written as 7a.
8 × p × r is written as 8pr.
(ii) Coefficients are written first, followed by the variables, usually in alphabetical order.
For example, it is conventional to write 5 × b × d × a as 5abd.
(iii) If a variable is multiplied by 1, the 1 is not shown.
For example, 1p is written as p and k means 1k.
(iv) Powers are used to indicate repeated factors.
For example:
5 × 5 × 5 = 53
a × a × a × a = a4
k × k × k × k × k × k = k6

Term 1 Week 4 Chapter 3 Exponents 41

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 41 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 (v) A ‘÷‘ (division) sign is also rarely used in algebra:
c ​ and xy ÷ 2 = __xy
c ÷ 5 = ​ __
5
​ 2 ​.

exponent
base 3
5 or index power

You are used to 5 × 5 being written as 52.

Powers are used to express repeated factors in a concise way.
The exponent (or index) indicates the number of factors that are multiplied.
(i) 7 × 7 × 7 = 73 (ii) 3 × 3 × 3 × 3 × 3 = 35
(iii) 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 = 24 (iv) 5 × 5 × 5 = 53
(v) a × a × a = a3 (vi) y × y × y × y × y = y5
(vii) k × k × k × k = k4 (viii) x × x × x × x × x × x = x6

Multiplication of numbers with the same base

Study the following examples:
(i) 34 × 36 or 34 × 36
= (3 × 3 × 3 × 3) × (3 × 3 × 3 × 3 × 3 × 3) = 34 + 6
= 310 = 310
(ii) a4 × a2 or a4 × a2
= (a × a × a × a) × (a × a) = a4 + 2
= a6 = a6
In general, am × an = am + n.

Notations for multiplying powers: When multiplying

terms with the same
(i) m2 × m6 = m8 base, the base remains
the same and we just
(ii) a3.a7 = a10 add the exponents.

(iii) (x4)(x2) = x6
(iv) 23.25 = 28
Note that from here on in this chapter we will regard all bases as non-zero.
This is because division by zero is undefined.

42 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 42 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Example 1 Example 2

Simplify: m3 × m2 Simplify: a5 × a3 × a4

Solution Solution
m3 × m2 a5.a3.a4
= m3 + 2 = a5 + 3 + 4
= m5 = a12

Example 3 Example 4

Simplify: 2x6 × 3x4 Simplify: (–4y7)(2y5)

Solution Solution

2x6 × 3x4 (– 4y7)(2y5)

= 2 × 3 × x6 + 4 = – 4 × 2 × y7 + 5
= 6x10 = – 8y12

Order of operations:
(i) Multiply the coefficients. Redo the examples before
you do the exercise below.
(ii) Multiply the variables by adding the exponents
of terms with the same base.

Exercise 3.3

1. Simplify the following expressions (use exponential form where possible):

a) 7 × 7 × 7 × 7 × 7 × 7 b) 34 × 35
c) 28 × 24 d) a × a × a × a × a
e) b × b × b f) m × m × m × m
g) m2 × m4 h) a2 × a5
i) 4b × 7b j) 2y5 × (–5y6)
k) 3c5.6c3 l) (–6a5)(–2a4)
m) –5m7.4m5 n) f 5 × f 2 × f 3

2. Simplify the following expressions and write your answers in exponential form:
a) p8 × p2 × p3 b) x2 × x3 × x10
c) (–2a4) × (–8a3) × (–a2) d) 7x4 × (–2x5) × x3
e) 73.72 f) 52.56
g) 2 × 23 h) 2.33

Term 1 Week 4 Chapter 3 Exponents 43

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 43 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Multiplication with two or more variables

Example 5 Example 6

Simplify: 5p3r5 × 4p6 Simplify: 4a3b5 × 2a2b7

Solution Solution
5p3r5 × 4p6 4a3b5 × 2a2b7
= 5 × 4 × p3 + 6r5 = 4 × 2 × a3 + 2 × b5 + 7
= 20p9r5 = 8a5b12

Note that we:

1. Multiply the coefficients.
2. Add the exponents of the first variable.
3. Add the exponents of the next variable, and so forth.
4. Work neatly.

Exercise 3.4

1. Simplify the following expressions (use exponential form where possible):

a) a.a.k.k.k.k.k. b) m.m.m.p.p.p.p.
c) k × t × k × t
4 2 6 3
d) a3 × b4 × a2 × b3
e) k4 m2.k6m5 f) 7p3 × p2 × 2q4 × q8
g) 4k3p2 × k2p3 h) 7x3y2 × 3x4y5
i) (3k5n2)(–4k6n3) j) 4m2n3 × 5mn5

2. Simplify the following expressions and write your answers in exponential form
where possible:
a) (–2k2m)(–8k9m2) b) 2m2.n4p6.5n5p2
c) 6a3b2 × 2a4b8 × a2 d) 10x2y4.2xy6.xy
e) x6y3z2.x2z4y3(2x5z4) f) (–5a5b2).(–2a3b4c2) × (–3a2c7)

44 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 44 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Division of numbers with the same base
Example:
We simplify as follows:
3×3×3×3×3
​  332 ​ = ​ _______________ 3 ​= 35 – 2
5 5
__    ​ or ​ __
3×3 32
3×3×3×3×3
= ​ _______________
   ​
3×3
= 33

= 33

Example 7

Simplify: y8 ÷ y5

Solution

Method 1 Method 2
y8
y8 ÷ y5 = ​ __
y5
​ y8 ÷ y5 = y8 – 5
y×y×y×y×y×y×y×y
= ​ _______________________
    y  
×y×y×y×y ​ = y3
y×y×y×y×y×y×y×y
= ​ _______________________
    y  
×y×y×y×y ​

=y×y×y
= y3

Note
We can cancel in cases such as ________ ​ 5 × k × k ________
5×k
​ = ​  5 × k×k
5×k
​= k,

​  55 ​= 1 and _​ kk ​= 1, k ≠ 0.
since __
In general:
x ​= xm – n where m > n
m
​ __
xn
When dividing terms with the same base, we keep the base the same and subtract
the exponents.

Example 8 Example 9
​ 25a2 ​.
5
Simplify the expression ____ 14y6
5a Simplify the expression ____
​  3 ​.
2y
Solution Solution
25a 5
​ ____ ​ 14y6
5a ​ ____
2
​
2y 3
= (25 ÷ 5) × a5 – 2
​  14 ​y6 – 3
= ___
= 5a3 2
= 7y3

Term 1 Week 4 Chapter 3 Exponents 45

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 45 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 3.5

1. Simplify and write your answer in exponential form:

510
​  75 ​ 212 ​
8
a) __ b) ​ ___ ​ c) ​ ___
7 5
3
24

y5 x ​
8
a9
d) ​ __3 ​ e) ​ __ f) ​ __
5​
y x
7
a
7y 14
​  5x2 ​ 3a20
8
g) ___ h) ​ ____ ​ i) ​ ____ ​
x a15 y10

​  12a ​ –20m16 ​ –28k ​

7 15
j) ____ k) ​ ______ l) ​ ______
–2a 3
4m
12
–4k 10

Division involving more than one variable

Example 10 Example 11
p10r
​  15k4 m2 ​
6 10
Simplify: _______ Simplify: ___
​  3 ​
3k m pr
Solution Solution
​  15k4 m2 ​
6 10
_______ p10r
___
3k m ​  p3r ​
​  15 ​k6 – 4m10 – 2
= ___ = p7 × 1
3
= 5k2m8 = p7

Note
​  77 ​= 1 and ___
__ ​ 12
12
​= 1
Similarly, __ ​  aa ​= 1, a ≠ 0, and __ ​ xx ​= 1, x ≠ 0.
a2
​ xx5 ​= 1, x ≠ 0.
5
Also, ​ __ a2
​= 1, a ≠ 0, and __

Exercise 3.6

1. Simplify the following expressions:

m11n3 pr8 5
​  aa4bb2 ​
a) ___ b) ​ _____ c) ​ ___
9 7
​ p2r3
​
nm
2 6

3x y 8 10
18x y 6 3
12m7n12
d)​  _____
x6y3
​ e) ​ _____
9x4y
​ f) ​ ______
3m2n3
​
pqr 8 5 7
​  30a b abc
6 11
g) ______ h) ​ _____ ​ _____
8 5 12

4 5 ​
6a b pr5q3
​ i) a2bc9
​
35x y z
_______
9 6 10
6m n q 8 12 7
18p5q3t4
j) ​ 
5x y z
3 4 10​ k) ​ _______
2q3n9
​ l) ​ ______
3qp3t
​
32x y z 5 9 2
12a7c3d4 8k n p
4 2 9
m) ______
​  8zy6x3 ​ n) ​ _______
36cd4e
​ o) ​ _______
40k2n2p5
​
20p q s 7 5 8
45x y z 7 3
​  24a bc
9 3 5
p) _______
6a bc2
6 ​ q) ​ _______
100p6q6s
​ r) ______
​  5zy3x2 ​

46 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 46 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Raising a power to a further power
(i) (25)3 = 25 × 25 × 25 = 215
This could have been written as: (25)3 = 25 × 3 = 215
(ii) (x4)3 = x4 × x4 × x4 = x12
This could have been written as: (x4)3 = x4 × 3 = x12
In general, (am)n = am × n.
When raising a power to a further power, keep the base the same and multiply the
exponents.
A further extension of this law:
Consider the following example:
(24.52)3 = 24.52 × 24.52 × 24.52 = 212.56
This could have been written as: (24.52)3 = 24 × 3.52 × 3 = 212.56
Similarly:
(a5.b2)4 = a5.b2 × a5.b2 × a5.b2 × a5.b2 = a20b8
This could have been written as: (a5.b2)4 = a5 × 4.b2 × 4 = a20b8
m
​  ab ​  )​​ ​= __
In general, (ab)m = ambm, and similarly (​​ __ ​ abm ​.
m

Example 12 Example 13
Simplify: (x5)2 Simplify: (3k4)2

Solution Solution
(x5)2 (3k4)2
= x5 × 2 = 32k4 × 2
= x10 = 9k8

Example 14 Example 15

( __​ ab ​  )​​ ​ ( )
5 6 3
​  3x
3
Simplify: ​​ 4 Simplify: ​​ ___2y4
​  ​​ ​

Solution Solution

( ) ( )
5 6 3
​  ab4 ​  ​​ ​ ​  3x
3
​​ __ ​​ ___2y4
​  ​​ ​
a3 × 5
= ​ ____
b4 × 5
​ 3x 3 6×3
= ​ _____ ​
23y4 × 3
a 15
= ​ ___ ​ 27x
= ​ ____
18
b20
8y12
​

It is important to note that the coefficients must also be raised to the power outside the
brackets.

Term 1 Week 4 Chapter 3 Exponents 47

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 47 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 3.7

1. Simplify the following expressions:

a) (a4)6 b) (x6)3 c) (m7)4
d) (m5p2)4 e) (a7b3)3 f) (d6a3)4
g) (3a8)2 h) (2k5)3 i) (2a5b7)4
j) (5a5b7)4 k) (3x7y2)3 l) (11m4n10)2

( ) ( ) ( )
5 6 4 8 3
​  m
m) ​​ ___b 4 ​  ​​ ​ ​  xy2 ​  ​​ ​
n) ​​ __ ​  k25 ​  ​​ ​
o) ​​ __

( ) ( ) ​​( ___d )
4 5 3
3m6 a8
​  5c
7
p) ​​ ___
​  p4 ​  ​​ ​ q) ​​ ___
​  2b5 ​  ​​ ​ r) 8 ​  ​​ ​

The definition of a0, a ≠ 0

Thus far we have simplified expressions with the exponents being limited to the set of
natural numbers. We now need to develop the laws to include exponents in the set of
whole numbers.

The zero exponent law

Consider the following expressions:
a3
a) ​ __
a3
​  aa ×
​ = ________a×a
× a × a ​= 1
b4
b) ​ __
b4
​  bb × b×b×b
___________
​ =    ×b×b×b
​= 1
a m
Using the law ​ __
an ​= a
m–n
for the two expressions above, we get:
a3 b4
a) ​ __
a3
​ = a3 – 3 = a0 b) ​ __
b4
​ = b4 – 4 = b0
It would seem reasonable then, to define a0 = 1 where a ≠ 0 (00 is meaningless).
Thus any non-zero number raised to the power of zero gives an answer of 1.

Study the following examples, where all bases are non-zero:

a) k0 = 1 b) 70 = 1 c) (–5)0 = 1
d) 30 × 7 = 1 × 7 e) 70 + 3 = 1 + 3 f) 6m0 = 6 × 1
=7 =4 =6
g) (m – n)0 = 1, m ≠ n h) –50 = –1 × 50 i) (20 + 30)3 = (1 + 1)3
= –1 × 1 = 23
= –1 =8

Example 16 Example 17
Simplify: 20 + (3 + 2)0 Simplify: (74)0 + (–3)0

Solution Solution
20 + (3 + 2)0 (74)0 + (–3)0
=1+1 =1+1
=2 =2

48 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 48 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Example 18 Example 19

Simplify: –70 + 8 × (–7)0 Simplify: (a + b)0 + 3b0 – a0

Solution Solution

–70 + 8 × (–7)0 (a + b)0 + 3b0 – a0

= –1 × 70 + 8 × (–7)0 = 1 + 3 –1
= –1 × 1 + 8 × 1 =3
= –1 + 8
=7

Note: (–2)0 = 1, but –20 = –1 × 20

= –1 × 1
= –1

Exercise 3.8

1. Simplify the following expressions. Regard all bases as non-zero.

a) 2x0 b) –3m0
c) –70 d) (–7)0
e) 2x0 × 3y0 f) 5 × 70 + 30
( )
0
g) 20 + 32 + 5.40 h) 6.​​ _​  56 ​  ​​ ​
i) (–3)0 – 30 j) 5x0 + (5x)0
k) –70 + 2.30 + 4.20 + (–2)0 l) (32)0 + (30)2 + 5.20
Study the more complex examples below.

Example 20 Example 21
Simplify: (2p5q4r7)3 Simplify: m4 × (m5)3
Solution Solution
(2p5q4r7)3 m4 × (m5)3
= 23.p5 × 3.q4 × 3.r7 × 3 = m4 × m5 × 3
= 8p15q12r21 = m4.m15
= m4 + 15
= m19

Term 1 Week 4 Chapter 3 Exponents 49

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 49 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Example 22 Example 23
a4(2a5)3
Simplify: 4m2(2m5)3 Simplify: ______
​  24a12 ​

Solution Solution
4
a (2a )
______
5 3
4m2(2m5)3 ​ 
24a
​
12

= 4m2.23.m5 × 3
.2 .a
​  a 24a
4 3 15

= 4m2.8.m15 = ______ 12 ​

= 32m17 8.a 19
= ____
​  24a 12 ​

8.a 19 – 12
= ​ ______
24
​
a 7
= ​ __
3
​

Exercise 3.9

1. Simplify the following by using the laws of exponents:

a) x2(x5)3 b) t4(3t2)3 c) (y5)2(y4)4
(x ) 6 2 p5 × p2
d) 5a3(2a6)2 e) ​ ____
x4
​ f) ​  ______
p4
​
× 2k4 (q ) 7 4
g) ​  5k
6
_______ ​ h) ​ ____ ​ i) 2p6(2p7)4
k7 q10
a4p8(a6)2
j) (3a4b7)2 k) 5p4(p7)3 l) ​ _______
ap3
​
(x y )
2 3 4
2(f ) 2 3
20a (a )
3 4 5
m) _____
​  x5y10 ​ n) ​ ____
6f 4
​ o) ​ _______
4a7
​

( )
4 3
p) 10x5y3(3x4y5)3 ​  x2 ​  ​ ​
q) ​​ __ r) 2m3(2m3)4

Scientific notation
When dealing with very large numbers, it is useful to write these numbers in scientific
notation by using exponents. Scientific notation is a compact and concise way of writing
very large or very small numbers and is universally accepted.
It also makes operations on these numbers much easier.
Look at the following numbers:
1 hundred = 100 = 102
1 thousand = 1 000 = 103
10 thousand = 10 000 = 104
100 thousand = 100 000 = 105
1 000 thousand = 1 000 000 = 106 = 1 million

50 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 50 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Thus:
1 million = 1 000 000 = 106
1 billion = 1 thousand million = 103 × 106 = 109
1 trillion = 1 million million = 106 × 106 = 1012
One can see that writing numbers in exponential form simplifies these concepts a great
deal.

Note
There are two different systems for naming large numbers:
the American system and the British system.
In South Africa we use the American system:
1 million = 106
1 billion = 109
1 trillion = 1012

When we write any number in scientific notation, we write the number in two parts:
(i) F  irst: just the digits, with the decimal comma placed after the first digit (excluding
zero).
(ii) Followed by: ×10n, where n is the power that would put the decimal comma back
where it should be.

Note that if we multiply any number by:

(i) 10, we move the decimal comma one place to the right
(ii) 100, we move the decimal comma two places to the right
(iii) 1 000, we move the decimal comma three places to the right.

If we divide any number by:

(i) 10, we move the decimal comma one place to the left
(ii) 100, we move the decimal comma two places to the left
(iii) 1 000, we move the decimal comma three places to the left.

Term 1 Week 4 Chapter 3 Exponents 51

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 51 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Example 1
The following numbers are given in scientific notation. Write them in expanded form.
a) 6,346 × 102 b) 7,29 × 103 c) 4,9623 × 106

Solution

 ,346 × 102
a) 6
= 6,346 × 100
= 634,6 (moving the decimal comma two places to the right)
b) 7,29 × 103
= 7,29 × 1 000
= 7 290 (moving the decimal comma three places to the right)
 ,9623 × 106
c) 4
= 4,9623 × 1 000 000
= 4 962 300 (moving the decimal comma six places to the right)

Note
There is only one digit in front of the decimal comma when a number is written in scientific
notation. If we wish to write the number 39,7 in scientific notation, we write it as 3,97 × 10.
We now have just one digit in front of the decimal comma and when this is multiplied
by 10, the decimal comma is taken back to where it was originally.

Example 2 Example 3
Write in scientific notation: 438 Write in scientific notation: 5 739,4

Solution Solution
438 = 4,38 × 102 5 739,4 = 5,7394 × 103

To write 438 with only one digit in front To write 5 739,4 with only one digit in front
of the decimal comma, we have to move of the decimal comma, we have to move the
the decimal comma two places to the left. decimal comma three places to the left.
We are, in effect, dividing by 102. We are, in effect, dividing by 103.

Thus, in order to keep the value unchanged, Thus, in order to keep the value unchanged,
we multiply by 102. we multiply by 103.

Example 4 Example 5
Write in scientific notation: 384 trillion Write in scientific notation: 27 billion

Solution Solution
384 trillion = 384 × 1012 27 billion = 27 × 109
= 3,84 × 102 × 1012 = 2,7 × 10 × 109
= 3,84 × 1014 = 2,7 × 1010

52 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 52 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 3.10

1. Write these numbers, which are written in scientific notation, in expanded form:
a) 3,68 × 102 b) 4,57 × 104 c) 6,9823 × 103

2. Write the following numbers in expanded form:

a) 0,00628 × 109 b) 296,3 × 105 c) 23 million

3. Write in scientific notation:

a) 9 411 b) 56 billion c) 863 458 000
d) 921 trillion e) 12 million f) 672 540 000

4. Write the numbers that appear in the sentences below in scientific notation:
a) M
 ount Everest is approximately 88 400 m high.
b) T
 he distance of the moon from the earth is approximately 384 000 km.
c) The Great Wall of China is 8 851 800 m long.

d) T
 he earth picks up approximately 26 000 000 kg of dust from the sky each
day.
e) T
 he distance of the earth from the sun is approximately 150 million
kilometres.
f) The mass of the International Space Station is 390 908 kg.
g) It would take 3 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000
candles to give as much light as the sun.
h) The distance of the comet Hale-Bopp from the
sun is approximately 55 billion kilometres.

Term 1 Week 4 Chapter 3 Exponents 53

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 53 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Check your skills
Exercise 3.11

1. Find the value of the following expressions without using a calculator:

___ 3 __ ___ ________
a) √
​ 16 ​+ ​√8 ​ b) 24 + √
​ 49 ​ c) ​√36 + 64 ​
3 ___ ___ ___ 3 ______
d) ​√–8 ​+ √
​ 81 ​ e) (–2)2 + √
​ 25 ​ f) ​√8 + 19 ​
___
3 ___ __
g) 32 + 2 × ​√64 ​ h) ​√4 ​+ 42 i) ​√___
​  64
9
​ ​

2. Use prime factorisation to determine the following:

______ 3 ______
a) √
​ 1 225 ​ b) ​√3 375 ​

3. Simplify:
a) a7 × a2 b) m8 × m2 × m3 c) 2p6 × 5p3 × 4p2
18y 10
​  kk2 ​
d) __ x12
e) ​ ___ f) ​ ____
5

x4
​ 6y5
​
g) (3a4)(–2a3)(5a2) h) (–4b6)(–3b2)(–b) i) 6y4 × (–3y2) × (–y2)
10y
____
9
–12a8 –24y10
j) ​ 
–2y
​
3 k) ​ _____
4a4
​ l) ​ _____
–6y7
​

4. Without using a calculator, determine the value of:

a) 50 + (8 – 2)0 + 3.90 b) (–6)0 + 2.(9 + 4)0

5. Simplify:
a) 2a4b2 × 9a3b6 b) 4k3p6 × (–5k2p4) c) (–6x7y3)(–3x2y5)
–20x y 9 7
​  15m n –36t8v10
5 8
d) ______
3m3n4
​ e) ​ ______
12t6v5
​ f) ​ ______
–5x3y4
​

6. Simplify:
a) (a2b)4 b) (p4q6)5 c) (2a7)3
d) (5x6)2 e) (2y7)4 f) (3m5n2)3

( ) ( ) ( )
4 6 2 5
​  ab2 ​  ​​ ​ ​  a45 ​  ​​ ​ ​  a 2b ​  ​​ ​
2 3
g) ​​ __ h) ​​ __ i) ​​ ____

7. Write these numbers in scientific notation:

a) 265 934 b) 862 390 000 c) 4 676 831
d) 287,34 e) 60 800 000

8. Expand the following numbers:

a) 24 billion b) 6,782 × 106 c) 0,00746 × 108

54 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 54 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Numeric and
geometric patterns 4
In this chapter you will learn about:
zz Investigating and extending numeric and geometric patterns by looking for
relationships between numbers, including patterns represented:
zz in physical or diagram form
zz in tables
zz algebraically.
zz Describing and justifying the general rules for observed relationships between
numbers in own words or in algebraic language.

Revision of numeric and geometric patterns

Example 1

Write the next three numbers in the number pattern: −14; −21; −28; −35; −42; ...

Solution

−49; −56; −63

Exercise 4.1

1. Write down the next three numbers that fit the number patterns best:
a) 4; 8; 12; 16; 20; … b) 4; 9; 14; 19; 24; …
c) 22; 19; 16; 13; 10; … d) −2; −5; −8; −11; −14; …
e) 2; 6; 18; 54; 162; … 1 ;​ __
f) ​ __ ​  3 ​; __
​  2 ;​ __ ​  5 ​; …
​  4 ​; __
2 3 4 5 6
g) 1; 4; 9; 16; 25; … h) 2; 5; 10; 17; 26; …
i) 1; 8; 27; 64; 125; … j) 2; 9; 28; 65; 126; …

2. In the tables below, some of the output numbers have been filled in according
to a pattern. Study the patterns and then complete the tables.
a) Input number 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Output number –4 –1 2 5

b) Input number 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Output number –1 3 –9 27 – 81

Term 1 Week 6 Chapter 4 Numeric and geometric patterns 55

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 55 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 3. Complete the flow diagrams below:
a) b)

2 8 10 8
5 17 20 13
1
8 ×3 +2 30 × __
​  ​
2 +3
21 40
52 50

Describe the flow-diagrams in a) and b) in words.

4. Study the sequence of pictures made with toothpicks:

Picture 1 Picture 2 Picture 3

a) Draw the next picture.
b) Write down the number of toothpicks used in pictures 1, 2 and 3.
c) Write down how many toothpicks are needed to create each of the next
three pictures.
d) How many toothpicks are needed to create picture 9?
e) Explain in your own words how you will decide how many toothpicks are
needed for any picture in the sequence.

5. Patterns are made of squares, as shown below:

Pattern 1 Pattern 2 Pattern 3 Pattern 4

a) Represent the pattern above in the table:
Pattern 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Number of squares

b) Explain in words how you would find the number of squares in pattern 17.
c) Which pattern will have 85 squares?

56 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 56 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Note
zz When we consider a given sequence of numbers, patterns or figures, we want to
find a way of continuing with the sequence.
zz The elements of a sequence are referred to as terms of the sequence.
zz To find the next term in a sequence we can use the previous term.
However, this method may be tedious and time-consuming and it may take forever
to find all the possible terms.

A helpful method is to consider how the output

values change as we change the input values and vice
versa. This may help us to find a formula connecting
the input and output values. This will then enable us
to find any term in the sequence.

Example 1
Consider the sequence of figures created with matches.

Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4

a) Use the table below to find the number of matches in figures 5 and 6.
Figure number (input number) 1 2 3 4 5 6
Number of matches (output number) 3 5 7 9

b) How many matches are needed for figure 200?

c) Find the number of matches needed for figure n.
Solution

a) To find the number of matches in the next term, we add 2 to the previous term:
Figure 5: 9 + 2 =11
Figure 6: 11 + 2 = 13
b) Figure 200 can also be referred to as the 200th term.
If we want to find the 200th term the way we found terms 5 and 6, it would take
very long. So we look for a relationship between the input and output values. The
relationship between the input and output values is illustrated in the table below.
Figure number 1 2 3 4 5 6
... 200
(input number)
Number of matches
3 5 7 9 11 13
(output number)
Relationship 1×2+1 2×2+1 3×2+1 4×2+1 5×2+1 6×2+1

Term 1 Week 6 Chapter 4 Numeric and geometric patterns 57

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 57 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Use this method to find the number of matches in figure 200: 200 × 2 + 1= 401
c) So if we want to find the number of matches in any figure (say, figure n), the rule
we would use is:
Figure n has n × 2 + 1 matches.
Remember the
We can express this as 2 × n + 1 since 2 × n is equal to n × 2. commutative law.

But 2 × n can be written as 2n.

So figure n has 2n + 1 matches.
If we express this rule as 2n + 1, we say that we have expressed the rule
algebraically.

Exercise 4.2

1. Write down the next three terms of the numeric patterns:

a) 2; 7; 12; 17; 22; … b) 43; 36; 29; 22; 15; …
c) 1; 5; 25; 125; 625; … d) –23; –19; –15; –11; –7; …
e) 2; 3; 5; 8; 12; … f) 2; 5; 9; 14; …
g) 3; 4; 7; 12; 19; … 1 ​; – 3; –5​  __
h) 2; – ​  __ 1 ​; – 8; …
2 2
i) 2; 9; 20; 35; 54; … j) –1; 3; – 9; 27; –81; …
k) 16; 8; 4; 2; 1; … l) 243; 81; 27; 9; 3; …
3 __
m) – 4 096; 1 024; –256; 64; –16; … 1 ​; ​  __
n) ​  __ 4
;​ ​  5 ​; ​  __ 9
7 ;​ ​  ___ ;​ …
2 6 8 10
4 ​; ​  __ 10
7 ;​ ​  ___ 13 5 __
1 ;​ 1; ​  __
o) ​  __ ​; ​  ___ ​; … p) ​ __ ​; ​  7 ;​ 3; …
3 5 7 9 3 3 3
2. Thandi uses toothpicks to build patterns in the following way:

Pattern 1 Pattern 2 Pattern 3

a) Write down the number of toothpicks used in patterns 1, 2 and 3.
b) Draw pattern 4 and state how many toothpicks it has.
c) How many toothpicks will pattern 12 have?
d) Explain in words how you arrived at your answer in c).

58 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 58 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 e) How many toothpicks will pattern 21 have?
f) Explain in words how you arrived at your answer in e).
g) W
 rite down a formula that will help you to find the number of toothpicks
in pattern n.

3. In each of the flow diagrams below:

(i) Copy and complete the flow diagram.
(ii) Describe the flow diagram in words.
(iii) If the input value of the flow diagram is x, write an algebraic expression
for the output value of the flow diagram in terms of x.
a) b)

–3 12 1 14
–1 4 3 24
13 square +3 10 +2 ×5 –1
21 27
30 35

4. Complete the tables below:

a) Input value 1 2 3 4 5 …. 13 …. 29 …. 58
Output value –2 –4 –6 –8

b)
Input value 1 2 3 4 5 …. 10 …. 20 …. 30
Output value –2 –4 –8 – 16

5. In the table below, the input values are represented by x and the output values by
y.
a) Complete the table.
Input value (x) 1 2 3 4 5 7 10 12 15 54
Output value (y) 7 9 11 13

b) Describe in words the rule you used to complete the table.

c) Design a flow diagram that will represent the data given in the table.
d) Represent the table or flow diagram algebraically.

Term 1 Week 6 Chapter 4 Numeric and geometric patterns 59

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 59 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Check your skills
Exercise 4.3

1. Balls are arranged as shown in the diagram below:

Pattern 1 Pattern 2 Pattern 3 Pattern 4

a) Write down a rule to calculate the number of balls in any arrangement.

b) How can you convince others that your rule is correct?
c) Which arrangement has 225 balls?
d) Explain how you found the answer in c).

2. Dots are arranged in the form of triangles. The triangles are labelled
Triangle 1, Triangle 2, Triangle 3, Triangle 4, and so forth.
The pattern of triangles below represents the triangular numbers.

Triangle 1 Triangle 2 Triangle 3 Triangle 4

a) Draw triangle 5 and state how many dots it contains.

b) C
 onstruct a table that gives the triangle number and the number of dots in
each triangle.
c) Explain how you would calculate the number of dots in triangle 100.
d) How would you convince a friend that your explanation in c) is correct?

60 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 60 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Extend your skills
Exercise 4.4

1. Mosaic patterns are made with blue and white tiles.

Pattern 1 Pattern 2 Pattern 3

a) How many blue tiles are needed in pattern 4?
b) How many white tiles are needed in pattern 4?
c) How many tiles in total are needed in pattern 5?
d) Write down a sequence of numbers that will give the number of blue tiles in
each pattern.
e) Write down a sequence of 5 numbers that will give the number of white
tiles in each pattern.
f) Write down a sequence of 5 numbers that will give the total number of tiles
in each pattern.
g) Describe a formula (in words) that will give the number of blue tiles in any
pattern.
h) Write down a formula using the letter ‘n’ that will give the number of white
tiles in any pattern.
i) Write down an algebraic expression that will give the total number of tiles
in any pattern.
j) Do you notice a relationship between the number of blue tiles and the
number of white tiles in each pattern? Explain.
2. Mandla measured the number of litres of water in a huge tank every minute
for 5 minutes.
Minutes 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Water in tank
10 16 22 28 34 40 ? ? ? ? ?
(after each minute)
a) If Mandla continued to measure the water in the tank for another
5 minutes, copy and complete the table.
b) How much water will be in the tank after 20 minutes?
c) How long (in minutes) will it take the water level to rise to 100 litres?
d) Describe a formula (in words) that will predict the amount of water in the
tank after x minutes.
e) Write an algebraic rule for the amount of water in the tank after x minutes.

Term 1 Week 6 Chapter 4 Numeric and geometric patterns 61

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 61 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 5 Functions and
relationships 1
In this chapter you will learn about:
zz Determining input values, output values or rules for patterns and relationships using:
−− flow diagrams - variables
−− formulae - equations.
zz Determining, interpreting and justifying equivalence of different descriptions of the
same relationship or rule presented
−− verbally - in flow diagrams
−− in tables - by formulae
−− by equations.

Input values, output values and rules

Functional relationships focus on the relationship between input and output values. In
the previous chapter we used words, flow diagrams, tables, symbols and diagrams to
represent this relationship.

Flow diagram Input x3 +2 Output

Table Input values Output values

–1 –1
0 2
1 5
2 8

Symbols 3x + 2
Words (verbally) Multiply the input value by 3 and add 2.

Note
We also refer to the relationship between the input and output values as the ‘rule’ of the
relationship. The ‘rule’ is also referred to as the ‘mathematical rule’, ‘algebraic rule’ or
formula.

If the input value is represented by x and the output value is represented by y, we can say
that in the relationship above the rule is y = 3x + 2.

62 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 62 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Example 1
Consider the table of input and output values below.
Input number (x) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 102
Output number (y) 5 9 13 17

a) Complete the table.

b) Write down a rule in words that represents the relationship between the
input and output values.
c) Write down a formula in terms of x and y that represents the relationship
between the input and output values.
d) Represent the table by means of a flow diagram.
e) Determine y if x = –7.
f) Determine x if y = 53.
Solution

a) Input number (x) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 102

Output number (y) 5 9 13 17 21 25 29 409

b) To calculate the y value, you multiply the input value by 4 and then add 1.
c) y = 4x + 1
d)

x x4 +1 y

e) If x = –7, it means that we substitute –7 for x in the formula.

y = 4x + 1
y = 4(–7) + 1
In order to calculate y, we have
y = –28 + 1 to reverse the process of the
rule or formula, so we first
y = –27 subtract 1 and then divide by 4.
The reverse process of addition
f) If y = 53, it means that is subtraction.
The reverse process of
we substitute 53 for y multiplication is division.

in the formula.
53 = 4x + 1
53 – 1 = 4x
52 = 4x
x = 13

Term 1 Week 7 Chapter 5 Functions and relationships 1 63

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 63 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 5.1

1. For each of the following:

(i) Write down the next three numbers of the number pattern.
(ii) Write down a rule in words that you can use to extend the pattern.
a) 25; 21; 17; 13; 9; … b) –7; –5; –3; –1; 1; …
c) 1; 3; 9; 27; 81; … d) 1; –2; 4; – 8; 16; …
e) 1,5; 1,6; 1,7; 1,8; 1,9; … f) 8 864; 4 432; 2 216; 1 108; 554; …

2. A rule describes the relationship between two numbers, x and y, as y = 3x – 5.

a) Calculate y if x is equal to:
(i) –3 (ii) –2 (iii) –1 (iv) 0 (v) 1
b) Represent the relationship between x and y by means of a flow diagram.

3. For each of the tables below:

(i) Complete the table.
(ii) W
 rite down a rule in words that represents the relationship between the
input and output values.
(iii) Write down an algebraic rule that represents the relationship between the
input and output values.
a) Input number (x) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 97
Output number (y) –4 –3 –2 –1

b) Input number (x) –100 – 76 – 54 – 26

Output number (y) – 50 – 38 – 27 – 26 16

c) Input number (x) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 17

Output number (y) 1 8 27 64 2 197 8 000

4. The picture alongside depicts a washing line.

Each item of clothing is hung from two pegs
and two adjacent pieces of clothing share one peg.

a) Complete the table below.

Number of items of clothing (c) 1 2 3 4 5 11 50 n
Number of pegs (p) 2 3 70

b) Describe the relationship between the number of items of clothing

hanging (c) and the number of pegs (p) in words.
c) Write down a formula to represent the relationship between c and p.

64 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 64 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 5. Analyse the pattern of diagrams below, which were created with matches:

Diagram 1 Diagram 2 Diagram 3

a) Draw the next two diagrams in the pattern above.

b) Represent the pattern by means of a table.
c) Find a mathematical rule to represent the pattern.

6. Patterns are made in such a way that lines and dots are joined. As shown below,
pattern 1 consists of 4 dots and 5 lines and pattern 2 consists of 6 dots and
9 lines. Let the number of lines in the patterns be l and let d be the number of
dots required to build the patterns.

a) Complete the table below.

Pattern number (p) 1 2 3 4 20 …. 63 p
Number of dots (d) 4
Number of lines (l) 5

b) What is the mathematical relationship between p and d?

c) What is the mathematical relationship between p and l?

Relationships between numbers and mathematical rules

Example 1
The relationship between two numbers, x and y, is given by the mathematical rule
y = x2 + 1.
a) Represent the relationship between x and y by means of a flow diagram.
b) Calculate y if x is equal to: (i) 3 1
(ii) __
4
Solution
a)

x x2 +1 y

b) (i) y = x2 + 1 (ii) y = x2 + 1
y = (3)2 + 1 1 )2 + 1
y = (__
4
y = 10 y= 1
___ +1
16
1 or ___
y = 1___ 17
16 16
Term 1 Week 7 Chapter 5 Functions and relationships 1 65

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 65 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 It is helpful to think of a mathematical rule or formula as some type of number machine.
For example, given the formula y = 2x – 1, when we put a number (the input value) into the
number machine it doubles the number and then subtracts 1 to give the output value.

x y = 2x – 1
1 1
2 3 Any ordered list of numbers
3 5 such as 1; 3; 5; 7; … is called
a sequence.
4 7
.... ....
.... ....

Exercise 5.2

1. Complete the tables below according to the rule given in each case:
a) y = 4x – 2
x –5 –2 13 29 57 m
y

b) y = 7 – 2x
x –5 –2 13 29 57 n
y

2. a) Complete the flow diagram below.

Input numbers (x) Output numbers (y)

? 9
? 17
? ×2 +3 53
? 79
? 115

b) Describe, in words, the rule you used to complete the flow diagram.
c) If the input number is x and the output number is y, write down a rule you
can use to calculate x when y is known.

3. In the tables below, output values were obtained for given input values.
Determine the rule that was used to obtain the output values from the given
input values.
a) Input values (x) 0 1 2 3 4
Output values (y) –1 2 5 8 11

66 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 66 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 b) Input values (x) 5 6 7 8 9
Output values (y) 17 21 25 29 33

c) Input values (x) 5 6 7 8 9

Output values (y) 10 13 16 19 22

d) Input values (x) 0 1 2 3 4

Output values (y) –1 1 3 5 7

4. The perimeter of any rectangle with length l cm and breadth b cm can be

calculated with a formula that can be expressed in different ways.
l
• Perimeter = l + b + l + b
• Perimeter = 2l + 2b b b

• Perimeter = 2(l + b)
l

a) Determine the perimeter of a rectangular artwork with breadth 19 cm and

length 34 cm by using each of the above formulae.
b) Determine the length of a rectangle if the perimeter is 328 cm and the
breadth is 62 cm.

5. a) C
 omplete the table below by substituting each of the given x values into the
algebraic expression on the left-hand side.

x −7 −4 −1 0 3
(i) (5x + 4) + (4x + 3)

(ii) (6 + 9x) + 1

(iii) 6 + 9 + x +1

(iv) 3x + 5 + 2 + 6x

(v) 9+x+7

(vi) 9x + 7

b) Which of the expressions are equivalent?

c) Which of the expressions is the shortest expression for 3x + 5 + 2 + 6x?

Term 1 Week 7 Chapter 5 Functions and relationships 1 67

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 67 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Check your skills
Exercise 5.3

1. For each of the following:

a) 4; 11; 18; 25; … b) 100; 95; 90; 85; …
c) –17; –13; –9; –5; … d) 10; 20; 40; 80; ...
(i) Extend the pattern by at least three numbers.
(ii) Describe the pattern in words.
(iii) Write down a formula for the pattern.

2. Consider the table of input and output values below.

Input numbers (x) 1 2 3 4 5 10 17 46 102
Output numbers (y) 1 3 5 7

a) Complete the table.

b) Write down a rule in words that represents the relationship between the
input and output values.
c) Write down an algebraic equation in terms of x and y that represents the
relationship between the input and output values.
d) Represent the table by means of a flow diagram.
e) Determine y if x = – 4.
f) Determine x if y = 67.

3. A tiling pattern is created by completely surrounding a blue tile with white tiles:

Pattern 1 Pattern 2 Pattern 3

a) How many white tiles are needed to surround one blue tile in pattern 1?
b) How many white tiles are needed to surround two blue tiles in pattern 2?
c) Calculate the number of white tiles needed for pattern 4.
d) Write down the sequence that represents the number of white tiles in each
pattern.
e) Write down the next three terms of the sequence in d).
f) Write down a formula that represents the sequence in d).
g) Represent the number of white tiles and the number of blue tiles in the
pattern by means of a table.

68 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 68 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Algebraic
expressions 1 6
In this chapter you will learn about:
zz Investigating, developing and using the language that is used to communicate in
mathematics
zz Generalising the arithmetic that you already know by using symbols and letters to
represent numbers of unknown quantity
zz Mathematical sentences representing the relationships between quantities
zz Efficient algebraic manipulative skills to create simpler equivalent expressions when
calculating and solving problems.

Exercise 6.1

1. One compact disc (CD) costs R150.

a) How much will 2 CDs cost?
b) How much will 4 CDs cost?
c) How much will 7 CDs cost?
d) How much will y CDs cost?
e) How many CDs can you buy for R300?
f) How many CDs can you buy for R900?
g) How many CDs can you buy for Rx?

2. What change (in cents) is given if an item that costs 75 cents is paid for with:
a) 90 cents b) R5
c) y cents d) Rx
e) Rx and y cents

3. The sides of the shape below all have a length of p units.

What is the perimeter of the shape in terms of p?

Term 1 Week 8 Chapter 6 Algebraic expressions 1 69

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 69 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 4. Fill in the missing values on the number machine below.
5
5×x 10
1,5

5. Simplify:
a) x + x + x
b) 2y – y
c) x + x + x + 2y – y
d) x + 5x + 2x
e) 4(2x)

6. The sum of Olwethu and Nolita’s ages is 20 years.

a) If Olwethu is 11 years old, how old is Nolita?
b) If Olwethu is 7 years old, how old is Nolita?
c) If Olwethu is x years old, how old is Nolita?

7. Loyiso is x years old.

a) How old was he last year?
b) How old will he be in 5 years’ time?
c) How old was he y years ago?
d) How old will he be in z years’ time?
e) How old is someone who is double his age?

8. Complete the rule y = ________ for the set of numbers below.

x 1 2 3
y 5 8 11

9. The price of a pen is R9,75 and a pencil costs R3,25.

a) What is the total cost if you buy a pen and a pencil?
b) What will it cost to buy 3 pens and 4 pencils?
c) Write down the total cost when you buy x pens and y pencils.
d) If you spend R68,25 on pens, how many pens did you buy?
e) If you spend Rz on pencils, how many pencils did you buy?
f) I f you spend a total of R65 on pens and pencils, write down the possible
combinations of the number of pens and pencils that you could have
bought.

70 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 70 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 10. Complete the following: If a journey is
travelled at a speed of 100 kilometres per
hour, the distance travelled in
a) 1 hour is …
b) 5 hours is …
c) x hours is … .

11. Tozi has R100 in her purse. She pays Rx for her cheese burger and Ry for a
chocolate milkshake. Give her an expression in terms of x and y to help her
calculate the change she will have in her purse once she pays for her lunch.

12. 3 can be added to x to give x + 3. Add 3 to each of the following:

a) 10
b) x + 2
c) 2x
d) 1 – x

Rewriting problems in symbols – the need for algebra

Exercise 6.2

1. a) Think of a number.
Add 7. Double your answer. Subtract 4. Divide by 2.
Subtract the number you started with.
b) Write down the answer you get.
2. a) Compare your answer with those of a few friends.
b) Does anyone get an answer that differs from yours?

At the end of the chapter, you should be able to use algebra to explain the solution.

Variables and operations

We use variables to generalise a pattern or to find the solution to a mathematical

problem. A variable or unknown is represented by a letter. The four basic operations
used in arithmetic are also used in algebra. We will study the basic operations, the
language and rules of algebra and the use of variables in this chapter.

Term 1 Week 8 Chapter 6 Algebraic expressions 1 71

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 71 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Consider the table below.

Process Arithmetic expression

The sum of five and four 5+4
The difference between five and four 5–4
The product of five and four 5×4
The quotient when five is divided by four 5÷4

Using variables, the table above could be rewritten as follows, where x represents any
number.

Process – let x represent a number Arithmetic expression

The sum of five and a number 5+x

The difference between five and a number 5–x
The product of five and a number 5×x
The quotient when five is divided by a number ​ 5x ​
5 ÷ x or __

Notes
Since algebra has been developed to generalise numeric patterns, all the conventions
we use for numbers also apply when we use letters.
1. When dividing numbers, we know that we cannot divide by zero as this would be
meaningless. 5 ÷ 1 = 5, but 5 ÷ 0 is meaningless or undefined. In the same way,
the x in ​ _5x ​cannot be equal to 0. This is why you will often see a restriction with an
algebraic expression involving division.
2. 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 can be simplified by writing 5 × 4.
x + x + x + x + x can be simplified by writing 5 × x.
These products can be further simplified by writing 5 × 4 as 5.4 by using a dot as a
multiplication sign, and 5 × x = 5.x.
When writing algebraic expressions, the dot may also be omitted to give 5x.
3. Examples:
6 × y = 6y
7 × a × b = 7ab
x × y = xy
Why may the dot not be omitted in 5.4?
4. By convention we write the constant before the variable when the two are multiplied
and we place the variables in alphabetical order if there is more than one variable.
Examples:
6 × a = 6a rather than a6
a × b = ab rather than ba
5. Just as we would write a four as 4 rather than 1 × 4, if the constant before the
variable is 1, such as in 1x, the 1 is usually omitted. Thus we write x instead of 1x.

72 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 72 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Example 1 Example 2
Let ‘a number’ be the variable x and Let ‘a number’ be the variable x and
then write down an expression to then write down an expression to
represent represent
the following phrase: the following phrase:
7 more than a number A quarter of a number

Solution Solution

x+7 _ ​ x ​
​  14 ​x or __
4

Exercise 6.3

In each of the following, let ‘a number’ be the variable x and then write down an
expression to represent the phrase.
1. the sum of a number and 5 2. the difference between 12 and a number
3. multiply a number by 6 4. the product of 3 and a number
5. three times as many as a number 6. double a number
7. half a number 8. triple a number
9. one more than a number 10. 3 less than a number
11. multiply a number by 5 12. divide a number by 2
13. square a number 14. square root of a number
15. subtract a number from 8 16. add a number and 4
17. 3 greater than a number 18. 7 less than a number

When dealing with more than one operation, the conversion of an expression into
algebraic language can get quite tricky. You need to read the question carefully and
interpret the order in which the operations occur.

Example 3

5 more than the product of 7 and x would be 7x + 5. However, the product of 5 more
than x and 7 is 7 × (x + 5).

Term 1 Week 8 Chapter 6 Algebraic expressions 1 73

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 73 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 6.4

1. Convert the phrases below into algebraic language:

a) twice the difference between z and 8
b) the product of 5 and p is decreased by 10
c) three times the square root of d
d) the quotient when the difference between k and 2 is divided by 4
e) t multiplied by 5 and increased by 2
f) y is increased by 2 and this sum is multiplied by 6
g) the square of the sum of f and 5
h) the product of x and y decreased by 20
i) double the difference between 7 and g
j) the quotient when x is divided by 3 and then increased by the product of
9 and x2

Algebraic expressions – multiplication

Although we study multiplication of algebraic terms in more detail in Chapter 9, we
shall now look at the conventions used to simplify expressions.
Note the order of operations and adhere to all previous rules regarding brackets.

Example 1 Example 2 Example 3

Simplify: x × (–1) Simplify: b × (–5) Simplify: 5 × 2 × y

Solution Solution Solution

x × (–1) = –x b × (–5) = –5b 5 × 2 × y = 10y

Example 4 Example 5

Simplify: c × 2b × (–3a) Simplify: (5 – 3) × r × p

Solution Solution
c × 2b × (–3a) (5 – 3) × r × p
= –6abc = 2pr
Multiplication can be done in any In this example, note that
order and so this although multiplication is done
expression could be written as before addition, brackets are
2 × (–3) × a × b × c = –6abc done before multiplication and
(written in its most concise form). therefore (5 – 3) is done first.

74 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 74 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Example 6
A man is x years old and his wife is y years old.
Write down an expression for the sum of their ages in 10 years’ time.

Solution
In 10 years’ time, the man will be (x + 10) years old.
In 10 years’ time, his wife will be (y + 10) years old.
Their combined ages in 10 years’ time will be:
x + 10 + y + 10 = (x + y + 20) years old.

Exercise 6.5

1. Simplify:
a) 3 × a b) 5 × b c) c × 4
d) x × y e) –1 × x f) x × 0
g) d × b h) a × b × c i) –2 × 3a × –5b
j) –3 × 4 × y k) 2 × 3 × x × y l) 2×x×y×3
m) c × d × 2 × 2 n) x × 0 × y o) x × y × 2 × 0
p) 3 × 2 × 4 × p q) (3 + 2) × a r) b × (4 + 3)

2. Simplify:
a) p × q × (2 + 5) b) a × (3 + 1) × b c) c × d × a × b
d) x × 2 × y × 5 e) ab × cd f) xyz × w
g) –2 × (–3) × x h) –3 × x × (–4) i) –x × (–ym)
j) 1×p×q×r k) 2a × 3b × 4c l) –q × p × (2 + 3)

Exercise 6.6

1. Lerato is p years old. Her sister is twice her age.

a) How old is her sister?
b) How old will Lerato be in 10 years?
c) How old was her sister 3 years ago?
d) What will their combined ages be in q years’ time?

2. Nigella sells a cupcake that cost her x cents

at a profit for y cents. What is her profit?

3. What is the next natural number after the natural number t?

Term 1 Week 8 Chapter 6 Algebraic expressions 1 75

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 75 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 4. What is the sum of three consecutive natural numbers, t being the smallest?

5. Write down an expression for:

a) any even number
b) any odd number.
c) Use any three values for the variable to check your answers.

6. If the length of a swimming pool is q metres

and the breadth is n metres, what is:
a) the area of the pool
b) the perimeter of the pool?

7. A ticket to the movies costs Rx and popcorn

costs Ry.
a) How much money does Mpho need to treat herself and three friends to
a movie and popcorn?
b) How much change can she expect from Rz?
c) R
 ina, one of the three friends, refuses the popcorn.
How much can Mpho expect to pay now?

8. Nicholas notices that there are x people present at the school assembly.
Of these, y are male teachers.
Double the number of male teachers plus 15 are female staff.
How many learners were present at the assembly, expressed in terms of x and y?

9. In your wallet you have p R5 coins, the number of R2 coins is double the
number of R5 coins, and you have q 50c pieces and r 20c pieces.
Write down an expression for the amount of money in your wallet.

10. What is the average speed of a cyclist (in km/h)

if he covers p km in q hours and r minutes?

76 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 76 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Expressions and terms
4 + 3 is a numerical expression.
Expressions containing one or more variables, such as x + 3, x + y or 3 × y, are called
algebraic expressions. While the number expression 4 + 3 can be replaced by the
number 7, an algebraic expression such as x + 3 does not usually represent a particular
number, but rather indicates a set of numbers depending on the value that may be chosen
to replace x.
An algebraic expression has no equality or inequality sign.
In arithmetic, the numerical expression 4 + 3 consists of two numerals and in algebra,
the algebraic expression x + 3 consists of two terms, x being the first term and 3 being
the second.
A term is a combination of numbers and variables involving multiplication or division.
The number 12 could be written as 4 × 3, a product of two of its factors.
Algebraic terms can also be written as products of their factors.
Just like 12 could be written as __
​ 24
2
​, algebraic terms can also involve division.

Note Note
8a is a term consisting of two factors, x + 5 is also an expression consisting
8 and a: 8a = 8 × a of two terms. However, (x + 5) is
y is a term: y=y×1 considered to be one term since the
brackets group the separate terms to
3 is a term: 3=3×1 make them one term.
__
​  3k ​is a term
(it involves multiplication
2 2(x + 5) is one term because it involves
and division: 3 × k ÷ 2) the multiplication of two factors, namely
8a – 2b is an expression consisting of two 2 and (x + 5).
terms, namely 8a and –2b.

Example 1 Example 2
How many terms in the expression Consider the expression ____
​ a +2 b ​.
(a + b) + (2a + 2b)? How many terms are there in this
expression?
Solution
(a + b) + (2a + 2b) consists of two Solution When terms are placed above and
below a division line, the expression
terms. becomes one term.

Although there are no brackets around

a + b, the division line implies that a + b
is done before dividing by 2.
The algebraic expression ____
​ a +2 b ​consists of
one term.

Term 1 Week 8 Chapter 6 Algebraic expressions 1 77

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 77 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Example 3 Example 4

How many terms in the expression ____ +b

​ ax + 5
​? Consider the expression ____ +b
​ ax + 5
​ + y.
How many terms in this expression?
Solution
____ +b Solution
​  ax + 5
​is an expression with one term.
____ +b
​  ax + ​ + y consists of two terms.
5
Although a + b and x + 5 are both Terms are separated by + and – signs.
expressions consisting of two terms, the
brackets that are implied by the division line
group them all as one term.
Consider English words that
begin with mono, bi, tri and poly.
Monopoly, bicycle, triathlete … and
some of us know about polyphonic
ringtones! What do you think these
prefixes tell us about those words?

Exercise 6.7

Complete the table below. The first two examples have been done for you.
Expression Terms Number of terms

a) 1 × 2 × 3 × 4 × 5 1×2×3×4×5 1

b) x – 3 x; –3 2

c) 3c + d + b

d) x + 2y
e) abc

f) (y – 2) + 3y – y

g) ab + cd
h) 8a + 2b + c
i) 2a

j) a–b–c

k) _​  8x ​

l) ​ ____
2x – 3
y ​

m) _​  xy ​ + 2

n) 2x – ____
​  x +2 4 ​

o) 5x – ​( _​  2x ​ + 4 )​

78 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 78 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Constants and coefficients

Consider the billing according to a cellphone contract.

The cost per month is R126 for the monthly rental and 66c for each unit of time used
to make outgoing calls.
This could be represented algebraically as c = 126 + 0,66t, where the total cost
in rand is equal to c and t is the time spent on outgoing calls.
The number 126 has a specific value. We call it a constant, as the
value does not change and it remains constant at 126.
The value of t is not constant. In one month there
could be 115 units of time used and in another
month t could be 95. The value of t is therefore not
constant – it changes according to the situation.
t is referred to as the variable, since its value varies.
The coefficient of a term is usually the numerical factor.
In this expression, the coefficient of t is 0,66.

Example 1 Example 2
Consider the term 5x. What is the coefficient of xy in the term
a) What is the variable of the term? 13xy?
b) What is the coefficient of the Solution
term?
13
Solution

a) The variable is x. Example 3

b) T
 he coefficient of x is the
numerical factor, which is 5. What is the coefficient of a in the term
5 + a?
The coefficient of
a term can also be Solution
literal, as in the term
bx. In this case the
coefficient of x is b.
1

In a, the coefficient of a
is 1 since a = 1 × a.

Term 1 Week 8 Chapter 6 Algebraic expressions 1 79

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 79 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Note
In the expression 3a + 2, 3 is the coefficient of a and the constant term is 2.
constant variable
exponent

4 – 9a + x + y3

coefficient of a coefficient of x is 1

In the expression above, a, x and y are all variables. The coefficient of a is –9 and the
constant term is 4. The exponent of y is 3, while the coefficient of x is 1.

Just like 23 = 2 × 2 × 2, so y3 = y × y × y.
The word ‘polynomial’ means an algebraic expression that consists of many terms.
An expression with two terms is called a binomial and an expression with three terms is
a trinomial. A single term is referred to as a monomial.

Exercise 6.8

1. How many terms are there in each of the following algebraic expressions?
a) 5x + 4y – 3z b) 2 × a × b × c
c) ​  ____
a+b
5
​ + __
​  2a
3
​ d) ​ ___
3b2
5
​ × 2a
e) 5a – 3b + __ 1
​  2a ​ f) (x – 1)(x – 2)
g) (x – 1) + (x – 3) h) 3a – 4b + 2c ÷ abc
i) _________
​  3a + 2b – 2c
​ j) (a + b) – (c + d)
abc
k) 2a + (c – d) l) ​  ____
a+b
c–d
​
2. Write down the coefficient of the variable x in each of the algebraic expressions:
a) 3x b) 2x + 5
c) 5 + 3x d) 2x + yz
e) x f) 3x2 + x
g) 7x – 5y + 1 h) 1 – 2x
i) 2×x×5 j) 2–x
3. Write down the coefficient of the variable y in each of the algebraic expressions:
a) y b) 2y + x
c) 3z + y – z d) 3x – y
3y –y
e) __
​  4 ​ f) ​ __
2
​

80 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 80 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 4. For the expression 2x + 5, name the
a) constant
b) coefficient of x
c) variable.

5. Given: 9x2 + 7x + 3 + y2 + 13y

Complete the following sentences using the list of terms below:

9; y2; 7x; 2; variable; constant; term

a) x is a _______________.
b) 3 is the ______________.
c) _______ is the coefficient of x2.
d) 1 is the coefficient of ___________.
e) The exponent of y is ___________.

6. Write down your own mathematical expression consisting of three terms.

Give the correct algebraic labels for each of its parts.

Addition and subtraction of like terms

We can say that 2x + 3x may be simplified to 5x. How do we justify this?

2x + 3x = 2 × x + 3 × x
= (x + x) + (x + x + x)
=x+x+x+x+x
=5×x
= 5x
We can think of this as adding together identical quantities.
If you add 2 bundles of x to 3 bundles of x, it makes sense that you have
5 bundles of x. These are called like terms.

2x + 3y = 2 × x + 3 × y
= (x + x) + (y + y + y)
=x+x+y+y+y
=2×x+3×y
= 2x+ 3y
If you add 2 bundles of x to 3 bundles of y, you cannot simplify it as you do not have 5
bundles of anything. These are unlike terms, which cannot be simplified any further.

Term 1 Week 8 Chapter 6 Algebraic expressions 1 81

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 81 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Example 1 Example 2
Is abc the same as cba? Simplify: 7a + 5a
Solution Solution
Consider the question with numerals. 7a + 5a = 12a
Is 2 × 3 × 4 the same as 4 × 3 × 2?
Yes, it is. Products can be calculated
in any order without changing the
outcome, therefore abc = cab = bca.

Example 3 Example 4

Simplify: –6x + 5x Simplify: –10y – 5y

Solution Solution
–6x + 5x = –1x –10y – 5y = –15y
= –x

Exercise 6.9

Arrange products in alphabetical order – it may help you to recognise like terms.

1. Consider the list of terms below and choose the term that is unlike the rest.
a) a, 2a, b, 3a b) x, 5x, 5y, 3x c) ab, ba, 2ba, 3a
d) 5xyz, 3xyz, 2zyx, 5xy e) 7y, 7, 3y, 4y f) 6x, 5x, 5x2, 9x

2. Simplify:
a) x + 2x b) –4f + 7f c) x + 2y
d) a + 3b e) 6b + 12b f) –7x – 7
g) 10a – a h) 9r – 9s i) ab + ac
j) 5a + a – 2a k) –7a + 2a l) ab + ba
m) 4x + 8y + 2 n) ab + bc o) 13mnp + 4pmn
p) a + c + ac q) 2y + 5y – 3y r) 9a – a

82 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 82 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 3. Simplify:
Note
m + m + m ... 10 terms means that the pattern continues until there are 10 terms,
i.e. m + m + m + m + m + m + m + m + m + m.
a) x + x + x + x + x b) m + m + m ... 10 terms
c) 2m + 2m + 2m ... 20 terms d) ac + ac + ac ... 7 terms
e) ab + ab + ab ... c terms f) 3a × 2b × 4c
g) 9c – c h) 20a + 5a – 2a
i) 15ab – ab + 3ab j) 17x + 3x – 2x – x
k) xyz + 5xyz – 6xyz l) 3bac + 8cab – 2cba
m) 5a – 6a n) –7a + 3b
o) –5pq + pq – 2qp p) 7abc – 2abc – 10abc
q) –15xyz + 2xyz – xyz r) –3pqr – 2qrp + 7rpq
s) ab – 4ab + 3ab t) 12xy – 5yx + 4xy

Note
Expressions consisting of several terms can be simplified by combining the terms
that are ‘like’. We can only add or subtract terms if they are like terms, which means
that they contain the same variable and also the same exponent of that variable. The
coefficients may differ, but the variable part of the term has to be exactly the same.

An x2 term can be combined (added or subtracted) with

other x2 terms and the simplification of the terms will still
be an x2 term.

An xyz term can be combined with other xyz terms and the
simplification of the terms will still be an xyz term.

Example 1 Example 2

Simplify: 5a + 2b + 3a + 4b Simplify: 5xy + 10yz + 6yx + 7zy + xy

Solution Solution
5a + 2b + 3a + 4b 5xy + 10yz + 6yx + 7zy + xy
= 5a + 3a + 2b + 4b rearrange terms = 5xy + 6xy + xy + 10yz + 7yz
= 8a + 6b collect like terms  rearrange terms
= 12xy + 17yz collect like terms

Term 1 Week 8 Chapter 6 Algebraic expressions 1 83

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 83 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Example 3 Example 4

Simplify: 3x2 – 2y – 2x + x2 – 5x + y Simplify: 3x2 – 2x2 + x + (–4x3) – x2 – 4x

Solution Solution
3x2 – 2y – 2x + x2 – 5x + y 3x2 – 2x2 + x + (–4x3) – x2 – 4x
= 3x2 + x2 – 2y + y – 2x – 5x = 3x2 – 2x2 – x2 + x – 4x – 4x3
= 4x2 – y – 7x = 0x2 – 3x – 4x3
= – 4x3 – 3x

Exercise 6.10

1. Simplify:
a) 3x + 4y + 2x + y b) 5a + 2b + 3b – 4a
c) 4c – 2d + c + 5d d) x + 5 + 2x + 3
e) 7h + 2 + 3h + 5
2 2
f) 5 – 2s – 3 + 7s
g) xy + 4xz + 2xy + 3xz h) 2pq + 3rq + 5pq + 9qr
i) 5xy + 3xz + 9xz + 2xy j) 2ab + 3ac + 4ab + 9ac
2. Simplify:
a) 9y + 7z + 3y + 2z b) 7w + 3x + 4w + 2x
c) 7b – 9c + 3b + 2c d) 6ab + 2ac – 3ab + 2ac
e) 10xy – 4xz + 9xy – 3xz f) 5ab + 6ac + 5ab + 6ac
g) –9ef – 7fg + 2fe – 3gf h) –2a – 3b – 5c + 5a + 2b + 4c

Using algebraic expressions

Once we have developed and simplified an algebraic expression, we can use specific
parameters to determine the value of the expression.
Example 1
A recipe for roasting a piece of beef is 35 minutes for
each kilogram plus an extra 15 minutes for browning.
a) W
 rite down an expression for the time needed to roast
a piece of beef if time (in minutes) is represented by t
and mass (in kilograms) by m.
b) U
 se your algebraic expression to determine how
long a 5 kg piece of beef should stay in the oven.
Solution
a) t = 35m + 15 b) For a 5 kg piece of beef, m = 5
∴ t = 35(5) + 15
= 190 minutes

84 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 84 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Example 2
Determine the perimeter (P) of the hexagon alongside in terms of x.

Solution
The markings on each of the lines indicate that
all the sides are equal in length. A hexagon has 6
sides and in this example, all the sides have a length
of x units. x

∴P=6×x
= 6x

Exercise 6.11

1. (i) W
 rite down an expression for the perimeter (P) of each of the shapes below
in terms of the variables given.
(ii) Find the perimeter of each shape if x = 3, y = 1 and z = 2.
a) square b) rectangle

x
x

c) equilateral triangle d) isosceles triangle

x

x
y

e) rhombus f) regular pentagon

g) scalene triangle
2z
x

         2y

Term 1 Week 8 Chapter 6 Algebraic expressions 1 85

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 85 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 2. Mr Loots takes a loan of R80 000 at zero interest from his father-in-law and
agrees to repay R2 000 at the end of each month.
a) Copy and complete the table below and then write down a mathematical
expression, also called a formula, which represents the amount he still owes (A)
after any number of months (t).
Number of months (t) Amount still owing (A)
1 80 000 – (2 000 × 1)
2 80 000 – (2 000 × 2)
3 80 000 – (2 000 × ...)
4
5
10
t
b) Use your formula to find out how much Mr Loots owes after 15 months.
3. Buthelezi’s Bakery says that when they bake one of
their famous chocolate cakes, they use 2 teaspoons
of baking powder and a cup of flour.
a) D
 raw up a table to show Buthelezi’s Bakery’s
formula for the amount of flour and
baking powder required when baking a number
of cakes. State what the variables you use represent.
b) U
 se your formula to determine how much
baking powder and flour is needed
to bake 10 cakes.

Check your skills

Exercise 6.12

1. Examine the algebraic expression 5x3 + x2yx3 – z2 – 27 and write down the
number of the correct solution below.
a) The numerical coefficients of the above expression are:
(i) 5; 0; 0; –27 (ii) 5; 1; –1 (iii) 5; –27 (iv) –27
b) The number of terms in the expression is:
(i) 7 (ii) 2 (iii) 4 (iv) 3
c) The constant in the expression is:
(i) 27 (ii) –27 (iii) 5 (iv) 1

86 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 86 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 2. If Tn = 3n – 1, find the value of:
a) T4 b) T17

3. Simplify:
a) 3a – 4b – 5a – b b) 2x2 – xy + 3xy – x2
c) 3pqt – 4wt + tpq – 2tw d) –mn – 3mn + 5nm – 2m + 5m
e) 2abc – cba – bac – 2c + b f) xy + yz – wx – 3xy – zy – 4wx

4. In each case below, write down the algebraic expression in its simplest form.
Call the unknown number x.
a) I think of a number.
I subtract 10 and multiply the answer by 4.
I increase this answer by 7.
b) I subtract 8 from the square of a number and divide the result by 4.
c) A number is doubled.
From this, I subtract 2 less than the original number.
This answer is then doubled.
d) Find the value of each expression in a), b) and c) if x = 16.

Extend your skills

Exercise 6.13

1. At McCord Hospital there must

be at least one nurse for every
ten patients.
If n represents the
number of nurses and p the
number of patients, write down the
relationship between the number of
nurses (n) and the number of
patients (p).

2. The rectangle alongside has a length of

x + 1 and a breadth of 3. x+1
a) Find an expression for the:
(i) area of the rectangle 3

(ii) perimeter of the rectangle.

b) If the perimeter is 14 m, find the:
(i) length of the rectangle
(ii) value of x.

 Chapter 6 Algebraic expressions 1 87

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 87 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 7 Algebraic
equations 1
In this chapter you will learn about:
zz Solving equations by inspection
zz Setting up equations to solve problems
zz Analysing and interpreting equations that describe given situations.

An equation is a statement that two algebraic expressions are equal.

Solving equations by inspection

An equation involves at least one variable (or unknown) and consists of a left-hand
side and a right-hand side, separated by an equal sign. When we look at an equation
and we can assign a value to the unknown in one step, we are solving the equation by
inspection.

Example 1 Example 2

Solve for x if 2x + 3 = 9. Solve for x if 2x = 16.

Solution Solution

What number doubled To what power must you

and added to 3 gives 9? raise 2 to get 16?

6 added to 3 is 9, so the required number 2x = 16

is half of 6, which is 3. ∴x=4

Example 3

Solve for x if x3 = –125.

Solution What number

raised to the power
Cubing −5 gives (–5) = –125 3
of 3 gives –125?
∴ x = –5

88 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 88 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 7.1

1. Solve the follwoing equations by inspection.

a) x + 3 = 5 b) x − 2 = 10 c) 3x = 21
_ __ __
d) ​  4x ​
=7 e) √​ x ​ = 11 f) √3​ x ​ = 4
g) x = 121
2
h) x3 = −64 i) 7x = 73
2. By inspection, find the value of the variable that makes the
left-hand side of the equation equal to the right-hand side.
a) x + 2 = 7 b) m + 4 = 11 c) a − 5 = 3
d) k − 9 = 0 e) 2y = 12 f) 5x = −50
g) _
​  3z ​ = 5 h) _
​  2b ​ = −2 i) x + 4 = −1
j) −2x =8 k) p − 3 = −10 l) −_ ​  2x ​ = −1
m) 13 − q = 7 n) 12 − m = 4 o) 3−r=5
p) 2x = 8 q) 3 = 3
y 5
r) 100y = 1
__ __ __
s) √​ x ​ = 4 t) x3 = 125 u) ​ x ​ + √​ x ​ = 8
√

3. Solve the following equations by inspection, using your understanding of

numbers and operations.
a) 2x − 1 = 5 b) 3y + 1 = 13 c) 1 − 2p = 7
d) 8 − k = 238 e) p − 92 = −92 f) 3k + 5 = 20
g) y + 3 × 56 = 7 × 56 h) 3m + 18 = 0 i) 11t + 1 = 100
j) w = 25 2
k) z = 27
3
l) 3x = 81
__ __
m) √​ x ​ = 64 n) x3 = 64 o) √​ x ​ = 7

Term 1 Week 9 Chapter 7 Algebraic equations 1 89

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 89 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Setting up equations
Equations are useful to describe in symbols the relationship between different
quantities. These relationships can be presented:
1. in words
2. in tables and then as an equation.

Equations from words

Example 1 Example 2
You think of a number and then Jane gets 3 marks more than Mary for her
subtract 10. art portfolio. Set up an equation to show
The answer is 5. this relationship between the marks of the
Write this statement as an equation. two learners.

Solution Solution
Let the number you think of be x. Letters represent
numbers, not
people or things!
Subtract 10 from the number: x − 10

This is equal to the answer 5, so the

equation is x − 10 = 5. Let Jane’s mark be j and Mary’s mark
be m. Then the equation is j = m + 3.
This equation could be solved by This is an example of an equation in two
inspection. variables (j and m).
We cannot solve this equation without
getting more information.

Exercise 7.2

1. Write equations for the relationships described below.

You are not required to solve these equations.
a) The cost of a ruler is R2 cheaper than a pen at the stationery store.
b) The principal of a school earns five times the salary of a beginner teacher.
c) Two angles are complementary.
d) Thabiso is 5 years younger than his sister.
e) Innocentia is half her mother’s age.
f) Zahara’s transport costs are double those of Mpho.
g) y °, 3y° and (60 – 3y)° are the measurements of three adjacent angles on a
straight line.
h) When I square a mystery number and double it, I get 72.

90 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 90 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Equations from tables of values

Example
My friend Thando and I love playing Scrabble™. I set up a table of our word scores for
each turn:
My score m 2 3 4 8 15
Thando’s score t 4 6 8 16 30

a) Set up an equation in terms of t and m to

represent the relationship in the table.
b) What is Thando’s score when my score is 27?
c) What is my score when Thando’s score is 40?

Solution
a) From the table, we can see that Thando always doubles my score.
Rewrite the table as:
My score m 2 3 4 8 15
Thando’s score t 2×2 2×3 2×4 2×8 2 × 15
I n words, my score will have to be multiplied by 2 to equal Thando’s score.
Algebraically, I can write the relationship of our scores as the equation t = 2m.
b) Put m = 27 in the equation:
t = 2(27) = 54
When my score is 27, Thando’s score is 54.
c) Put t = 40 in the equation: 40 = 2m, so, by inspection, m = 20.
When Thando’s score is 40, my score is 20.

Exercise 7.3

1. Describe in words the relationship between the numbers in the two rows in each
table. Write down equations for these relationships. You are not required to
solve these equations.
a) a 20 50 70 100 b) c 2 8 30 42
b 40 100 140 200 d 1 4 15 21

c) e 1 4 7 12 d) i 1 2 3 4
f 1 16 49 144 j –1 –2 –3 –4

Term 1 Week 9 Chapter 7 Algebraic equations 1 91

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 91 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 2. Ruth can save R15 of her allowance every month. She has her heart set on the Lira
CD. Complete the table of values that Ruth has drawn up to monitor her savings.
Month 1 2 3 .... 7 ... 10 11 12 x
Total savings to date 15 30
a) Set up an equation for Ruth’s total savings after x months.
b) T
 he CD sells for R165. After how many months will Ruth be able to buy the
Lira CD?

3. Zandile is 7 years older than her brother Shaka.

She draws up a table of their ages.
S 1 2 3 ... 15 x
Z 8 9 20

a) Complete the table above.

b) Set up an equation for the sum of their ages.
c) If their ages total 43 years at present, find each of their ages.
4. A delivery company calculates its delivery cost for any item (in rand) by
multiplying the mass (in kg) of the item by 2 and adding 230.
a) W
 rite down a formula that can be used to calculate the delivery cost of any
item with a mass of m kg.
b) Given that the mass of a box is 17 kg, calculate the cost of delivery.

Analysing and interpreting equations

Example 1
Zanele is twice Lungile’s age. The sum of their ages is 72.
a) Express this relationship as an equation.
b) Solve the equation to determine the women’s ages.
c) Check that the answer is correct.

Solution
a) Zanele is twice Lungile’s age.
This means that Lungile is younger.
Let Lungile’s age be x years .
Then Zanele’s age is 2x years.
 he relationship between their ages can be expressed as x + 2x = 72.
T
b) x + 2x = 72
3x = 72
∴ x = 24 (Lungile’s age) and
2x = 48 (Zanele’s age)
Lungile is 24 years old and Zanele is 2 × 24 = 48 years old.
c) Check by adding your answers.
The sum of their ages is 24 + 48 = 72, which is correct.

92 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 92 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Example 2
Ismail’s monthly cellphone bill is based on the following calculation:
a monthly subscription of R250 plus R3 for every minute he
uses his phone.
He sets up the equation c = 3x + 250.
a) What do c and x represent?
b) If he talks on the phone for 120 minutes in January, what
is his total bill at the end of that month?
c) What is the minimum that Ismail can pay on this account? Explain.
d) If Ismail’s total bill for March was R460, how many minutes did he use in March?

Solution
a) In the equation c = 3x + 250, c represents the total cost of having and using the
cellphone and x represents the number of minutes he uses the phone.
b)  c = 3x + 250
c = 3(120) + 250
c = 360 + 250
∴ c = R610 for that month
c) R250. He will have to pay the subscription even if he doesn’t use the cellphone.
d) He will first subtract his subscription fee of R250 to get R210.
The number of minutes multiplied by the R3 cost per minute is R210.
So the number of minutes he used in March is 70 minutes, since R3 times 70
is R210.

Exercise 7.4

1. Set up an equation to represent the information given in each case below and
solve the equation.
a) Three times a certain number decreased by 2 is 7.
What is the number?
b) When twice a certain number is subtracted from 11, the result is 5.
What is the number?
c) T
 here are 8 more boys than girls in a
class of 60 learners.
How many girls are there?

d) A
 12 m length of rope is cut into two pieces so that one piece is three times
as long as the other. How long is the shorter piece?

Term 1 Week 9 Chapter 7 Algebraic equations 1 93

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 93 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 2. The length of a rectangle is 3 times the breadth. 3x

a) I f the breadth of the rectangle is x, what is the

length? x
b) I f the perimeter of the rectangle is 96 cm, write
down an equation for the perimeter in terms of
its length and breadth and use it to calculate
the dimensions of the rectangle.

3. There are twice as many pencils in Julius’ pencil

box than in Lucky’s. Julius attempts to write this
relationship as an equation which he believes
is correct. He writes: If J = the number of Julius’
pencils and L = the number of Lucky’s pencils,
then 2J = L.
How would you convince Julius that his
equation is incorrect?

4. Xolani is 2 years older than Thato and 4 years older than Siki.
Their ages add up to 45 years.
a) If Xolani’s age is x years, how old is Thato in terms of x?
b) How old is Siki in terms of x?
c) Write down an equation for the sum of all their ages.
d) How old is Thato?

5. Drogba scores 5 more goals than Ronaldo during this season.

They score a total of 23 goals.
How many goals did each player score?

6. To hire a bicycle on the Durban promenade

there is a R50 hire fee and a further charge
of R8 per hour.
a) Draw up a table that shows the total cost
every hour for 6 hours.
b) W
 rite down a formula for the total cost if
the bicycle is hired for x hours.
c) I f you hire the bicycle for 15 hours, how
much can you expect to pay?
d) I f R130 is all the money you have
available for bicycle hire, for how many
hours can you hire a bike?

94 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 94 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Check your skills
Exercise 7.5

1. a) V
 usi has R495 to spend on CDs that cost R99 each.
If x represents the number of CDs he can buy, which equation below will tell
him how many CDs he can buy?
(i) 495x = 99 (ii) 99x = 495 (iii) ​ __
99
x
​ = 495
b) Solve the equation chosen above.

2. a) T
 he mass of a shark pup is 935 kg less than
that of its mother. If the pup has a mass of
9 kg and m represents the mass of the
mother (in kg), the equation to solve is:
(i) m – 935 = 9
(ii) m + 9 = 935
(iii) m + 935 = 9
b) Solve the equation chosen above.

3. a) D
 uring a thunderstorm, the temperature outside dropped by 9 °C to a
temperature of 27 °C. If t represents the outside temperature in °C before the
thunderstorm, the equation to solve is:
(i) t + 9 = 27 (ii) t + 27 = 9 (iii) t – 9 = 27
b) Solve the equation chosen above.

4. Solve by inspection:
a) x + 7 = 2 b) x + 3 = 8 c) y + 5 = 13
d) m – 3 = 2 e) q – 4 = 5 f) _
​  12 c​ = 3
g) 8z = 32 h) _
​  3x ​ = 0 i) 10p = 30
__
j) ​ x ​ – 1 = 3
√ k) 3 = 81
x
l) 9x = 1
m) x2 = 25 n) 2x = x + x o) 2x + 1 = 13

5. Liyema spent R5 more at the shops than his brother Banyana.

Together they spent R45. Write down an equation representing this and solve it
to determine what Liyema and Banyana spent at the shops.

6. Mandisa cycled five times the distance she ran at the Iron
Girl Championships. Given that the total distance covered
was 60 km, write down an equation representing this and
calculate how far she
a) ran
b) cycled.

Term 1 Week 9 Chapter 7 Algebraic equations 1 95

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 95 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 8 Cumulative
revision 1
Exercise 8.1

1. Calculate the answers to the following without using a calculator.

____ __
a) ​√ 144 ​× ​√ 4 ​
b) 2(3 + 4)2 + (3 × 4)2
3
___
c) 4(√​ 27 ​)3 + 22

2. Rearrange the numbers in ascending order (that is from smallest to largest):

one million; 3,1 × 104; 2,6 × 106; 1,004 × 106; 450 000

3. Solve the following equations:

80
a) ​ ___
x ​= 5
b) 2y + 1 = 7
__
c) ​√y ​ = 7
d) 7x = 49
4. Use the bank statement below to answer the questions that follow:

Account holder: Mr L. Mahlangu

Account number: 303022118
Transactions: 01/06/2012 – 28/06/2012
Date Transaction type Amount Balance
Balance brought forward R150
03/06/2012 Withdrawal –R250
05/06/2012 Deposit R400 R300
10/06/2012 Withdrawal –R50 R250
12/06/2012 Deposit R150 R400
21/06/2012 Deposit R20 R420
23/06/2012 Withdrawal –R440

a) What will Mr Mahlangu’s balance be on 03/06/2012?

b) What will Mr Mahlangu’s balance be on 23/06/2012?
c) How much money did Mr Mahlangu withdraw in total?

96 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 96 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 5. The maximum temperature in Moscow on a certain day is 5 °C.
a) What will the temperature be that evening if it drops by 11 °C?
b) W
 hat is the difference between the maximum and minimum
temperatures if the minimum temperature on that day is recorded
as –15 °C?
6. The numbers 4, 5 and 1 pass through the flow chart below.
They enter the flow chart where it says ‘In’. In
Calculate the output values for each of
the input values in the table. Let the number be x
In Out
4 a) Yes x is a No
5 b) factor
of 12
1 c)
__
​√x ​ x2

Output Output

7. Dominique, an electrical engineer, is designing a device in a cellphone tower

that will receive and send cellphone signals such as text messages and voice
calls more cheaply and efficiently.
Dominique describes what the device does:
‘The device takes the incoming signal, multiplies its
frequency by twelve and subtracts seven. The result
becomes the frequency of the new outgoing signal.’
a) W
 rite down an equation for the function that the
device performs on incoming signals to turn them
into outgoing signals.
Use the symbol I for incoming signals and O for
outgoing signals.
b) D
 ominique has been measuring
the incoming and outgoing I O
signals on her device to check 1

that it is working properly.

17
She records her results in a
flow chart. Complete the flow 3
chart alongside by filling in the
6
rule of the function, as well as
any missing input and output 113
values.
137

Term 1 Week 10 Chapter 8 Cumulative revision 1 97

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 97 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 9 Algebraic
expressions 2
In this chapter you will learn about:
zz Adding and subtracting like terms in algebraic expressions
zz Multiplying monomials by binomials and trinomials
zz Dividing algebraic expressions by monomials
zz Simplifying algebraic expressions
zz Evaluating expressions by using substitution
zz Determining squares, cubes, and square and cube roots of algebraic terms.

Adding and subtracting like terms

In Chapter 6 we learned to recognise like terms. We now combine this knowledge with
what we have learnt about adding and subtracting integers in Chapter 2.

Example 1 Example 2

Simplify: (2x) + (−3x) Simplify: (−7ab) + (−2ab)

Solution Solution
(2x) + (−3x) (−7ab) + (−2ab)
= 2x − 3x = −7ab − 2ab
= −x = − 9ab

Example 3
Simplify: (−3a2) − (−2a2)
Remember:
– (–2a2) = 2a2
Solution
(−3a2) − (−2a2)
= −3a2 + 2a2
= − a2

98 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 98 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 9.1

Simplify:
a) 2x − 8x b) −2x − 8x c) −2x − (− 8x)
d) −3a − 2a e) 3a − (−2a) f) 16ab − 6ab
g) −16ab − 6ab h) 6ab − 16ab i) bc − (−5bc)
j) 6xy − (+10xy) k) 10ab − (−5ab) l) −10ab − (−5ab)
m) 7xy − (+9xy) n) − 4xy − (+2xy) o) 0 − (−3xy)
p) 7a2 − (−11a2) q) 5x − (−x) − x r) −7ab − 2ab − (+ab)
2 2 2
s) 3xy − (−2xy) − 5xy t) −9x − 3x −(−x ) u) 5c2 − (−2c2) − (− c2)
v) −5a − 4a + (− a) − (− a) − 3a
You also multiplied simple algebraic terms together in Chapter 6.
We now combine addition and subtraction with the multiplication learnt earlier.

Multiplying terms

A term like 2 × x × 3 can be written in the more convenient form 6x.

It looks different, it Iooks simpler and it means the same. In order to simplify expressions
we must remember the order of operations: multiplication and division are done before
addition and subtraction.
It may make the simplification process easier if you use brackets to remind yourself
which parts of an expression must be simplified first.

Example 1 Example 2

Simplify: 2a + 3a × 4 Simplify: −5a × 3 − 4a × (−2)

Solution Solution

2a + 3a × 4 −5a × 3 − 4a × (−2)
Use brackets to indicate
= 2a + (3a × 4)  that the product will be = (−5a × 3) − (4a × (−2))
= 2a + 12a  calculated first. = (−15a) − (− 8a)
Again, we use brackets
= 14a We add the like terms. = −15a + 8a to group the operations
we will do first.
= −7a

In the following exercise, make sure that you perform the operations in the correct order
when you simplify the expression.

Term 2 Week 1 Chapter 9 Algebraic expressions 2 99

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 99 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 9.2

1. Simplify:
a) 2a × 3 + 4a × 2 b) −5m × 2 + m × 3
c) −5q + 4 × 3q d) 10k + k × 5
e) 12p − 4p × 2 f) 10 × a − 2 × a − 1 × a
g) 2a × 2b × 2c h) −7 × a + a × 7
i) w×7+8×w−2×w j) 5a × 2b − 2b × 3a

Note
Once all multiplication has been done, we look to simplify the expression further.
To do this, we need to identify terms that can be added together, in other words like terms.
Reminder: For terms to be like, they need to contain the same variable and also have the
same power. The coefficients may differ and they need not have the same sign, but the
variable and power must be exactly the same.

Example 3

Simplify: (3p × y) + (−2w × 3y) + (4p × 2y) − (3y × 3w)

Solution
Simplify all the brackets.
3py + (−6wy) + 8py − 9wy
Only terms with the same variables
= 3py − 6wy + 8py − 9wy and power can be added.
= 11py − 15wy 

Exercise 9.3

1. Simplify:
a) (2a × b) + (3a × b) + (a × b)
b) (4a × 2b) + (−2b × c) + (a × b)+ (b × c)
c) (−2x × −2y) + (2y × 3z) + (−3z × 4y)+ (x × y)
d) (3a × −2) + (3b × −4) + (−5a × 3)+ (−6b × 1)
e) (ab × c) + (2bc × d) + (c × 2ab) + (3bc × 4d)
f) (4y × 2) + (2 × 5) + (3 × 4) + (4 × 4y)
g) (5b × −d) + (4a × 3c) + (7a × −2c) + (−3a × −2c)
h) (6m × n) + (3m × n) + (4n × −p) + (2n × −p)
i) (3a × 2) + (−4b × −2) + (a × −2) − (b × 2)
j) (−5x × −y) − (8y × −2z) + (2x × 2y) − (4y × −3z)

100 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 100 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Multiplying algebraic terms becomes very simple with practice.
When faced with different signs, different coefficients and different variables, it helps to
separate the different processes.
Multiplication signs are often replaced by brackets. For example, (–3xy) × (– 4z) is
written as (–3xy)(– 4z) or even –3xy(– 4z), where the first bracket is omitted.

Example 4
Simplify: (−3xy)(− 4z)

Solution
(−3xy)(− 4z)
First ‘multiply’ the signs.
= +(3xy × 4z)
Then multiply the coefficients,
= +12(xy × z) and then the variables.
= 12xyz

When a number is multiplied by itself, we can either write the numerical answer or we
can write the number in exponential form.
For example, 3 × 3 = 9 or 3 × 3 = 32.
It is the second option that helps us to multiply variables.
For example, x × x = x2.
Since we don’t know what the value of x is, the best we can do to simplify x × x is to
write it as x2.

Example 5 Example 6

Simplify: (xy) × (yz) Simplify: 5a × (−3b) × ab

Solution Solution

(xy) × (yz) 5a × (−3b) × ab

=x×y×y×z = 5 × a × −3 × b × a × b
= xy2z = −15a2b2

Example 7 Example 8
Simplify: (−3xy)(−x2y)(−2yx) Simplify: (3a)(2a) − (2a)(4a)

Solution Solution
Multiply each of the terms.
(−3xy)(−x2y)(−2yx) Multiply the first signs, then (3a)(2a) − (2a)(4a) Subtract the like terms.
= − 6x4y3 the coefficients, and then the = 6a2 − 8a2
variables in alphabetical order.
= −2a2

Term 2 Week 1 Chapter 9 Algebraic expressions 2 101

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 101 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 9.4

1. Simplify:
a) c × c × c × c × c b) 2 × y × (−3) × y
c) (5a)(2a) d) (4a)(3a)(2a)
e) a × a × b × b f) (2ab)(2ab)
g) (2xy)(3xy)(−6xy) h) (3a2)(5a2)
i) (−2x2)(−3x) j) (4a2)(−5ab)
k) (−3ab)(−2b)(− 4cd) l) −10abc(−2bc2)(−ac2)
m) −5x(+3x2)(0x) n) (−4x3)(+3x)x
o) (6a2)(−a)a3 p) (−2)(−2a2b2)(−2a3b3c3)

2. a) Are x2 and x like terms? Explain.

b) Can we simplify the sum of x2 and x? Explain.
c) Are x2y and xy2 like terms? Explain.
d) Are x2y and yx2 like terms? Explain.

3. Simplify (if possible):

a) 3x2 + 2x2 b) c2 + c2
c) x2 + x d) 2x2y + 3x2y
e) abc + ab f) −6s2 + 4s2
g) −3xy2 + 2xy2 h) 9x2 − 5x2
i) 3x2y − 2xy2 j) 10a4 − 5a4 + 2a4
4. Simplify (remember the order of operations and use brackets if necessary):
a) 6a2 × 2 − 3a2 b) 3x2 × 3 − 4x2
c) 2a2 × 5 − 2a2 × 2 d) 3x2 × 5 − 3
e) 7x2 × 2 − x × x f) 3x2 × 2 − 10x × x
g) 3x × x + x × −x h) 5a × a − 2a × 3a
i) 3x3 × 3 − 4x3 × 2 j) 2x2 × xy + 3y (−2x3)

5. Simplify (if possible):

a) 2a2 × 4a2 b) 2a2 + 4a2
c) 10a3 × 3a3 d) 10a3 + 3a3
e) 2a2b × 3ab2 f) 2a2b + 3ab2
g) 5a2 × 2b2 × 3a2 × 4b2 h) 5a2 + 2b2 + 3a2 + 4b2

102 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 102 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 i) 7xy × 3xy × 5xy j) 7xy + 3xy + 5xy
k) 6cd × 2de × 3cd × 4de l) 6cd + 2de + 3cd + 4de
m) a2 × b2 × c2 n) a2 + b2 + c2
o) a2 × a3 × a p) a2 + a3 + a
q) 3a2b × 4ab2 × a2b r) 3a2b + 4ab2 + a2b
s) 5x2 × 2x × 3x2 t) 5x2 + 2x + 3x2
u) 2a2bc × 3bac2 × 5cba2 v) 2a2bc + 3bac2 + 5cba2

6. Simplify (use brackets if necessary):

a) 2a2 × a + 3a2 × a b) 4a3 × a4 + 2a4 × 3a3
c) 5xy × 2y + 3xy × 4y d) 7ab × 2a2b2 − 3ab × 2a2b2
e) 4ab × 2bc − 2ab × bc f) 3x3y2 × 2xy3 + 4xy3 × 7x3y2
g) 5a2 × 2a × a − 7a4 h) 7b2 × 2b3 × b + 4b2 × 3b4
i) (5a2)(3a2) + (2a3)(2a) j) (3x2)(−2xy2)(x3y) + (4x4)(x2y3)

Simplification of algebraic expressions by distribution

Consider the following question: Simplify 2(x + 5).

The order of operations tells us that we need to first simplify what is inside the bracket
and then multiply by 2. The problem is that the expression inside the bracket cannot be
simplified because we cannot add unlike terms.
We can get around this problem by using the distributive law. This means that as
long as we distribute the product of 2 to each of the terms inside the bracket, we will
produce an expression equal to the original expression, but without brackets.
2(x + 5) = 2 × x + 2 × 5
= 2x + 10
We can check this rule by using numbers: Use the distributive law:
2(1 + 5) = 2(6) 2(1 + 5) = 2(1) + 2(5)
= 12 = 2 + 10
= 12
Example 1 Example 2
Simplify: 3(2x – 1) Simplify: 3xy(2x + 4y)
Solution Solution
3(2x – 1) 3xy(2x + 4y)
= 3(2x) − 3(1) = 3xy(2x) + 3xy(2y)
= 6x − 3 = 6x2y + 12xy2

Term 2 Week 1 Chapter 9 Algebraic expressions 2 103

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 103 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Example 3

Simplify: 4(3x + 4) + 2(6x + 2)

Solution
4(3x + 4) + 2(6x + 2)
= 4(3x) + 4(4) + 2(6x) + 2(2) You may omit this step.

= 12x + 16 + 12x + 4
= 24x + 20 Add the like terms.

Exercise 9.5

1. Use the distributive law and simplify:

a) 3(2a + 2b) b) 2x(x + y)
c) y(3x + 3y) d) 7c(c + d + 1)
e) 3ab(2a + b) f) 10xy(2x + 4y)
g) 5ac(3a + 2c) h) 12mn(3m – 2n)
i) 3cd(2c + 4d – 2) j) 2x2(x2 + 2x)
k) 2c2(3c3 – 2c2) l) a2b2c2(a – b – c)
2. Multiply 2x2 + 2x + 1 by 5x2.
3. Multiply 2f 4 + 3f 2 – 2f by 3f 2.

Exercise 9.6

1. Simplify:
a) 2(3a – 2b) + 3(a + 4b) b) 5(2x + 3y) + 6(x + y)
c) 4c(2c + 3) + 3c(2c + 1) d) 5x(4x + y) + 2x(3y + 2x)
e) 2x(x + 1) + 3x2(4 + x) f) 7a2(a2 + a) + 3a2(a2 – a)
g) 4ab(2a + b) + 3ab(3a – 2b) h) 4a2(2a + b) + 3ab(4a2 + b)
i) 3(x2 + 2x+ 1) + 4(x2 + 5x) j) 7mn(2m2 – 4n2 + 2) + mn(m2 – n2)
By using the distributive law, we can multiply a monomial and a bracket with two terms,
a bracket with three terms or, in fact, any polynomial. When the term outside the
bracket is negative, we have to be especially careful.

104 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 104 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Example 4
Simplify: −3(2a − 4b − 3c) In this example, we need to pay careful attention
to the signs.
Note that all the rules we use when multiplying
Solution integers apply here as well.
Apply the distributive law, multiplying each term
in the bracket by –3.
−3(2a − 4b − 3c)
= (−3)(2a) + (−3)(−4b) + (−3)(−3c)
= (−6a) + (12b) + (9c)
= −6a + 12b + 9c
The expression cannot be simplified further.

Example 5

Simplify: −(a + b)

Solution Just as the coefficient

of –x is –1, the
coefficient of –(a + b)
−(a + b) is also –1.
= −1(a + b)
= (−1)(a) + (−1)(b)
= − a + (−b)
= −a − b

Exercise 9.7

Simplify:
a) −2(x + y) b) −6(−2a − 3b) c) −2x(3x2 + 2x − 1)
d) −x(−x − y) e) xy(x − y − z) f) −(−x2 + x)
g) −2x(−x + 4y) h) 3x(−x − 3) 4y(2 − y) i)
j) −x4(x2 − x) k) −(2 − 3x2) l) −xy(−y2 + x2)
m) −5x(−2x2 + 3x − 1) n) −2ab(2a2 − 2b2 + c2) o) −2a2b2(3a − 4b + 2c)

Example 6

Simplify: 2a(a − b) − 3a(2a + b) The expression consists of two terms,

both involving the distributive law. We will
multiply out each set of brackets and then
simplify the expression further by adding or
subtracting like terms.
Solution
2a(a − b) − 3a(2a + b)
= (2a)(a) + (2a)(−b) + (−3a)(2a) + (−3a)(b) You may omit this step.

= 2a2 − 2ab − 6a2 − 3ab

= −4a2 − 5ab

Term 2 Week 1 Chapter 9 Algebraic expressions 2 105

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 105 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Example 7

Simplify: − 4x(x + y) − 3x(x + 2y) − (3x2 − 3xy)

Solution
− 4x(x + y) − 3x(x + 2y) − (3x2 − 3xy)
= (− 4x)(x) + (− 4x)(y) + (−3x)(x) + (−3x)(2y) + (−1)(3x2) + (−1)(−3xy)
= −  4x2 − 4xy − 3x2 − 6xy − 3x2 + 3xy
= −10x2 − 7xy

Exercise 9.8

1. Simplify:
a) 2(a + b) + 3(a + b) b) 4(x + y) + 6(2x + y)
c) 3(x2 + x) + 5(x2 + x) d) 2(a2 + b2) − 4(a2 + b2)
e) −2(x + y) + 3(x + y) f) −3(ab + bc) − 2(−bc + 4ab)
g) −5(2x + 3z) + 2(x + z) h) 2x(x + y) + 3x(x − 2y)
i) −2(x + 4) + 3(x + 2) j) −3(x + 2y) − 2(−x + 4y)

2. Simplify:
a) x(x2 + 4x − 5) − 2(7 + 3x − 3x2)
b) − 4xy(−x − y) + 2xy(−2x + 2y)
c) −5p(2p − 3q − r) + p(p − q + r) − p(p − 2q − 3r)
d) −x(x2 − y + z) − (x3 + xy) − (xz + x3)
We have covered several areas of simplifying algebraic expressions.
When a problem is stated in words, we first have to write down the expression and only
then can we simplify it.
When converting words into algebraic language, think of how we would solve the problem
if it involved numbers only, and then do exactly the same with the algebraic terms.

106 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 106 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Example 8

Subtract x2 + x − 1 from −2x2 − 3x − 4. If the instruction was to subtract

7 from 10, we would easily
Solution convert this into the simple
numerical expression 10 – 7.
We mirror this action in algebra.
(−2x2 − 3x − 4) − (x2 + x − 1)
= (−2x2 − 3x − 4) − 1(x2 + x − 1)
= −2x2 − 3x − 4 + (− 1)(x2) + (−1)(x) + (−1)(−1)
= −2x2 − 3x − 4 − x2 − x + 1
= −3x2 − 4x − 3 (by adding like terms)

Example 9

What is the difference between x2 + xy − y2 and −x2 −3y2?

Solution
What is the difference between
(x2 + xy − y2) − (−x2 −3y2) 23 and 14?
This converts to the numerical
= x2 + xy − y2 + x2 + 3y2 expression 23 – 14.
= 2x2 + xy + 2y2
Note: It would not be incorrect to write this as:
(−x2 − 3y2) − (x2 + xy − y2)
= −2x2 − xy − 2y2

Exercise 9.9

1. What is the difference between 7a and −4a?

2. From −4x, subtract 3x.
3. Subtract 9a from 0.
4. Subtract 10a − 2b from 6a + 4b.
5. From 3x − y, subtract −6x − 5y.
6. Add − 8xy + 4y2 − 5x2 to 10y2 − 2x2 + 3xy and −6y2 − x2.
7. From 5x2 − 2x, subtract − 6x2 − 20x.
8. Subtract 5a − 4b + 10c from 6b − 3c + 4a.
9. From −15x3 + 4x2 − 8x, subtract − 6x3 − 9x + 6.
10. Subtract 3p2 − 4q2 + 5r2 from 10p2 − 12r2 − 18q2 − 6s2.
11. Subtract 2a + b from the sum of 3a − 4b and − a + 2b.
12. From the sum of 2x2 + x − 2 and x2 − 3x + 2, subtract −x2 + 3x − 4.

Term 2 Week 1 Chapter 9 Algebraic expressions 2 107

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 107 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Evaluating algebraic expressions using substitution
When we give specific values
An algebraic expression containing a to a variable, the value of
the algebraic expression can
variable does not have a numerical value be calculated. We do this by
until the variable is given a value. replacing, or substituting,
the given value for x.

For example, 2x2 – 3x + 2 does not

have one value, but many possible
values dependent on the value of x.

Example 1 Example 2
Find the value of the expression 5x Find the value of the expression 2x2 + 3x
when: when:
a) x = 1 b) x = 2 a) x = 5 b) x = 0
Solution Solution
a) If x = 1, a) x = 5
then 5x = 5(1) ∴ 2x2 + 3x = 2(5)2 + 3(5)
=5 = 2(25) + 15
b) If x = 2, = 50 + 15
then 5x = 5(2) = 65
= 10 b) x = 0
∴ 2x2 + 3x = 2(0)2 + 3(0)
= 2(0) + 0
= 0

Example 3

Find the value of a2 + 2ab − b2 if a = −2 and b = 3.

Solution
a2 + 2ab − b2 = (−2)2 + 2(−2)(3) − (3)2
= 4 + 2(− 6) − 9
= 4 − 12 − 9
= −17

Exercise 9.10

1. Find the values of the expressions below when a = −1, b = 2 and c = −2:
a) ab b) bc c) a + b d) abc
e) 2ac f) c − b g) a2 − b2 h) (a + b)(b + c)
i) −2a2 − b2 j) −2(ab)2

108 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 108 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 2. When x = −2, y = 4 and z = −3, find the value of:
a) xy + yz + xz b) x2 + y2 + z2
c) 4x + 3y − 2z d) x(y + z) + y(x + z)
e) 5(3x + 2y + z) f) (x + y)(y + z)(x + z)
3. When a = 2, b = − 4 and c = 5, find the value of:
a) (a + b)2 b) (a − b)2 c) (b + c)a
+ bc
d) ba e) ​  ab
______
a ​ f) (2a − 3b)a

Division of algebraic terms

When dividing algebraic terms, we need to consider the expanded form of each term.

Example 1

​  −9a b
3 4
Simplify: ______ ​ (a, b ≠ 0)
3ab
3

Solution
−9a3b4
​ ______ ​  −9 × a    
× a × a × b × b × b × b​
​ = ____________________________
   
3ab3 3×a×b×b×b

It is not always necessary to write out the expanded version. It is usually enough to
simply understand what is meant by each term. Just as we did with multiplication, it
is helpful to deal with the signs first, then the coefficients and finally the variables.
Signs: (−) ÷ (+) = −
Coefficients: 9 ÷ 3 = 3
a3
Variables: ​ __a ​means that we would cancel the a in the denominator with an a in
a2
the numerator, leaving ​ __1
.
​
b
​  1b ​(or we could use the law of exponents to get b4 − 3 = b)
4
​ __ ​ = __
3
b
−9a b
3 4
∴ ​ ______
3 ​
3ab
= −3a2b
​ aa ​.
​ 2aa ​and __
2
It is important to note the difference between ___
2a ​= _____
​ ___ ​  2 × a
a a ​= 2, where the a in the denominator can cancel with a in the numerator,
leaving 2.

​  a ×
​  aa ​ = _____ a
2
__
a ​= a, where the a in the denominator can cancel with an a in the
numerator, leaving a.

Term 2 Week 2 Chapter 9 Algebraic expressions 2 109

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 109 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Example 2
x9y12
Simplify: ____
​  4 3 ​ (x, y ≠ 0)
xy
Solution
x 9 4 xs in the denominator cancel with 4 xs in the numerator,
​ __ ​ = x5 leaving 5 xs still in the numerator, or x9 – 5 = x5.
x 4

y12
​ ___3 ​ = y9 3 ys in the denominator cancel with 3 ys in the numerator,
y leaving 9 ys still in the numerator, or x12 – 3 = x9.

x9y12
​ ____ ​= x5y9
xy4 3

Exercise 9.11

1. Determine the following (assume that all variables are positive):

5 10
4 y −y
​  x2 ​
a) __ b) __
​  3 ​ c) ____
​  5 ​
x y y
7
​  12a2 ​
5
​  4x2 ​
12
d) ___ e) ____ ​  −8a 2 ​
f) _____
2x 3a −4a
2 4 5
​  x2 ​
g) __ ​  x 4 ​
h) ___ i) ​  −6a ​
____
x 3x 2a5
__ 2 y3 6
j) ​  x ​ k) __
​  4 ​ l) ___
​  −x ​
x 4
y x8
2 3x2y3z4
​  −4x3 ​
m) ____ n) ________
​  ​
−2x −12x3y4z5

Exercise 9.12

1. Simplify (assume that no denominator is equal to zero):

3 3
a4 −2x y
​  14
3
​  −36xx ​
a) ____ b) ____
−7a
​ c) _____
​  −xy ​
8 6
​  12e4 f7 ​
3 2 2
​  −6a4 ​
d) ____ e) _____ ​  −5m2 n4 ​
f) ______
−2a 6e f 5m n
2 4 5 4
​  4a 3b ​
g) ____ ​  12de 3 ​
h) _____ i) ​  6a b ​
_______
2a c −8de −12a6b2
2 2
−x yz 2 3 4
​ _______ k) _____ ​  −18a b c ​
________
8 7 2
−12a b c
j) −3a6b6c6
​ ​  3 ​ l) 24abc
3xyz
2 4 2 5
​  20a3b5 ​
m) _____ ​  12a2b3 ​
n) _____
10a b 24a b
16x3
2. Calculate the value of ​ ____
5
​ for:
– 4x
a) x = 1 b) x = –2

110 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 110 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Example 3
4x + 8x 3 5
a) Simplify: ​ _______
2
​ (x ≠ 0)
2x
b) S how, by using substitution, that the original expression and the simplified
expression are equivalent, provided that x ≠ 0.
Solution
4x + 8x 4x
​  8x2 ​
3 5 3 5
a) ​ ________​ = ​ ___ ​ + ___
2x
2 2
2x 2x These are unlike terms and the expression therefore
= 2x + 4x3 cannot be simplified further.

4(−1)3 + 8(−1)5
​  4x +28x ​ = ____________
3 5
b) Let x = −1:  ________ ​    ​
2
2x 2(−1)
−4 − 8
= ​ ______
2
​
= −6
2x + 4x 3
= 2(−1) + 4(−1)3
= −2 + 4(−1)
= −2 − 4
= −6
In both cases, when substituting x = −1, we get the value of the expression as − 6.
4x + 8x 3 5
Note that ​ ________​is not defined when x = 0, but 2x + 4x3 is defined when x = 0.
2
2x

Exercise 9.13

1. Simplify the following. Assume that no variable is equal to zero.

x+8 a + 12 a + 5b
a) ​  4_____
4
​ b) ​  6_______
6
​ c) ​  10
_______
5
​
+ 14b
d) ​  7a
3
− a2 4 7
_______
7
​ e) ​  a______
a ​ f) ​  x_____
−x
2
​
x
y5 + y8 a – 8a
3 2
​  4_______
9 6
g) ​  _____ ​ h) ​  b______
−b
​ i) 2a
​
y7 3
b
a + 5a
2
b – 24b2
3
6x – 18x ​
​  15 k) ​  8________
7 4
j) ________ ​ ​ l) _________
​  −
−5a 4b 2
−3x

11a4 – 22a2 ​ a2 – 18a3 a2b + 8ab2

__________
m) ​  − 3 n) ​  15
_________
−9a
​ o) ​  4_________
2ab
​
11a
a2c2 – 18a5c6 15x y + 5xy + 20xy
2 2 3 4
14a4b2 + 7a2b3 ​
p) ​  12
____________
   ​ q) ​  ________________
   ​ _____________
r) ​  −
   3
2
−6ac 2
5y −7a b

c5d2 + 9c2d3 c d + 4cd − 8c d

3 2 2 2
s) ​  18
___________
   3 4
​ t) ​  16
_______________
      2 2
​
−9c d −8c d
3 6
4x – 8x
2. Calculate the value of ​ ______
2x3
​ for:
a) x = 2
b) x = –2

Term 2 Week 1 Chapter 9 Algebraic expressions 2 111

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 111 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Determining squares and cubes of algebraic expressions
The square of a number is the result of multiplying that number by itself.
The cube of a number is the result of multiplying that number by itself twice.
Algebraic terms that are squared and cubed are dealt with in exactly the same way.
(4)2 = 4 × 4 = 16
(4)3 = 4 × 4 × 4 = 64
(xy)2 = xy × xy = x2y2
(xy)3 = xy × xy × xy = x3y3
When the term consists of both numerals and variables, we apply the same process to both.

Example 1 Example 2
Simplify: (3x2y)2 Simplify: (− 4a3b)2

Solution Solution
(3x2y)2 = 3x2y × 3x2y (− 4a3b)2 = (− 4a3b) × (− 4a3b)
= 9x4y2 = 16a6b2

Exercise 9.14

1. Simplify:
a) (x)3 b) (x2)3 c) (x3)2
d) (2a2)2 e) (−3a3)2 f) (2ab)2
g) (2a3)2 h) (2a2b3)3 i) (−3x2y2)3
j) −(2a5)2 k) 2(3a2)3 l) −3(ab)3
m) (2x)2(2x)3 n) (−3b)3(−2a)3 o) (2b4)2(−3b3)2

Determining square roots and cube roots of algebraic expressions

____
You know that √​ 121 ​ = 11 because 11 × 11 = 121.
____
Note: By convention, √​ 121 ​ = +11 and not –11, even though 121 = (–11) × (–11).
3
___
Also, √​ 64 ​ = 4 because 4 × 4 × 4 = 64.
__
In the same way, provided x ≥ 0, ​√x2 ​ = x because x × x = x2.
__
Also, √​ y3 ​ = y because y × y × y = y3.
3

We can check our answer by squaring or cubing it – we should get the number we
started with.

112 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 112 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Example 1 Example 2
______ 3
______
Simplify: √​ x2y4z6 ​ for x, y, z ≥ 0 Simplify: √​ 27x3z6 ​

Solution Solution

We ask, ‘What expression would we Ask, ‘What expression would we need to

multiply by itself to get x2y4z6?’ multiply by itself twice to get 27x3z6?’
Although the numbers 2 and 6 are not
perfect squares, they don’t need to be (x) × (x) × (x) = x3,
since we are not trying to find the square z2 × z2 × z2 = z6 and
roots of 2 and 6 – we are trying to find 3 × 3 × 3 = 33 = 27
the square root of x2 and z6. 3
______
x × x = x2, y2 × y2 = y4 and z3 × z3 = z6 ∴ √​ 27x3z6 ​
______ = 3xz2
∴ √​ x2y4z6 ​ = xy2z3

To find the square root, we

Note: We divide each exponent by 2. divide each exponent by 2.
When we have a coefficient as in ​
________
To find the cube root, we
divide each exponent by 3.
√25x y z  ​, we still need to
2 4 6
find the square
________
root of the coefficient: √​ 25x2y4z6 ​ = 5xy2z3.
This is because 25 = 52.

Exercise 9.15

1. Determine the following (assume that all variables are positive):

____
____ ______
√_______
2 4
9x y
a) ​√ 4x2 ​ b) ​√ 16x4y2 ​ c) ​ ____
​  8 ​ ​
z
____ ________
√​ _______
3 9
​  27m n ​ ​
3 3 −
d) √​ 8x3 ​ e) √​ 27a6b9c3 ​ f) 3
27
q
__ __ _______ __ __
3 3
g) √​ x2 ​ × √​ x4 ​ h) √​ x2 × x4 ​ i) √​ y3 ​ × √​ y6 ​
_______ __________ ____ _____
3
j) √​ y3 × y6 ​ k) ​√ 9x2 + 16x2 ​
   l) ​√9x2 ​ + √​ 16x2 ​
2. Determine the following (assume that all variables are positive):
____________ __________________
3
a) ​√13x
   4
– (–3x4) ​ b) √​ 2a
  6
– 4a6 – (–10a6) ​
________________________ _____
c) ​√2x
   × x + 8x × 2x – (–7x2) ​ d) (​√16x2 ​)2
_____ 3
_____
e) ​√16x16 ​ f) √​ 27x27 ​
____ _____
g) ​(√​ 8x3 ​  )3​
3
h) ​√(2x2) ​2
___ ____
i) ​( √​ 7x ​  )2​ j) √( )
​ ​ _​  xy ​  2​  ​

Term 2 Week 1 Chapter 9 Algebraic expressions 2 113

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 113 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Check your skills
Exercise 9.16

Assume that all variables below are non-zero or positive, as required.

1. Simplify:
a) 4a – 6a b) a + 3a – 7a
c) –2d – 3b + 5b d) –5f – 5 + 2f – 3
e) 7a – (–3a) f) – a – (–2a)
g) (–3ab) + (–ab) h) (–3ab)(–ab)
i) –2x – 7x j) (–2x)(–7x)

2. Simplify:
a) –2a – 4a b) –2a – (– 4a)
c) (–2a)(– 4a) d) (7x2)(–2x2)
e) 7x2 – 2x2 f) 7x2 – (–2x2)
g) (3a × 5a) – (– a × 4a) h) 14a2 ÷ 2a – 8a
( ________)
4 2 2
–25x y
i) (–2x)3(2x)2 j) ​​ ______
​  –5 ​  ​​ ​

(– 4x4 3
k) ​​ ​ ____
2 )
​  ​​ ​ l) ​√x4 + 8x4 ​

3. Simplify:
a) 2(x + y) b) –2x(a + b)
c) 3x2(–2x – 3y) d) – 4a2b2(–a – b)
e) –(x + y) f) – 4a2(a2 – 2a)
_________
3p2q2r3 – 15pqr ​√36x y z  ​
2 4 16
g) ​  ____________
   ​
–3pqr
h) ​ ________
2 4
​
3xy z
4 Find the value of the following expressions when a = –3, b = – 4 and c = 2.
a) 2ac b) a2 − b c) 2a − 4b + 3c
d) a + b − c
2 2 2
e) (a − b) 2
f) a(b + c)

5. a) Add 2a + 3b to 4a – 2b.
b) Add 6x2 + 2x and – 4x2 – x.
c) Subtract 2x2 + 2x from 6x2 + 4x.
d) Add 3a – 2b + 5c, – 6a + 3b – c and 5a – 2b – 2c.
e) Subtract 3a – 2b + c from –7a + 2b – 3c.

114 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 114 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Extend your skills
Exercise 9.17

1. Simplify:
a) 2​x2​​( ​x2​  − 3x − 1 )​  − ​x3​​( 2x − 5 )​  + x​( 2x − 3 )​
b) 3a​( ​a2​  − 2a + 1 )​  − 2a​( 3​a2​  + 4a − 3 )​  − 5​a2​​( a + 2 )​
​ 2​b​( ab − b − 3 )​  + 3a​( ab + a​b2​  − 2a )​  − ​a2​​( a​b2​  − 6 )​
c) a
d) 3x − ​( 4x − 2 )​  − 3x​( 5x + 2 )​  − 2​x2​

2. a) From the sum of −4a − 2b and −2a + 5b, subtract −6a − b.

b) Multiply the sum of x​ 2​  − 1 and −3​x2​  + 4 by −2.
c) Subtract the sum of 3x − 4 and −2x − 5 from 7x − 10.
d) From x​ 2​  − 2x − 6, subtract 3​x2​  − 6x − 2 and then multiply the difference by 2.
e) Subtract the sum of a − b, −b + 2 and −3a + 1 from 1.
3. Use algebra to prove that:
a) a two digit number consisting of the same two digits (e.g. 88) is always
divisible by 11 (Hint: 88 = 10 × 8 + 8)
b) a four digit number in which the first two digits are the same as the last
two (e.g. 3 131) is always divisible by 101
c) a six digit number in which the first three digits are repeated (e.g. 351 351)
is always divisible by 7, 11 and 13.
4. Substitute all the whole numbers from 1 to 10 in turn into the expression​
n2​  + n + 11. What do you notice about the values you get? Does this prove that
you will always get the same kind of number, no matter what whole number
you use? (Try n = 10 or 11.)

 Chapter 9 Algebraic expressions 2 115

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 115 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

10 Algebraic
equations 2
In this chapter you will learn about:
zz Solving equations using additive and multiplicative inverses
zz Determining the equivalence of equations to obtain the most useful representation of
a situation.

Solving equations by inverse operations

Not all equations can be solved by inspection only.

Most equations require several steps. To solve more complex equations we engage in a
process of ‘undoing’, which in mathematics is known as using inverse operations.
The examples and exercises that follow focus on the use of inverse operations and the
order in which you need to apply them to solve an equation.

Example 1
Simphiwe has R750 in his savings account.
He saves R250 at the end of each month.
Simphiwe wants to know how long it would take to save a total of R3 000.
Simphiwe draws the arrow diagram ? ➞ × 250 ➞ + 750 ➞ 3 000 to represent
the number of months he will need to save in order to reach his goal of R3 000.
He explains his reasoning as follows:
• If you have to save R3 000, how much would you have to
save without the R750 you already have?
He subtracts R750 from R3 000 and gets R2 250.
• For how many months do you need to save R250 to
get the total R2 250? He divides 2 250 by 250.

Solution
We can follow
Simphiwe’s reasoning
on the arrows running at
Doing
the bottom of the flow × 250 + 750
diagram alongside.
? 3 000

÷ 250 – 750 Undoing

116 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 116 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Note
zz Addition and subtraction are inverse operations.
zz Multiplication and division are inverse operations.
Consider the pairs of operations indicated by the arrows below:
a) b)
+4 +6 ÷2

x 11 y 17

–4 –6 ×2
The diagrams show inverse operations. The effect of the operations at the bottom is
to undo what those at the top do. The equations represented by the arrow diagrams
(according to the operations at the top) are:
y+6
a) x + 4 = 11 b) (y + 6) ÷ 2 = 17 or ​ _____
2
​ = 17
The solutions obtained, using the inverse operations at the bottom, are:
a) x = 11 – 4 = 7 b) y = 17 × 2 – 6 = 28

Example 2 Example 3
Consider the given arrow diagram. Consider the given arrow diagram.
Complete the inverse operation to find the Complete the inverse operations to find the
number represented by x in the box. number represented by y in the box.
–5 ×2 +6

x 8 y 14

Solution Solution
Using the bottom arrow (the implied Using the bottom arrows (the implied
inverse operation), the solution is: inverse operations), the solution is:
x = 8 + 5 = 13 y = (14 − 6) ÷ 2
The equation we solved is: =4
x−5=8 The equation we solved is:
2y + 6 = 14

Exercise 10.1

1. Determine the number represented by the letter in each box:

a) +4 b) ×7

x 1 y 154

Term 2 Week 3 Chapter 10 Algebraic equations 2 117

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 117 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 c) d)
×2 +4 +4 ×2

x 18 y 18

e) f)
–7 ÷3 ÷3 –7

x 18 y 18

2. Write down the equation which you solved in each case above.

3. Draw an arrow diagram to illustrate each equation below and then solve the
equation.
a) a × 2 + 15 = 27 b) ​ _3a ​ − 4 = 4
+2
c) (n + 3) × 4 − 17 = 23 d) ​  5a
______
3
​ = 19
−5
e) 2(3c + 12) + 11 = 101 f) ​  b_____
6
​ − 20 = 15
g) m2 = 64 (there are two solutions)

4. Use arrow diagrams to create three equations yourself and then challenge a
classmate to solve them.

Equivalent equations
Eat healthy
Mr Green, who owns a small fruit and vegetable store, uses
an old-fashioned balance with two pans and only four
standard masses: a 3 kg, two 4 kg and a 6 kg. Mr Green is
able to measure any mass from 1 kg to 15 kg.
To measure 3 kg of aubergines Mr Green could use any of
these three methods:
Picture Equation
a) x=3

b)

x+3=6

c)
x+3+4=6+4

118 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 118 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Can you see that the second balance is really the same as the first with a 3 kg mass
added to each pan? How is the third balance related to the second balance?
In each case the mass of the aubergines is the same (3 kg) and the solution of the
equation is x = 3.
Equations such as these, which are different from one another but have the same
solution, are said to be equivalent.
We can use the idea of balancing in solving equations.
Examine the following equivalent equations below.
We start with a very simple equation (x = 13) and ‘change’ it while still preserving the balance.
x = 13 ➀
x + 6 = 13 + 6
x + 6 = 19 ➁
(x + 6) × 3 = 19 × 3
3x + 18 – 17 = 57 – 17
3x + 1 = 40 ➂
3x + 1 40
​ _____
10
​ = __
​  10 ​
3x + 1
​ _____
10
​ = 4 ➃
Examine the equivalent equations ➀ – ➃ above. All of them have the same solution.

Note
There is no limit to the number of equivalent equations that we could form. We just
need to keep to the following rules:
1. Add the same number to both sides of the equation.
2. Subtract the same number from both sides of the equation.
3. Multiply both sides of the equation by the same number.
4. Divide both sides of the equation by the same number (but not by zero).
Finding equivalent equations gives us a method for solving equations that cannot be
done by inspection or inverse operations that easily.

Using these rules and

your knowledge of inverse
operations, you can solve
more complex equations.

Term 2 Week 3 Chapter 10 Algebraic equations 2 119

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 119 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Solving equations using additive and multiplicative inverses

Example 1 Example 2

Solve for y: 10 = y − 2 Solve for x: 1 − 2x = 5

Solution Solution
Our aim is to get y on its own: Subtract 1 from both sides.
10 = y − 2 1 − 2x = 5
10 + 2 = y − 2 + 2 1 − 2x − 1 = 5 − 1
12 = y − 2x = 4
∴ y = 12 Divide both sides by −2:
− 2x 4
​ ____
− 2x
​ = ​ ___
−2
​
∴ x = −2

Exercise 10.2

1. Solve each of the following equations by using inverse operations.

a) x + 9 = 2 b) −x + 9 = 2 c) −x − 9 = 2
d) 5 − x = −1 e) 12 − y = −2 f) 3 = −y + 5
g) 2x + 4 = 10 h) 2x + 4 = −10 i) 3x + 2 = −10
j) 4x − 4 = 16 k) 5 + 5x = 20 l) 6 + 6x = 30
m) 0 = 12x + 60 n) 17x + 34 = 0 o) 0 = 30 + 5x
p) 2x − 1 = 0 q) 3x − 1 = 4 r) 5 − 3x = 10
s) 3x + 2 = 17 t) 5x − 7 = 28

120 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 120 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Solving more complex equations

Example 1

Solve for x if 6x + 4 = 4x + 12 and check your solution.

Solution
6x + 4 = 4x + 12
6x + 4 − 4x = 4x + 12 − 4x Subtract 4x from both sides.
2x + 4 = 12 (We have created an equivalent equation with all the
x terms being on one side of the equation.)

2x + 4 − 4 = 12 − 4 Subtract 4 from both sides.

2x = 8
2x
​ __
2
​  82 ​
​ = __ Divide both sides by 2.
Check:
When x = 4:
LHS = 6(4) + 4 RHS = 4(4) + 12
= 24 + 4 = 16 + 12
= 28 = 28
LHS = RHS ∴ Solution is correct.

Example 2

Solve the equation 2 − 3y = 7 − y and check your solution.

Solution
2 − 3y =7−y
2 − 3y + y =7−y+y Add y to both sides.
2 − 2y =7 Collect like terms.
2 − 2y − 2 =7−2 Subtract 2 from both sides.
− 2y =5
5 −2y
​ ____
−2
​ = ​ ___
−2
​ Divide both sides by −2.
5
y = − ​ __
2
​
Check:
5
When y = − ​ __
2
​:
−5
LHS = 2 − 3​ ​ ___
2 ( )
​  ​ RHS = 7 − ​ ___ ( )
​  −25 ​  ​
​  15 ​
= 2 + ___ 2
​  52 ​
= 7 + __
4 + 15
= ​ ______
2
​ ​  14 2+ 5 ​
= ______
19
= ​ ___
2
​ ​  19
= ___ 2
​
LHS = RHS ∴ Solution is correct.

Term 2 Week 3 Chapter 10 Algebraic equations 2 121

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 121 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Note
1. Y
 ou need not write the explanatory sentences as in the examples above, such as
‘Add – 4x to both sides’.
2. Try to align the = signs.
3. Simplify each side of the equation by collecting like terms.
 xamine both sides of the equation. In the example above, where 6x + 4 = 4x + 12,
4. E
we want to solve for x. To start with, get all the terms with x on the left-hand side.
We must subtract 4x from both sides of the equation to remove the 4x from the
right-hand side of the equation.
 e arrive at the equivalent equation 2x + 4 = 12.
5. W
Examine the LHS, which contains the x term. To get x on its own, we use inverse
operations and subtract 4 from both sides, and then we divide both sides by 2.

Exercise 10.3

1. Solve the following equations and check your solutions.

a) 2x = x + 1 b) 3x = 4 − x c) 4x = 3 − 2x
d) 5 = 2 − x e) x = 5x + 4 f) −3x = 2x + 10
g) −x = 3x + 8 h) −4 = −3x + 8 i) x + 1 − 3x = −7
j) 4x = 3x + 5 k) 6x = 5x + 6 l) 3x = 2x + 1
m) 8x = 7x − 9 n) 5x = 3x + 2 o) 6x = 4x + 10
p) 4x + 4 = 3x + 3 q) 5x + 2 = 4x − 9 r) 7x − 3 = 6x − 4

Solving equations with brackets and fractions

Example 1

Solve the equation 3(x + 2) = 10 and check your solution.

Solution
3(x + 2) = 10
3x + 6 = 10 Distribute 3 into the bracket.

3x = 4 Subtract 6 from both sides.

x= ​  43 ​
__
Divide both sides by 3.

Check:
LHS = 3(x + 2) RHS = 10
4
= 3(​ __
3
​+ 2)
=4+6
= 10
LHS = RHS
∴ Solution is correct.

122 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 122 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Example 2
2 − 3y
Solve for y if _____
​  7 ​ = 2.

Solution

(2 − 3y) ÷ 7 = 2 The fraction line acts like a bracket.

​  2 − 3y ​ × 7 = 2 × 7
_____ Divide each term in the bracket by 7, and
7 multiply both sides by 7.

∴ 2 − 3y = 14

2 − 3y − 2 = 14 – 2 Subtract 2 from both sides.

∴ − 3y = 12
−3y 12
​ ___
−3
​ = ___
​  −3
​ Divide both sides by –3.

∴ y = −4

Exercise 10.4

1. Solve each equation and check your answers.

2p
3w
a) ​ __
5
​=9 b) −​ __
3
​=8
5q
c) −​ __
6
​ = 10 d) 3(x + 1) = 9

e) 2(x − 1) = 6 f) −(x − 1) = 5

g) −2(x − 1) = −4 h) 3(x + 2) = 2(x + 1)

i) 5(x − 1) = 4(x − 2) j) 2(2 − x) = 3(x + 3)

k) 5(p − 1) − (1 − 2p) = 8 l) 10 − 4(2x + 3) = 5 − 3(x − 1)

m) 10x − 4(2x + 3) = 5 − 3(x − 1) n) (7x − 8) − (5x + 11) = 13

o) 3 = ​  2_____
−m
5
​ p) ​  2x −1
_____
3
​=2
y
q) 1 + __
​  2 ​ = 3 r) −​  3_____
− 2z
5
​=1

Term 2 Week 3 Chapter 10 Algebraic equations 2 123

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 123 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Solving equations using the laws of exponents

Example 1

Solve for x if x2 = 4 and check your solution.

Solution
We have to find all possible solutions of the equation.
By inspection, 2 is a solution since 2 × 2 = 4, but so is (−2) × (−2) = 4.

x2 = 4 __ __
Using inverse operations: The inverse of squaring is
∴ x = +​√4 ​ or x = −​√4 ​ taking the square roots (both positive and negative).
∴ x = 2 or x = −2
__
We write this as x = ±​√4 ​ = ±2.

Check
LHS = x2 = (2)2 = 4 = RHS and LHS = x2 = (−2)2 = 4 = RHS
LHS = RHS
∴ Both solutions are correct.

Exercise 10.5

Solve for x:
a) x2 = 1 b) x2 = 9 c) x2 = 25 d) x2 = 36
e) x2 = 16 f) x2 + 1 = 10 g) x2 − 52 = 122 h) x3 = 8
3 __
i) x3 = −1 j) ​ x ​
√ + 15 = 79

Creating and working with mathematical models

Many practical problems which have numerical solutions can be solved once an
equation has been formed. An equation is an example of a mathematical model.
This summary is important when attempting the exercises that follow:
• Consecutive integers: x; x + 1; x + 2; ... or …; x – 1; x; x + 1
• Consecutive even integers: 2x; 2x + 2; 2x + 4; ...
• Consecutive odd integers: 2x + 1; 2x + 3; 2x + 5; ...
• Area of a rectangle = lb l

b
• Perimeter of a rectangle = 2(l + b)

124 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 124 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 • Supplementary angles add up to 180º.
• Complementary angles add up to 90º.
• The sum, difference, product and quotient are the answers to addition, subtraction,
multiplication and division problems respectively.
• Total cost = (item cost) × (number of items)

Example 1
If Thandi knits one more square, she will have knitted twice as many as Isabel.
At present they have knitted 35 squares in total for the Warm in Winter charity drive.
How many has Isabel knitted?

Solution
1. Read the problem again in order to understand the context.
The important phrases are:
a) one more: add or subtract one
b) twice as many: multiply by 2
c) have 35: means equals 35
d) in total: add
2. Set up a mathematical model.
We are asked how many squares Isabel has knitted.
Let the number that Isabel has knitted be x.
Then the number that Thandi has knitted is 2x − 1.
Together they have knitted x + (2x − 1).
But they have knitted 35 squares in total,
∴ x + 2x − 1 = 35.
3. Solve the equation.
3x − 1 = 35
3x − 1 + 1 = 35 + 1
3x = 36
3x 36
​ __ 3
​ = ​ __
3
​
x = 12
∴ Isabel has knitted 12 squares.
4. Check the answer by substituting it back into the question.
If Isabel has knitted 12 squares, Thandi will have knitted 2 × 12 − 1 = 23
squares.
Together they have knitted 12 + 23 = 35 squares.
This agrees with the information given.

Term 2 Week 3 Chapter 10 Algebraic equations 2 125

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 125 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Note
zz Steps 1 to 4 on the previous page are useful in solving any problem.
Follow them when doing the exercise below.
zz Always give the final answer in a full sentence.

Exercise 10.6

Set up an equation from the information given in each case and then solve the
equation.
1. When twice a certain number is subtracted from 11, the result is 5.
What is the number?
2. There are 7 more boys than girls in a class of 33 learners.
How many girls are there?

3. If I add the dates of the days before and after my

birthday to my birth date, I get a total of 15.
On what date do I celebrate my birthday?

4. Lerato is 5 years older than Nobanzi.

The sum of their ages is 33.
How old is Lerato?
5. The soccer team Pirates won 14 games more than it lost during the last season.
Find the number of games won and lost by Pirates during this season if a total of
twenty games were played.
6. At netball trials, Angel scored twice as many goals as Phindi.
If they scored 12 goals in total, how many goals did Phindi score?
7. Mpho cuts a 12 m length of rope into two pieces so
that one piece is three times as long as the other. How
long is the shorter piece?
8. Mandla and Kefilwe want to decrease their carbon
footprint.
They want to get to school by any means that does
not use fuel. Mandla walks x km to school, while
Kefilwe cycles 7 km.
Together they travel a distance of 15 km. How far
does Mandla have to walk to school each day?

126 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 126 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Check your skills
Exercise 10.7

Solve for x:
1. a) x + 2 = −14 b) 5 + x = −3
c) 3x + 5 = 11 d) 7 − x = 12
e) −3x = −2x + 9 f) 3 = 15 + 2x
g) 7 = 10 − 3x h) 4x − 7 = −x + 13
x
i) −2x = −12 j) ​__
3
​= −1
5x
k) ​___​ = 10
−2
l) 4x + 9 + 6x = −5x − 21
m) 5 + (x − 3) = x + 2 n) 3(2 − x) = −(x − 4)
o) −2(x + 3) − (5 − x) = 12

2. The solutions to the equations x + 3 = 12 and x − 2(x + 5) = x − 28

are the same. Explain how this is possible.

3. You open your Mathematics text book.

You determine that the sum of the page number on the left and the one on the
right is 333. Which two pages did you open to?
4. The netball team of Mvelaphanda Secondary School scored 15, 19, 24, 28, 21
and 28 goals in 6 matches. The netball team from Eqinisweni Secondary School
has already played 7 matches and the average scored per match is 22.
What is the minimum number of goals that Mvelaphanda should score in their
7th match in order to equal the average set by Eqinisweni?
5. Hazel spent 15 minutes more time watching television than
doing homework. The two activities took 2 hours and
45 minutes. How long did she watch television?
6. In the soccer league, three points are awarded for a win
and one for a draw.
My team has won twice as many games as it has drawn.
If we have 28 points, how many games have we drawn?
7. Sdudla is practising for a Guinness record.
He can eat 54 bananas in 3 hours.
Each hour he eats 4 fewer than during the
previous hour.
How many bananas does he eat during the
last hour?

Chapter 10 Algebraic equations 2 127

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 127 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

11 Geometric
constructions 1
In this chapter you will learn about:
zz Constructing geometric diagrams using a pair of compasses, a ruler and a protractor
zz Bisecting the angles of a triangle
zz Constructing angles of 45°, 30° and 60°
zz Constructing triangles and investigating the interior and exterior angles of a triangle
zz Exploring the minimum conditions for two triangles to be congruent
zz Investigating sides, angles and diagonals in quadrilaterals
zz Exploring the sum of the angles of polygons.

Constructing angles

Certain angles can be constructed without measuring them

by means of a protractor.
We will use a ruler and a pair of compasses to construct
these angles.

Bisecting an angle
Bisecting an angle means cutting an angle in half.
A

1. Draw any angle Aˆ

BC.
B C

A
2. Place the compass point on point B.

B C

A
Q
3. Draw an arc which cuts AB and BC at Q and P.

B C
P

128 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 128 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 11 4. Without changing the compass width, place the
compass point on point P and draw an arc.
Q
A

B C
P

5. Without changing the compass width, place A

the compass point on point Q and draw an arc
R
which cuts the arc drawn in step 4 at R. Q
B C
P
A

6. Using a ruler, draw line BR. R

Aˆ
BR = Cˆ BR B C

Constructing a perpendicular at a point on a line

1. A is a point on the line. A

2. Placing the compass point at A, draw arcs which B C

cut the line at B and C. A

D
3. Widening the compasses slightly, draw arcs
above the line from points B and C so that they
cut at D. B C
A

D
4. Join AD.
AD⊥BC and Dˆ
AB = Dˆ
AC = 90º
B C
A

Constructing an angle of 45o

D
Construct Dˆ
AC = 90º as described above. E
Bisect Dˆ
AC.
Then DˆAE = Eˆ
AC = 45º. B C
45°
A

Term 2 Week 4 Chapter 11 Geometric constructions 129

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 129 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Contructing a perpendicular from a point to a line
C•

1. Draw line AB.

A B

C•

2. Place the compass point on point C and draw an

arc which cuts line AB in D and E.
A B
D E

C•

3. Placing the compass point at point D, draw an

A B
arc below line AB. D E

C•

4. Keeping the same compass width, place the

compass point on point E and draw an arc
A B
below line AB to intersect the arc drawn in D E
step 3.
Label this point F.

F
C•

5. Join points C and F so that line CF cuts AB at G. G

Line CF is perpendicular to AB and A B
D E
AGˆC = CˆGB = 90º.

130 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 130 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Constructing a 60° angle

1. Draw line segment AB. A B

2. Placing the compass point at point

A, draw an arc which cuts AB at C.
A B
C

3. Without adjusting the compass width, place the

compass point at point C and draw an arc which
cuts the first arc drawn at D.
A B
C

4. Draw line AD.

A B
C

5. Dˆ
AB measures 60°.

60°
A B
C

Constructing a 30° angle

Note that by joining CD, an equilateral triangle (△DAC) is formed.
Since AC = CD = AB, all the angles in this triangle are 60°.

E
D
Construct a 60º angle.
Bisect the 60º angle.
Dˆ
AE = Eˆ AB = 30°
A 30° B
C

Exercise 11.1

1. Using a ruler, draw any angle. Bisect this angle using a pair of compasses.
2. Using a protractor, draw a 50° angle.
Bisect this angle using a pair of compasses.
Measure these angles with a protractor to check that each is equal to 25°.
3. Construct an angle of:
a) 60° b) 30° c) 45° d) 15°.

Term 2 Week 4 Chapter 11 Geometric constructions 131

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 131 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 4. a) Construct line segment BC = 60 mm.
b) Without using a protractor, construct a 60° angle at B and a 30° angle at C.
Let the arms of the two angles intersect at point A.
c) Measure Bˆ
AC.
d) What type of triangle is △ABC?

Constructing triangles
When constructing triangles, draw a rough sketch of the triangle first to give you some
idea of what ait will look like.

1. Constructing a triangle given the lengths of all three sides

Draw triangle ABC with AB = 10 cm, AC = 7 cm and BC = 6 cm.
Rough sketch: C
7 cm
6 cm

A B
10 cm

1. Using your ruler, draw a line

longer than 10 cm. Use a pair of A B
compasses to measure 10 cm and
mark off AB = 10 cm.

2. Using a pair of compasses,

measure a length of 7 cm.

3. Place the compass point at A and

draw an arc.
Ensure that the arc is long enough
so that it will intersect with the arc
drawn in step 4. A B

C
4. Using a pair of compasses,
measure a length of 6 cm.
Place the compass point at
B and draw an arc which cuts the
first arc at point C. A
B

7 cm 6 cm
5. Using a ruler, join AC and BC.
A B
8 cm

132 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 132 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 11.2

1. a) Construct △ABC so that AB = 6 cm, AC = 4 cm and BC = 5 cm.

b) E
 xtend AB, BC and CA by 2 cm each to D, E and F respectively, as shown in
E
the diagram. C
4 cm 5 cm
A D
6 cm B
F

c) Measure the size of the angles listed in the table below.

B​ˆ
A​C A​ˆ
B​C A​ˆ
C​B F​ˆ
A​B C​ˆ
B​D E​ˆ
C​A

 ote: F​ˆ
N B​D and E​ˆ
A​B, C​ˆ C​A are called exterior angles of the triangle, whereas
ˆ ˆ ˆ
B​A​C, A​B​C and A​C​B are the interior angles of △ABC.
d) Using the measurements in 1c), complete the table below.
B​ˆ B​C + A​ˆ
A​C + A​ˆ C​B B​C + A​ˆ
A​ˆ C​B F​ˆ
A​B

A​B + A​ˆ
C​ˆ C​B C​ˆ
B​D

C​ˆ
A​B + A​ˆ
B​C E​ˆ
C​A

e) What conclusion do you arrive at?

2. a) Construct △PQR so that PQ = 8 cm, PR = 5 cm and QR = 6 cm.

b) Produce PQ to D, QR to E and PR to F.
c) Measure the interior as well as the exterior angles of the triangle.
Q​ˆ
P​R P​ˆ
Q​R P​ˆ
R​Q F​ˆ
P​Q R​ˆ
Q​D E​ˆ
R​P

d) Using the measurements in question 2c), complete the table below.

P​R + P​ˆ
Q​ˆ Q​R + P​ˆ
R​Q P​ˆ
Q​R + P​ˆ
R​Q F​ˆ
P​D

Q​ˆ
P​R + P​ˆ
R​Q R​ˆ
Q​D

P​R + P​ˆ
Q​ˆ Q​R E​ˆ
R​P

e) What conclusion do you come to?

Term 2 Week 4 Chapter 11 Geometric constructions 133

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 133 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 3. a) Construct △DEF so that DE = 40 mm, EF = 50 mm and DF = 30 mm.
b) Measure each of the angles of △DEF.
c) Determine the sum of the interior angles.
d) What conclusion do you arrive at?

2. Constructing a triangle given two angles and the length of one side
Draw triangle ABC with AB = 8 cm, ˆA = 50° and ˆ
B = 75°.
Rough sketch: C

B
A

1. Using your ruler and a pair 2. Place your protractor at 3. Place your protractor at
of compasses, draw line point A and draw an angle point B and draw an angle
segment AB so that it is of 50°. of 75° to cut the line drawn
equal to 8 cm. in step 2. The point where
the two lines intersect is C.
C

A B

A B A B

3. Constructing a triangle given the lengths of two sides and one angle
Draw triangle ABC with AB = 60 mm, AC = 40 mm and ˆ A = 50°.

1. Using your ruler and a pair of compasses, draw line A B

segment AB so that it is equal to 50 mm.

M
2. Place your protractor at point A and draw
an angle of 50°.
Use the letter M to label a point on the line drawn.
A B

M
C
3. Using a pair of compasses, measure 40 mm on a ruler.
Place the point of the compasses at point A and draw
an arc which cuts line AM at point C.
A 50° B

M
C

4. Join BC. 40 mm

A 50° B
60 mm

134 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 134 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Example

Draw triangle ABC with AB = 70 mm, CB = 50 mm and ˆ

A = 40°.

Solution

1. Using your ruler, draw a line longer than 70 mm 70 mm

and use a pair of compasses to mark off A B
AB = 70 mm.

2. Place your protractor at point A and draw an

angle of 50°.
A B

3. Using a pair of compasses, measure 50 mm on C2

a ruler. Place the point of the compasses at point
B and draw an arc. C1
You will note that the arc cuts the line in two 40°
A B
places. Call these points C1 and C2.

4. Join B and C1 to form a triangle with the given C2

measurements. Join B and C2, shown as a C1
dotted line, to form a second triangle with the
given measurements. A 40° B

Exercise 11.3

1. Construct △ABC with Bˆ

AC = 55°, Cˆ
BA = 35° and AB = 70 mm.
2. Construct △DEF with DE = 30 mm, DF = 40 mm and EF = 50 mm.
3. a) Construct △XYZ with YZ = 70 mm, XY = 50 mm and Xˆ
YZ = 60°.
b) How many different triangles can be constructed?
4. a) Construct △PQR with PQ = 60 mm, QR = 70 mm and Qˆ
RP = 30°.
b) How many different triangles can be constructed?
5. a) Construct △KLM with KL = 100 mm, KM = 60 mm and LM = 80 mm.
b) Measure each angle of △KLM.
c) Determine the sum of the angles of △KLM.
6. Construct each of the triangles shown below.
A 80 mm
a) b) P c) U
100° 30°
W

50 mm
70 mm

110° Q R V
B C 120 mm
50 mm

Term 2 Week 4 Chapter 11 Geometric constructions 135

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 135 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Quadrilaterals

Exercise 11.4 Work in groups of three or four for this exercise.

1. Look up the meaning of the following words:

a) diagonal b) vertex
c) vertices d) bisect
e) parallel f) perpendicular.
2. On tracing paper, trace and cut out the quadrilaterals below.
Square Rectangle Rhombus

Kite

Parallelogram Trapezium

136 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 136 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 3. Using the shapes that you have traced as well as a ruler, a protractor and a pair
of compasses, complete the table below.

Parallelogram
Trapezium

Rectangle
Rhombus

Square
Kite
Sides:
None
Opposite sides equal One pair
Both pairs
None
Opposite sides parallel One pair
Both pairs
None
Adjacent sides equal Two pairs
All four sides
Angles:
None
One pair
Opposite angles equal
Both pairs
All angles equal
Diagonals:
Bisect each other
Only one diagonal is bisected
Are equal in length
Bisect the angles
Only 1 diagonal bisects the angles
Are perpendicular to each other

4. Using the table in question 3, write down a list of properties for each of the
quadrilaterals represented in question 2.

Term 2 Week 4 Chapter 11 Geometric constructions 137

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 137 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Construction of rectangles and parallelograms

Exercise 11.5

1. a) Draw RS = 55 mm. At R, construct QR ⊥ RS.

Mark off QR = 30 mm.
Construct PS ⊥ RS (on the same side of RS as QR).
Mark off PS = 30 mm.
b) Draw QP.
c) Check that the diagonals, QS and PR, are equal in this rectangle.
2. a) Construct AB ⊥ BC, AB = 30 mm and BC = 60 mm. Draw AC.
b) Measure ​ˆ ˆ
​ . What do you notice about ˆ
A​and C​ A​ ​ +ˆ
​ +ˆ
B​ C​
​?
c) Draw a perpendicular to BC at C. Mark off CD = 30 mm on this
perpindicular.

Constructing regular polygons

​ 360°
For a regular polygon with n sides, the angles at the centre of its circle are each ____
n ​.

Constructing a regular pentagon:

A pentagon has five sides, so we divide 360° by 5 to determine the size of the angles:
​  360°
____
5
​ = 72°
B B B B B
C C C C

A A A A A
0 0 0 0 0

D
D D E E

1. Draw a circle with any radius.

2. Draw radius OA.
3. Placing your protractor on OA, construct an angle of 72°. Call this point B.
4. Placing your protractor on OB, construct an angle of 72°. Call this point C.
5. Draw arcs that cut the circle at points D and E.
6. Join AB, BC, CD, DE and EA.

138 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 138 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Check your skills
Exercise 11.6

1. Construct the following triangles:

a) △ABC with AB = 6 cm; BC = 7 cm; AC = 10 cm
b) △DEF with DE = 6 cm; ​ˆ
E​ = 65°; EF = 10 cm
c) △GHK with GH = 10 cm; ​ˆ
E​ = 65°; G = 28°
d) △STY with SY = 8 cm; ​ˆS​ = 90°; TY = 10 cm
e) △UVW with UV = 10 cm; ​ˆ
W​ = 60°; VW = 8 cm

2. Draw a parallelogram with the following measurements:

a) Construct DC = 8 cm.
b) Using a protractor, construct A​ˆ
D​C = 120°.
c) Mark off AD = 6 cm.
d) Draw an arc with centre A and radius = 8 cm.
e) D
 raw an arc with centre C and radius = 6 cm which cuts the arc drawn in d)
at B. Join AB and BD.
f) Measure the remaining angles of parallelogram ABCD.

3. Construct a regular octagon.

4. Do the following construction using only a ruler and a pair of compasses.

Draw AD = 10 cm.
At A, construct C​ˆ
A​D = 30° and let AC = 6 cm.
From C, construct a perpendicular which intersects AD at B. Measure A​ˆ
C​B.

 Chapter 11 Geometric constructions 139

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 139 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

12 Geometry of 2D
shapes
In this chapter you will learn about:
zz Classification of triangles
zz Applying the Theorem of Pythagoras
zz Classifying quadrilaterals and the properties of quadrilaterals
zz Proving that triangles are similar or congruent.

Triangles

Definition: A triangle is a closed shape with three straight sides.

A
Every triangle consists of three sides and three angles.
So, in △ABC, the sides are AB, BC and AC and
the angles are ˆ
A​ ​ and ˆ
​ ,ˆ
B​ C​
​ .   
B C
Classification of triangles
Triangles can be classified in terms of their sides or in terms of their angles.
Classifying triangles in terms of their sides:

Scalene Isosceles Equilateral

In a scalene triangle, the In an isosceles triangle, two In an equilateral triangle, all

lengths of all three sides of the sides of the triangle are equal three sides of the triangle are
triangle are different. in length. equal in length.

140 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 140 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Classifying triangles in terms of their angles:

Acute Right-angled Obtuse

All three angles of the triangle One angle of the triangle is a One of the angles of the triangle
are acute angles. right angle. is an obtuse angle. (The other
two angles will be acute.)

Angles of a triangle

Exercise 12.1

1. a) Complete the table below by measuring the angles in the given triangles:
C 2
(i) (ii) (iii)
B B
1

1 2 1 2 B
A A A
C C

(iv) (v)
A B

2 1
B
C
A
1 2
C

(vi) Draw any triangle of your own. Label it ABC with an exterior angle at C.
Measure the angles and record their sizes in the table below.
Size of ˆ
A​
​ Size of ​ˆ
B​ Size of ​ˆ
C​1 Size of ˆ
C​
​2 ˆ
A​ ​ +ˆ
​ +ˆ
B​ C​
​1 ˆ
​ +ˆ
A​ B​
​
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
(v)

b) What do you notice about ˆ

A​ ​ +ˆ
​ +ˆ
B​ C​
​ 1?
ˆ
​ +ˆ
c) What do you notice about A​ B​
​?

Term 2 Week 6 Chapter 12 Geometry of 2D shapes 141

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 141 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 2. a) D
 raw any triangle on a sheet of paper and mark the
angles as shown on both sides of the piece of paper.

b) Cut out the triangle.

c) Mark off points half-way along two sides.

d) Join the two points and fold along this line.

e) Fold the other two corners inwards so as to

meet at this corner.

f) Write down what you can see about the three

interior angles of a triangle.
3. a) M
 easure each of the angles of the triangles below using a protractor and
then complete the table. In each case AB = AC.
A B
(i) (ii) B C
(iii)

B C A A

(iv) A
(v) A B

B C
C

Size of ˆ
A​
​ Size of ˆ
B​
​ Size of ​ˆ
C​
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
(v)

142 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 142 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 To summarise
1. The sum of the interior angles of a triangle is 180°.
A

ˆ ​ +ˆ
​A​ + ˆ
B​ ​ = 180°
C​ (∠s of △)

B C

2. The exterior angle of a triangle is equal to the sum of the interior opposite angles.
(The exterior angle of a triangle is an angle formed outside the triangle and is the
angle between one side of the triangle and the extension of an adjacent side.)
A

ˆ
​ 2=ˆ
C​ ​ +ˆ
A​ B​
​ (ext. ∠ of △)
1 2
B
C

3. In an isosceles triangle:
a) The angles opposite the equal sides are equal to each other.
B
In △ABC it is given that AB = AC.
The angle opposite AB is ˆ
​ and the angle
C​

A C B​, so ˆ
opposite AC is ​ˆ ​ =ˆ
C​ B​
​.

b) The sides opposite the equal angles are equal to each other.
P
In △PQR it is given that ˆ
​ =ˆ
Q​ R​
​.
The side opposite ​ˆ
Q​is PR and the side

Q
x x
R
opposite ​ˆ
R​is PQ, so PQ = PR.
4. In an equilateral triangle all the sides are equal to each other and all the angles
are equal to 60°.
E

60°

60° 60°
Q U

Term 2 Week 6 Chapter 12 Geometry of 2D shapes 143

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 143 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Most geometrical proofs are written with a statement and an abbreviated reason, as
shown in the next examples.

Example 1 Example 2

Determine the value of x. Determine the value of x.

A P

x 73°

32° x
65° 45° Q
B C R

Solution Solution
Statement Reason Statement Reason

x + 65° + 45° = 180° ∠s of △ x = 32° + 73° ext. ∠of △

x + 110° = 180° x = 105°
x = 180° − 110°
x = 70°

Example 3 Example 4

Determine the values of x and y. △PQR is an equilateral triangle.

L
Determine the values of x, y and also
7 cm
a, b and c.
y
y
P Q
a c

58° x
M N
x 5 cm

Solution Solution
Statement Reason Statement Reason

y = 7 cm LM = LN x = 5 cm △PQR is equilateral
x = 58° opp. sides equal y = 5 cm △PQR is equilateral
a = b = c = 60° ∠s of an equilateral △

144 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 144 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 12.2

1. Determine the value of the angles x and y.

a) x b) x c) 25° x

65°

36° 73°
58° 68°

d) e) f)
x x

47°
125°
35°
42°
x 63°

g) x h) i)
x 71°
y
58°
x
21° y
24°
132° 2x

j) x
k) l)
2x – 10° 52°

2x
56°

36°
2x
2x + 10° 68°

Theorem of Pythagoras

Determining the hypotenuse of a right-angled triangle

In any triangle, the longest side is always opposite the largest angle.
In a right-angled triangle, the largest angle is the right angle (90º).
The side opposite this angle is called the hypotenuse. This is the longest side of
the triangle.
We only talk about a hypotenuse in a right-angled triangle.

Term 2 Week 6 Chapter 12 Geometry of 2D shapes 145

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 145 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Examples
1. A

hypotenuse In this example, ˆ

​ = 90° and AB is opposite the
C​
right angle, so AB is the hypotenuse.
C B
2.
a c In this example, side b is opposite the right
angle, so b is the hypotenuse.
b
hypotenuse
You can only determine
the hypotenuse of a
triangle if one of the
angles is a right angle.

Exercise 12.3

1. In each of the following, state which side is the hypotenuse.

Write down only the letter.
a) b) c) g

a c d f j h

b e

d) e) f) c
y
u
60° z a
v
x 30° b
w

2. a) T
 ake two strips of card, 15 cm by 3 cm, mark them as shown and cut them
up along the lines.

3 cm

6 cm 6 cm 3 cm

146 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 146 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 b) Draw the right-angled triangle shown as accurately
as possible in the centre of a page. 3 cm
c) T
 ake one set of five pieces, place the square against
the 3 cm side of the triangle, and arrange the other 6 cm
four pieces to make a square against the 6 cm side.
d) T
 ake the other set and assemble all five pieces to form a square on the
longest side (the hypotenuse) of the triangle.
e) What does this show you about the relation between the areas of the three
squares formed on the sides of the triangle?
f) Would this be true whatever the size of the strip you started with?
In any right-angled triangle, if you draw squares on all three sides of the triangle, you
will find that the area of the square on the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the areas
of the squares on the other two sides of the triangle.
Count the blocks in the example and decide whether you agree with the above statement.

5 cm

4 cm A

B C

3 cm

The result is called the Theorem of Pythagoras, after the famous Greek mathematician.
Instead of drawing squares on the three sides of the triangle, we can abbreviate this by
writing the following:

The Theorem of
Pythagoras:
(3)2 + (4)2 = 9 + 16
In any right-angled
= 25
4 cm 5 cm triangle, the square on
= (5)2
the hypotenuse is equal
∴ (3)2 + (4)2 = (5)2
to the sum of the squares
on the other two sides.
3 cm

If you have 2 sides of a right-angled triangle, you can calculate the third side by using
the Theorem of Pythagoras.

Term 2 Week 6 Chapter 12 Geometry of 2D shapes 147

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 147 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 When solving problems in a right-angled triangle, first identify which side is the
hypotenuse before you start your calculations.
Note
_ __ __
1. (2)2 + (3)2 = 4 + 9 ( ​√4 ​  )2​ =(​√4 ​)(
2. ​ ​√4 ​ )
= 13 =2×2
=4
_
so ​( ​√4 ​  )2​ = 4
_ _ _ _
( √​ 7 ​  )2​ = ​( ​√7 ​  )​​( ​√7 ​  )​
3. ​ ( ​√5 ​  )2​ = 5
4. ​
=7

Example 1
A
Calculate the length of AB.

Solution
8 cm
AB is the hypotenuse.
(AB)2 = (BC)2 + (AC)2 (Theorem of Pythagoras) B C
6 cm
(AB) = (6) + (8)
2 2 2

= 36 + 64
= 100
____
AB = √​ 100 ​
AB = 10 cm

Example 2
Y
Calculate the length of XY.
9 cm
Solution
Z
YZ is the hypotenuse.
4 cm
(YZ)2 = (XY)2 + (XZ)2 (Theorem of Pythagoras) X

(9)2 = (XY)2 + (4)2

81 = (XY)2 + 16
81 – 16 = (XY)2
65 = (XY)2
___
XY = ​√65 ​
If the question had read:
Calculate the length of XY ___ correct to two decimal places, then you need to use
your calculator to find √​ 65 ​.
___
​[ √​ 65 ​= 8,062257748 ]​
The answer should be correct to two decimals, so XY = 8,06.

148 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 148 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 12.4

1. Calculate the length of the hypotenuse of each of the triangles below correct to
one decimal place.
A R X
a) b) c)
6 cm 8 cm
4 cm
24 cm
Y Z

B C P Q
3 cm 7 cm

d) D e) 3 cm M f) M 1,4 cm N
K

2 cm
40 cm
7 cm
F
L
E 9 cm
L

2. Calculate the length of the third side of each of the triangles below correct to
one decimal place.
a) A
b) D
c)
G H

50 mm 13 cm 12 cm 8 cm 14 cm

B C E F
40 mm J

Quadrilaterals

Definitions:
1. A quadrilateral is any closed shape with four straight sides.
2. A trapezium is a quadrilateral with one pair of opposite sides parallel.
3. A kite is a quadrilateral with two pairs of adjacent sides equal in length.
4. A parallelogram is a quadrilateral with both pairs of opposite sides parallel.
5. A rectangle is a parallelogram with one interior angle equal to 90°
(therefore all the angles will be 90°).
6. A rhombus is a parallelogram with one pair of adjacent sides equal in length
(therefore all four sides are equal to each other).
7. A square is a rectangle with a pair of adjacent sides equal in length
or
a square is a rhombus with one angle equal to 90°.

Term 2 Week 6 Chapter 12 Geometry of 2D shapes 149

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 149 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Note
When defining quadrilaterals, minimum conditions are used.
For example, a rectangle is defined as a parallelogram with one angle equal to 90°,
although all the angles in a rectangle are in fact equal to 90°.

Quadrilaterals

Quadrilaterals

Trapezium Kite

Parallelogram

Rectangle
Rhombus

Square

A summary of the properties of quadrilaterals

1. Trapezium
a) Only one pair of opposite sides parallel.

Isosceles trapezium
a) Only one pair of opposite sides parallel.
b) One pair of opposite sides equal.
2. Kite
a) Two pairs of adjacent sides equal.
b) The one diagonal bisects the other at 90º.
c) The longer diagonal bisects the opposite angles.
d) One pair of equal opposite angles.

3. Parallelogram
a) Both pairs of opposite sides parallel.
b) Both pairs of opposite sides equal.
c) Both pairs of opposite angles equal.
d) Diagonals bisect each other.

150 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 150 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 4. Rectangle
a) Both pairs of opposite sides parallel.
b) Both pairs of opposite sides equal.
c) All four angles equal to 90º.
d) Diagonals are equal in length.
e) Diagonals bisect each other.
5. Rhombus
a) Both pairs of opposite sides parallel.
b) All four sides are equal.
c) Both pairs of opposite angles equal.
d) Diagonals bisect each other at 90º.
e) Diagonals bisect the angles at each vertex.
6. Square
a) Both pairs of opposite sides parallel.
b) All four sides are equal.
c) All four angles equal to 90º.
d) Diagonals bisect each other at 90º.
e) Diagonals bisect the angles at each vertex.

Note
zz Quadrilaterals are always named in either a clockwise or anti-clockwise order.

zz The angles of a quadrilateral add up to 360°.

Example 1

Identify the quadrilateral below, and then determine the value of a and b.
8 cm
A B
a

135°
D C
b

Solution
The quadrilateral is a parallelogram. You will note that in the reason column,
we abbreviate the word parallelogram as parm.
Statement Reason

a = 135° opp. ∠s of a parm

b = 8 cm opp. sides of a parm

Term 2 Week 6 Chapter 12 Geometry of 2D shapes 151

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 151 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Example 2

Identify the quadrilateral below, and then determine the value of p, q and r.
q
P Q

p
r
9 cm

68°
S R

Solution
The quadrilateral is a rhombus.
Statement Reason
p = 68° ÷ 2
∴ p = 34° diagonals of rhombus bisect the ∠s
q = 9 cm sides of a rhombus
r = 90° diagonals of rhombus bisect at 90°

Example 3
ABCD is a rhombus. Diagonals AC and BD intersect at M,
A B
with AM = 3 cm and MB = 4 cm.
a) Determine the size of the angle marked x, i.e. A​ˆ
M​B. 3 cm x 4 cm
M
b) Determine the length of AC.
c) Calculate the length of AB.
D C
d) Calculate the length of the perimeter of the rhombus.
Solution
a) x = 90° (diagonals of rhombus bisect at 90°)
b) AM = MC = 3 (diagonals of rhombus bisect each other)
AC = AM + MC
=3+3
= 6 cm
c) Since x = 90°, △AMB is a right-angled triangle.
AB2 = AM2 + MB2 (Theorem of Pythagoras)
AB = (3) + (4)
2 2 2

AB2 = 9 + 16
AB2 = 25 ___
AB = √​ 25 ​ = 5 cm
 he perimeter of rhombus ABCD =
d) T  AB + BC + CD + DA
=5+5+5+5
= 20 cm

152 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 152 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 12.5

1. In each question, first identify the type of quadrilateral and then determine the
value of the sides and angles marked by lower case letters.
a) P
9 cm
A b) S
q
Q c) R H
a a 82°
p
r
5 cm 6 cm

50°
M R
b
c 98°
A U M b O

d) Q e) I f) R
10 cm
E
85° 24°
U 4 cm x 7 cm
47°
z 6 cm
K T
x
D A y z T C
102° y
E
2. PQRS is a rectangle with PQ = 5 cm and PS = 12 cm. P 12 cm S

a) Calculate the length of PR. M

5 cm
b) Determine the length of PM.
c) If P​ˆS​M = 24°, calculate the size of M​ˆS​R. Q R

d) Hence calculate the size of S​ˆ

M​R.        E

3. DEFG is a rhombus, with EF = 8 cm and E​ˆ

D​G = 64°. 12

a) Write down the lengths of FG, DG and ED. 1

1 2
D F
64° 2
b) Write down the sizes of: H

( i) E​ˆ
H​F    (ii) E​ˆ
D​H    (iii) E​ ˆ
F​G 2 1
ˆ
(iv) ​F​1     (v) ​ˆ ˆ
E​1 + E​ ˆ
​ 2     (vi) ​
G​1.    G

4. PQRS is a kite with MQ = 4 cm,

PM = 3 cm and QR = 9 cm. Q

P​ˆ
Q​M = 37° and Q​ˆ
1
R​M = 26°. 37° 9 cm
4 cm
Determine the: 1 3 cm 1 26°
P R
a) size of ˆ
M​
​ 1 2 M 1

b) length of PQ
2 1
c) length of PS         S

d) length of MR, correct to one decimal place

e) size of ˆ
Q​
​ 1
f) size of P​ˆS​R
g) size of Q​ˆ
P​S.

Term 2 Week 6 Chapter 12 Geometry of 2D shapes 153

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 153 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Similarity

Definition:
Two polygons are similar if:
1. all pairs of corresponding angles are equal
and
2. all pairs of corresponding sides are in the same proportion.

This means that similar diagrams have the same shape, but not necessarily the
same size.
The one shape is an enlargement or a reduction of the other.
Examples
1. 2.
Square Rhombus Square Rectangle

The square and the rhombus are not The square and the rectangle are not
similar since their corresponding angles similar since their corresponding sides are
are not equal. not in the same proportion.
D
3.
77°

A
12 cm 15 cm

4 cm 77° 5 cm

60° 43° 60° 43°

B 6 cm C E 18 cm F

△ABC is similar to △DEF, since the corresponding angles are equal and the
corresponding sides are in the same proportion. We write this as △ABC|||△DEF.
Note
ˆ
​ =ˆ
A​ ​ = 77°
D​ AB
and ​ ___​ = __ 4
​  12 ​  13 ​
​ = __
DE

​ˆ
B​ = ˆ BC
___
​ = 60° ​ 
E​ EF
​ = __ 6
​  18 ​  31 ​
​ = __

​ˆ
C​ = ˆ AC 5
___ 1
​ = 43° ​ 
F​ DF
​ = __
​  15 ​ = _​  3 ​
∴ △ABC ||| △DEF
Similar triangles are a special case of similar polygons in that if the corresponding
angles of triangles are equal, then the corresponding sides will always be in
proportion, and vice versa. This is not true for any other polygon. If the angles
of one polygon are equal to the corresponding angles of another polygon, their
corresponding sides are not necessarily in the same proportion.

154 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 154 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Note
In two triangles:
1. If the corresponding angles are equal, then the corresponding sides will be
in proportion.
or
2. If the corresponding sides are in proportion, then the corresponding angles
are equal.

Examples

Calculate the values of b and d.

A
E

8
16 6
b
D d F

B 6 C

Solution

Given: ˆ
B​ ​ and ˆ
​ = ˆF​ ​ =ˆ
C​ ​ . Since ˆ
D​ A​ ​ +ˆ
​ +ˆ
B​ ​ = 180° and ˆ
C​ ​ +ˆ
D​ ​ + ˆF​​ = 180°, this
E​
means that ˆ ​ =ˆ
A​ E​
​.
If two angles of a triangle are equal to two angles of a second triangle, the third
angles of the triangles must be equal.
Statement Reason

In △ABC and △DEF:

ˆ (given)
B​ = ˆF​
(i) ​ ​
(given)
(ii) ​ˆ
C​= ˆ
D​
​
(3rd ∠ of △)
(iii) ˆ
​ =ˆ
A​ E​
​
(AAA)
∴ △ABC ||| △EFD
Note that the order of naming such triangles is important.
We could also have written that △BCA ||| △FDE, or △CAB ||| △DEF.
Statement Reason
AB ​ = ___
∴ ​ ___ ​  BC ​ = ___
​  AC ​ (equiangular △s)
EF FD ED
b
__ __ 6 16
___
​  ​ = ​  d ​ = ​  ​
6 8
b
​ __​ = ___ 16
​  ​ and ​ __6 ​= ​  16 ​
___
6 8 d 8
b
__ __2
​  ​ = ​  ​ ​  ​= 6
__ ​  2 ​
__
6 1 d 1
b = 12 d=3

Term 2 Week 6 Chapter 12 Geometry of 2D shapes 155

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 155 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 12.6

Use the two triangles below to answer the questions that follow.
1. a) Give a reason why the two triangles are similar.
b) Write down the ratio of the sides in its simplest form.
c) Which angle in △PQR corresponds to ˆ
A​
​ ?
P

A
10 cm 16 cm

5 cm 8 cm

B 7 cm C Q 14 cm R

2. Determine which of the following pairs of polygons are similar.

Give a reason for your answer in each case.
1 cm 2 cm
a) b)
8 cm
4 cm 5 cm 6 cm
2 cm 2 cm

3 cm 10 cm

5 cm
c) 8 cm
d)
12 cm 3 cm
34°
6 cm
34°
9 cm

2 cm 8 cm

e) 1 cm
f) 4 cm
4 cm
4 cm

2 cm
2 cm

156 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 156 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 3. For each of the following, calculate the value of the lower case letters if each
pair of triangles is similar.
a) b)
A 21 cm B
D E
60° 3 cm 100°
8 cm 5 cm Q
24 cm 55° x
A 7 cm C
15 cm
B y C 60°

F y 9 cm

100°
P
25°
c) d) R
B 12 cm A
X Y
c
3 cm a G
8 cm
6 cm
37°
A 4 cm C
x
y x
B C
5 cm
y

53°

F H
20 cm
Z
e) f)
A A
•
1 2

M 9
18 cm x 4 cm
cm
• 8 cm
6 cm x 6 cm
21
* C
L N y
7 cm B
6 cm
* D
B y C

g) h)
B K 3 cm
A C
*
9 cm a T
a •
8 cm •
B

A C 40 cm j b 8 cm
6 cm

U * S
4 cm

J L
k

Term 2 Week 6 Chapter 12 Geometry of 2D shapes 157

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 157 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Congruency
Polygons are congruent to each other if they have the same shape as well as the same
size. The one shape is a duplicate of the other.
The corresponding sides as well as the corresponding angles of such shapes will be equal.
The symbol used for congruency is ≡.

Congruent triangles
Each triangle consists of three sides and three angles. If two triangles are congruent
to each other, the three sides of the one triangle will be equal to the corresponding
sides of the other triangle and the three angles of the one triangle will be equal to the
corresponding angles of the other triangle. A
R
So, if △ABC ≡ △RPQ,
P
then AB = RP, BC = PQ and AC = RQ.
Also, ˆ
​ =ˆ
A​ ​,ˆ
R​ B​ ​ and ˆ
​ =ˆ
P​ ​ =ˆ
C​ Q​
​ .     
B C Q

Three sides

Exercise 12.7

Work in groups of three or four.

1. In this exercise, either trace and cut out the triangles or construct the triangles
(see Chapter 11) on tracing paper. The vertices of the triangles have been
labelled internally so that they will still be labelled once you have cut them out.
a) b)
E G L
A

K M
F H JJ
B C

2. Measure the lengths of the sides with a ruler and the sizes of the angles with a
protractor. What deductions can you make about the sizes of the corresponding
angles of the triangles?
3. Are the triangles congruent, similar or both?
4. Can you make a conjecture about triangles if the lengths of all three sides
of one triangle are equal to the sides of another triangle?

158 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 158 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Note
zz If all the sides of one triangle are equal in length to the sides of another triangle,
then the triangles are congruent.
zz This condition of congruency is known as side, side, side and when we use this as
a reason, we abbreviate it as (SSS).

One side and two angles equal

Exercise 12.8

Work in groups of three or four.

1. In this exercise, either trace and cut out the triangles or construct the triangles
(see Chapter 11) on tracing paper. The vertices of the triangles have been
labelled internally so that they will still be labelled once you have cut them out.
2. Describe the position of the side measuring 5 cm in relation to the angles of 30°
and 70° in each triangle.
For example: In △ABC, AC = 5 cm is opposite the 70° angle and adjacent to the
30° angle.
3. What can you say about the position of the equal sides in pairs of congruent
triangles? Which of the triangles are congruent?
4. Given two angles and one side of one triangle equal to two angles and the
corresponding side of another triangle state the conditions under which the
triangles are congruent.

F
B
70°
R
70°

E 70° 5 cm 30° D
N
30°

A 30° 5 cm C

P 30° Q

Y 70° 5 cm 30° Z
H
70°

L 70° 5 cm M
X
J 5 cm 30° K

Term 2 Week 6 Chapter 12 Geometry of 2D shapes 159

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 159 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Note
zz If two angles and a side of one triangle are equal to two angles and the
corresponding side of another triangle, then the triangles are congruent.
zz This condition of congruency is known as side, angle, angle and when we use this
as a reason, we abbreviate it as (SAA).

Two sides and one angle equal

Exercise 12.9

Work in groups of three or four.

1. In this exercise, either trace and cut out the triangles or construct the triangles
(see Chapter 11) on tracing paper. The vertices of the triangles have been
labelled internally so that they will still be labelled once you have cut them out.

A D

cm
6

5 cm
B 40° C E 40° F

H
6 cm

Z
40° 5c
5 cm m
40°
J K X 6 cm Y

2. Which of the triangles are congruent?

3. Describe the given angle in relation to the sides of the triangle in each case.
4. Can you make a conjecture about triangles if the size of one angle and the
lengths of two sides of two triangles are given?

160 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 160 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Note
zz If two sides and the angle between these two sides (i.e. the included angle)
of one triangle are equal in length to the two sides and the included angle of
another triangle, then the triangles are congruent.
zz This condition of congruency is known as side, angle, side and when we use this
as a reason, we abbreviate it as (SAS).

Right-angled triangles

Exercise 12.10

Work in groups of three or four.

1. In this exercise, trace and cut out the triangles or construct the triangles.
The vertices of the triangles have been labelled internally so that they will still
be labelled once you have cut them out.

E
A

B F
C

P
Q

2. Which of the triangles are congruent?

Term 2 Week 6 Chapter 12 Geometry of 2D shapes 161

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 161 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Note
zz If, in a right-angled triangle, the length of the hypotenuse and one other side are
equal in length to the hypotenuse and one other side of another triangle, then
the triangles are congruent.
zz This condition of congruency is known as right angle, hypotenuse, side and
when we use this as a reason, we abbreviate it as (90°HS).

To summarise:
The four conditions of congruency are:
A D

SSS △ABC ≡ △DEF

B C E F
A Q

SAS △ABC ≡ △QRP

B C R P
A Z

SAA △ABC ≡ △ZYX

• •
B C Y X
A Z

• •

B C Y X
A L

90°HS △ABC ≡ △LMN

B C M N

It is important to name congruent

triangles in the correct order.
For example, if one triangle is
superimposed on the other, the
corresponding vertices, equal angles
and equal sides will coincide.

162 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 162 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Example 1

Determine whether this pair of triangles is congruent.

If the triangles are congruent, name them in the correct order and write down the
reason for congruency.
D

A 5 cm

•
5 cm
• E
B C

Solution
Statement Reason

In △ABC and △DEF:

ˆ=ˆ
​A​ E​
​ (2 angles)
​ˆ
B​ = ˆ
D​
​ (1 side)
AB = DE (the length is 5 cm)
Since it is given that two angles and one side of △ABC are
equal to two angles and the corresponding side of △DEF, the
triangles are congruent.
∴ △ABC ≡ △DEF (SAA)

Example 2

Determine if the triangles are congruent.

If the triangles are congruent, name them in the correct order and write down the
reason for congruency.
A

•
B C Y Z

Solution
Although it is given that AB = XY and BC = YZ, ˆ
​ in △XYZ is not the included
X​
angle, so △ABC is not congruent to △XYZ.

163

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 163 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Example 3

Determine if the following triangles are congruent.

If the triangles are congruent, name them in the correct order and write down the
reason for congruency.
A

1 2
B D
C

Solution
Statement Reason
You will note that the side AC is common to
both △ABC and △ADC.
It is given that AB = AD (the hypotenuse of each triangle)
and ˆ
​ 1=ˆ
C​ C​
​ 2 as they are both 90°.
∴ △ABC ≡ △DEF (90°HS)

Exercise 12.11

1. State whether the following pairs of triangles are congruent or not.

If the triangles are congruent, name them in the correct order and write down
the reason for congruency.
Example:
A Q

B C P R   △ABC ≡ △QRP (SAS)

a) b)

A X x Y

E °
5 cm
Z N
5 cm °
24°
B C
3 cm
x
24° M P
F D
3 cm

164 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 164 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 A E E F
c) d) Y

B C D F D
S N

A S Q
e) f) * R *
° °
1 2
1 1
B ° D
° 2 2

1 2
y
T
C

D J
g) A
x
h)
•

C
1 2N
F • 2
1 • H I

x •

B E
G
L M R S
1 •
i) j)
2

1 2
N V •1 T
2

P Q

W X C D
k) x
l)
G
1 2

Z
1 • 1
• 1 1 1
Y
2 2
E F

x
A B
M

m) n)
G K

° °

N P
1
1• • 2
x • • x Q
H L
J

O R

165

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 165 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Check your skills
Exercise 12.12

1. Complete:
a) The quadrilateral alongside is a ____________.
b) The opposite sides are _______ and __________.
c) The opposite angles are _______________.
d) The diagonals _________ each other.
2. Explain the difference between similar and congruent shapes.
3. State whether the following are always true, never true or sometimes true:
a) If polygons are similar, then they are also congruent.
b) If polygons are congruent, then they are also similar.
c) All rectangles are parallelograms.
d) All parallelograms are rectangles.
4. Determine the value of x in each case, giving reasons for your statements:
a) x
b) c) 33°
48°

77° 52° x 56° x 84°

x
d) x e) f)
72°

72°
8 cm

x
72°

g) x h) x i)
x 25 cm

75°
24 cm

68°

a
5. Calculate the values of the variables: Q
125° 19°
R

36° 35
b 90
7
125° x
B 13 C
y

166 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 166 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 6. △ABC has sides 9 cm, 12 cm and 15 cm.
Is △ABC a right-angled triangle?
Show all your working.
7. State whether the following pairs of triangles are congruent, similar or neither.
Give a reason for your answer.
If the triangles are congruent, name them in the correct order and state the
condition of congruency.
P A B
a) b)
Z

8 9
8

102° 57° 45° D C

Q R Y X
9

A D
c) d)
51°
X A C
8

51°

59°
B C 16

70°
Y Z

Extend your skills

Exercise 12.13

1. In each of the following, calculate the values of the variables:

a) A b)
3
13 x – 10°
B

4
x D
C
120° 3x

c)
A B

x
28°
D C

 Chapter 12 Geometry of 2D shapes 167

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 167 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

13 Geometry of
straight lines
In this chapter you will learn about:
zz Geometry terminology and how to name angles
zz Classifying types of angles
zz Parallel lines.

Geometry terminology

An angle measures the amount an arm turns around a point.

An angle is usually measured in degrees.
For example, 30º is read as thirty degrees.
To measure an angle, we use an instrument called a protractor.

One full rotation Half a rotation A quarter rotation

measures 360º measures 180º measures 90º

The two arms of an angle meet at Perpendicular lines

the vertex. A

This symbol indicates

A
a 90° angle and that AB
is perpendicular to BC,
written as AB⊥BC.

B C
B C

vertex

168 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 168 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Naming angles

To name angles we use:

1. A capital letter 2. Three letters 3. A capital letter and a subscript

P A C

1 2
Q R B C A D
B

ˆ
​
Q​ A​ˆ
B​C ˆ
​ 1 = A​ˆ
B​ B​C
​ˆ
B​2 = C​ˆ
B​D

Names are given to angles according to their size.

Description of angle Diagram Size of angle

0º < x < 90º

Acute angle
x Greater than 0°, but less than 90°

Right angle x = 90°

x

90º < x < 180º

Obtuse angle
x
Greater than 90°, but less than 180°

Straight angle x x = 180º

x x 180º < x < 360º

Reflex angle or

Greater than 180°, but less than 360°

One revolution x x = 360º

Term 2 Week 8 Chapter 13 Geometry of straight lines 169

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 169 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 13.1

1. Describe each of the angles below.

a) b) c)

d) e) 42° f)

g) h) i)
125°

j) k) l)
258°

2. In the diagram below, write down the names of the angles

marked a to i.

a) b) d c)
b c g

e i

h
f

3. Angle Type of angle

Note
a) 120°
Piet Mondrian used
b) 45° parallel lines in
c) 315° creating his artwork
in the 1920s.
d) 180°
e) 179°

170 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 170 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Types of angles
Adjacent angles
1. Adjacent angles are angles which share a common vertex and a common arm AND
lie on either side of the common arm.
A
P

C R

1 1
2
2 Q S
B D

ˆ
​ 1 and ˆ
B​ ​ 2 are adjacent angles since
B​ P​ˆ
Q​S and P​ˆ
Q​R are not adjacent angles
they share a common vertex, B, and since Q is the common vertex and QR is
a common arm, BC, and lie on either the common arm. The angles do not lie
side of BC. on either side of the common arm.
2. Complementary angles are angles which add up to 90º.
3. Supplementary angles are angles which add up to 180°.

Example

Calculate the value of x.

x + 20°
Solution x

To find the value of x, we can form an equation and then solve it.
These angles are adjacent complementary angles, so:
Statement Reason

x + x + 20° = 90° adj. compl. ∠s

2x + 20° = 90°
2x = 70°
x = 35°

Term 2 Week 8 Chapter 13 Geometry of straight lines 171

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 171 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 13.2

1. For each of the following, state whether the marked angles are adjacent or not.
If the angles are not adjacent, give a reason for your answer.
a) b) c)

d) e) f)

2. Complete the table below by giving the complement and supplement of the
given angles.

Angle 30° 45° 60° 85° 14° 6° 72° 58° 90°

a) Complement
b) Supplement

3. Calculate the value of x in each case:

a) b) c) 70°
x

60° 2x
x 26°
d) e) f)
x x 2x
22° 33° 20° 2x – 40°

Angles round a point and adjacent angles on a straight line

1. A full rotation of an arm about a point is defined as 360º.

If we add up the angles in one rotation, we will get 360º.
1 2
The abbreviation we use is: ∠s round a pt A
B
C

2. Since one rotation is 360°, the adjacent angles on a straight line will add up to 180°.
So, in the diagram above, if ABC is a straight line, then ​ˆ
B​1 + ˆ
​ 2 = 180°.
B​
The abbreviation we use is: adj. ∠s on a str. line.

172 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 172 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 3. If adjacent angles are supplementary (i.e. if they add up to 180º), then the outer arms
form a straight line. The abbreviation we use is: adj. suppl. ∠s.
To summarise

abbreviated
If then
reason
1.
OA completes
A​ˆ
0 A
B a full rotation O​B = 360° ∠s round a pt
about O to B

2.
ABC is a ˆ adj. ∠s on a
straight line ​1+ˆ
B​ ​ 2 = 180°
B​
str. line
1 2
A C
B

3.
ˆ PQR is a
​ 1+ˆ
Q​ ​ 2 = 180°
Q​ straight line adj. suppl. ∠s
1 2
P R
Q

Example 1

Calculate the value of x.

x 150°
40°

Solution
Statement Reason

x + 150° + 90° + 40° = 360° ∠s round a pt

x + 280° = 360°
x = 80°

Example 2

Calculate the value of x. 80°

30° 2x – 20°

Solution
Statement Reason

2x – 20° + 80° + 30° = 180° adj. ∠s on a str. line

2x + 90° = 180°
2x = 90°
x = 45°

Term 2 Week 8 Chapter 13 Geometry of straight lines 173

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 173 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Example 3 Example 4

Determine whether ABC is a straight Determine whether ABC is a straight

line. line.

135° 45° 59° 122°

A C A C
B B

Solution Solution
Statement Reason Statement

135° + 45° = 180° 59° + 122° = 181°

∴ ABC is a straight line. adj. suppl. ∠s ∴ ABC is not a straight line.

Exercise 13.3

1. In each case, calculate the value of x:

a) b) c)
155°
x
145° 110° 2x + 75° x

3x

d) e)
2x – 10°
85°
x + 100° 62°
240° 53°

2. In each case, calculate the value of x given that ABC is a straight line.
A
a) b) c) 20°

120° x 55° x x
A C A C B
B B

d) e)
C
x
x x 3x + 30° 42°
A C A C
B B

3. Calculate the value of the angles marked by lower case letters:

f
a) b) c) b 3b c 50°
z p
z
x 72°
50°
y 135° a d 2d + 30°
e

x 48° y
q 120° r

174 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 174 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 4. In each case, determine whether ABC is a straight line or not.
a) D b) A c) D

141°
54° 125° B D 92° 88°
A C 39° A C
B B

d) A B C e) E f) D E
35° 135°
C
D 44°
80°
D 58° 44°
A C
42° B B

Vertically opposite angles

Whenever two straight lines intersect, the vertically opposite angles are equal.
A
D
ˆ
​ 1=ˆ
O​ O​
​ 3 since they are vertically opposite angles
1
4 2
and O
3
C ˆ
​ 2=ˆ
O​ O​
​ 4 since they are vertically opposite angles.
B

Example 1 Example 2

Calculate the value of y. Calculate the values of angles x, y and z.

y
y
105° 158°
2x + 40°
z

Solution Solution
Statement Reason Statement Reason

y = 105° vert. opp. ∠s y = 180° – 158° adj. ∠s on a str line

y = 22°
2x + 40° = 158° vert. opp. ∠s
2x = 118°
x = 59°
z = y = 22° vert. opp. ∠s

Term 2 Week 8 Chapter 13 Geometry of straight lines 175

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 175 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Example 3

Calculate the values of a and b. 110°

b
2a
20°

Solution
Statement Reason

2a + 20° = 110° vert. opp. ∠s

2a = 90°
a = 45°
b + 110° = 180° adj. ∠s on a str. line
b = 70°

Exercise 13.4

1. Calculate the sizes of the angles marked by lower case letters.

a) b) c)
x
a b d 141°
32° e
95°

d) e) f)
f 67° 3x 3x – 12°
144° 108°
g h

g) h) i)

35° x d c 20°
74° 74° a
x x b

j)
3x
x z
y 35°

176 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 176 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Parallel lines

Parallel lines are lines which are always the same distance apart and never meet.
We mark parallel lines with an arrow on each line and use the symbol || between the
names of the lines.
A B
Line AB is parallel to line CD and
C D
we write this as AB || CD.

A transversal is a line which cuts two or more lines.

X B

D XY cuts the lines AB and CD.

A
∴ XY is a transversal.
C
Y

Corresponding angles

Corresponding angles are angles which are on the same side of the transversal and on
the same side of each line.
For example:
ˆ
X​1 and ˆ
​ Y​
​ 6 are corresponding angles.
X
1 ˆ
X​2 and ˆ
​ Y​
2 B
​ 7 are corresponding angles.
A 4 3
ˆ
X​3 and ˆ
​ Y​
D
​ 8 are corresponding angles.
7 6
5
8 ˆ
X​4 and ˆ
​ Y​
​ 5 are corresponding angles.
Y
C
Corresponding angles form an ‘F’ shape.

Alternate angles
Alternate angles lie on opposite sides of the transversal and between the lines.
P​4 and ˆ
ˆ
​ Q​
​ 7 are alternate angles.
ˆ
P​4 is on the left of the transversal.
​
P B
ˆ 1 2
Q​7 is on the right of the transversal.
​
A 4 3
D
ˆ
P​4 is below the line.
​
6 7
ˆ 8
Q​7 is above the line.
​ 5
Q
C
ˆ and ˆ
​
P​ Q​
​ 6 are also alternate angles.
3

Alternate angles form a ‘Z’or an ‘N’ shape.

Term 2 Week 8 Chapter 13 Geometry of straight lines 177

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 177 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Co-interior angles
Co-interior angles lie on the same side of the transversal and between the
two lines.
1 2
S
B ˆ
S4 and ˆ
T6 are co-interior angles.
A 4 3
D ˆ
S3 and ˆ
T7 are co-interior angles.
6 7
8
T
5 Co-interior angles are usually found in a ‘U’ shape.
C

Activity

1. Using the sides of your ruler, draw two mm

lines which are parallel to each other.

X
1 2
A B
2. Draw a transversal which cuts the 4 3

parallel lines. Label the angles as shown

in the diagram. C 8 5 D
7 6
Y

3. Measure the angles and complete the table below:

ˆ
X ˆ
X ˆ
X ˆ
X ˆ
Y ˆ
Y ˆ
Y ˆ
Y ˆ
X3 + ˆ
Y5 ˆ
X4 + ˆ
Y8
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

4. What conclusion can you draw about:

a) corresponding angles if the lines are parallel
b) alternate angles if the lines are parallel
c) the sum of co-interior angles if the lines are parallel?

Check with other learners in your class to see whether they came to the same
conclusion.

178 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 178 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 To summarise

1. Corresponding Angles (F)

If lines are parallel, then the corresponding angles are equal.
X
1 2
A B
4 3
ˆ
​3=ˆ
X​ Y​
​ 8 since they are corresponding angles.
(Note the F shape.)
C 6 7 D
5 8
Y

The corresponding angles marked in the diagrams below are all equal, since the
lines AB and CD are parallel.
B D
X X
1 2 1 2
A B A B
4 3 4 3 X Y
1 2 6 7
4 3 5 8

C 6 7 D C 6 7 D
5 8 5 8
Y Y A C

ˆ
​4=ˆ
X​ ​ 5 since AB || CD
Y​ ˆ
​2=ˆ
X​ ​ 7 since AB || CD
Y​ ​ˆ
X​1 = ˆ
​ 6 since AB || CD
Y​

Example 1 Example 2

Calculate the value of a. Calculate the value of x, y and z.

A D
a P
A B
Q

C 70° D
R z x 82° S
y

B C

Solution Solution
Statement Reason Statement Reason

a = 70° corresp. ∠s; AB || CD x = 82° corresp. ∠s; AB || DC

y = 82° vert. opp. ∠s
z = 180° – 82° adj. ∠s on a str. line
z = 98°

Term 2 Week 8 Chapter 13 Geometry of straight lines 179

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 179 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 13.5

1. In each case, calculate the sizes of the angles marked by lower case letters.
a) b) C E c) C E

A a B
b 60° d
A B A B
c 58°

C 125°
D

D F D F
d) P R
e) X f) A

f e 125°
A B p
k A l 54° B x + 40°
B C

g j
C D
h C m 110° D
n q
Q S 2x – 10°
Y Z D E

2. Alternate angles (Z or N)
If lines are parallel, then the alternate angles are equal.
P R
X
1 2 X
A B 1 2
4 3 A B
4 3
2 3 B
1 2 1 4
A 4 3 Y
1 2 X
C D
4 3 C 1 2 D
Y 4 3
Y
Q S

ˆ
​ 4 = ​ˆ
X​ Y​2 since they are alternate ​ˆ
X​3 = ˆ
​ 1 (alternate ∠s;
Y​ ˆ
​2=ˆ
X​ ​ 1 (alternate ∠s;
Y​
angles. (Note the Z shape.) AB || CD) PQ || RS)

Example 1 Example 2

Calculate the value of x. Calculate the values of a, b, c and d.

E G

A B
A B d 140°
x

C 70° D a c
C D
b

F H

Solution Solution
Statement Reason Statement Reason

x = 70° alt. ∠s; AB || CD a = 140° alt. ∠s; AB || CD

b = 140° vert. opp. ∠s
c = 140° alt. ∠s; EF || GH
d = 40° adj. ∠s on a str. line

180 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 180 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 13.6

1. In each case, calculate the size of the angles marked by lower case letters.
C E C E
a) b) c)
A B
a
60° d 58°
A B A B
b c

C 75° D

D F D F

P R X A
d) f e
e) f)
A B
55° k A l B
126° p q B C
x + 30°
h g j
C D
C m D
n 100°
Q S 2x – 20°
Y Z D E

3. Co-interior angles ( ).
If lines are parallel, the co-interior angles are supplementary (they add up to 180º).
P R
X
1 2 X
A B 1 2
4 3 A B
4 3
4 3 B
1 2 1 2
A 4 3 Y
1 2 X
C D
4 3 C 1 2 D
Y 4 3
Y
Q S

X​3 + ˆ
​ˆ Y​
​ 2 = 180° since AB || CD ˆ
​4+ˆ
X​ Y​
​ 1 = 180° since AB || CD ˆ
​2+ˆ
X​ Y​
​ 4 = 180° since PQ || RS
(Note the shape.)

Term 2 Week 8 Chapter 13 Geometry of straight lines 181

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 181 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Example 1 Example 2

Calculate the value of x. Calculate the values of a and b.

P R

A B
A B a b
105°

C x 68°
D C D

Q S

Solution Solution
Statement Reason Statement Reason

x + 105° = 180° co-int. ∠s; AB || CD a + 68° = 180° co-int. ∠s; AB || CD

x = 75° a = 112°
a + b = 180° co-int. ∠s; PQ || RS
b = 180° – 112°
b = 68°

Exercise 13.7

1. In each case, calculate the sizes of the angles marked by lower case letters.
a) E
b) A B c) E G

A B
x A B
x 100° 106° y z
E F

C 65° D x 58°
C D
F C D

d) e) f) F
E G P

A z B 3x + 20°
x y x
A B R 2x – 30°
10° Q
2x
C 70° D
a
S
F H 56°
C D

182 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 182 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 13.8

Use the diagram below to answer questions 1 and 2:

c d
m

n
o p

f
e g
h

a
b i j k l

1. In each case, determine the angle which is:

a) vertically opposite to f
b) corresponding to i
c) alternate to f
d) adjacent to k
e) corresponding to l
f) co-interior to n
g) adjacent to h
h) complementary to a
i) adjacent to d
j) corresponding to h.

2. Name a pair of:

a) adjacent angles
b) adjacent supplementary angles
c) adjacent complementary angles
d) supplementary angles
e) complementary angles
f) corresponding angles
g) alternate angles
h) co-interior angles
i) vertically opposite angles.

Term 2 Week 8 Chapter 13 Geometry of straight lines 183

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 183 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 3. Calculate the values of the angles marked with lower case letters.
a) b) c)
a
135°
x 165° b
55° x

d) e) f)
A B A B A B
a b c

C 50° C C 125°
D D D
125°

g) P
Q
h) i) x 77°
42°

43°
x 75° x
65°
S R

j) 100° 56° k) l) A
x z
B
y

2x 120°
x
87°
140° 72°
C D
x

m) n) o)
y
x 52°
z
x 40°
x 112° y
x 88°

p) P A q) T R r) A B
x x 52° 120°

C D
y

x
148° 128° y 75°
M R P A E F

Z
s) t) u) B

b
x
y – 30°
y d E
128° 2x – 32° D F
c a

54°
A C

184 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 184 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Check your skills
Exercise 13.9

1. Complete the following statements:

a) An angle between 180° and 360° is called a _______________ angle.
b) 150° is an example of an _______________________ angle.
c) The complement of 53° is _________.
d) The supplement of 167° is ________.
e) ​ _13 ​of a right angle is ___________.
2. In each case, determine the value of x, giving reasons for your answers.
a) b) x 25° c)
x x

275° 124°

d) 64° e) f)
A B A B A B
64° 64°

C x C x C x
D D D

g) 68° h) 127° i) 45°

35° 74°
x x x 67°

3. Calculate the values of the variables below, giving reasons for your answers.
a) b) A
c) B C
d
3x
35° B 56° G C
2x b
70° 2x + 30°
D E
52°
a e c
D F
E
A
d) 48°
e) D
y

2x – 20° x + 10° x
2x – 40° x
B
C
D

4. Show that ABC is a straight line.     C

88° 92°
A
B

5. Determine, with reasons, which pairs of lines are parallel.

C
a) A
x + 10°
B
b) D

A 125°
B
125°
x + 10°
C D
E F
55°
G H

 Chapter 13 Geometry of straight lines 185

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 185 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

14 Cumulative
revision 2
Exercise 14.1

1. Determine the value of each of the following without using a calculator:

a) −5 + 12 − 8 b) −4(−2 + 6) c) −7 − (−4)
2. List the factors of 24 which are multiples of 3.
3. a) Write 30 as the product of prime factors.
b) List all the factors of 30.
4. a) List all the multiples of 8 between 15 and 61.
b) Which of the numbers listed in a) are also multiples of 6?
5. Calculate each of the following without using a calculator:
_______ __ ___
a) ​√9 + 16 ​ b) ​√9 ​ + √​ 16 ​
___ ____
√ 50
​  18 ​ ​
c) ​ ___ d) ​√1​ ___
9
16
​ ​

6. Calculate each of the following without using a calculator:

a) (−2)2 + (−2)3 b) 23(−3)2

7. Study the following pattern:

1 = 2 − 12
1 + 2 = 3 + 4 − 22
1 + 2 + 3 = 4 + 5 + 6 − 32
a) Check that the above statements are correct.
b) Write down the next three rows in the number pattern.
8. R80 000 is divided between two people in the ratio 3 : 5.
Calculate how much money each of them receives.
9. Simplify each of the following:
a) 8x − 3x + 4 − 2x − 8 b) 5 − 2p + p − 7 − (−3p)
10. Simplify:
a) 2x(x + 3) − 4x(x − 5) b) 3x(x − 2) − (−6x)
c) −5x + 3 + 2(x − 2) − (−4x) d) −2a(a2 − 3a) + a2(4 − 2a)
11. Simplify:
−15x
a) ​ _____ ​ 6x6 ​
b) ​ _____
−5 −2x2

c) ​  6x + 3 ​
______ 2x − 4x2
d) ​  _______ ​
3 2x

186 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 186 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 12. Solve the following equations:
a) 3x − 5 = 7 − x b) __ ​  1 ​ = 3
​  x ​ − __
4 2
c) 2(x − 3) = 6 − 2x d) 2(x − 3) + 4 = 3(x + 2) − 6

13. a) Determine the value of 2x2 − 3x if x = −2.

b) Calculate ab − a2b3 if a = 5 and b = −2.

14. a) W
 ater is pumped from a river at a rate of 120 litres per minute. The water
is used to irrigate crops. Calculate how much water will be available if the
pump runs continuously for 18 hours.

b) O
 ne US$ costs R8,35. Calculate how much
it would cost in rand if eight computers
which cost $780 each are imported from
the United States.

c) A
 driver travelled 468 km from Bloemfontein
to Johannesburg in 5 hours 30 minutes.
Calculate his average speed during the trip.

15. Jenny buys clothing on a sale. The sale offers a discount

of 40% on all marked prices. She chooses clothes to the
value of R450. Calculate how much she will have to
pay after the discount.

16. A dealer sells second-hand cars and charges 7%

commission on the sale of all vehicles. Calculate his commission on a car that
was sold for R45 000.

17. ABC is a triangle and BC is extended to D. A

CE is parallel to BA. E
A​ = 47° and ˆ
​ˆ ​ 3 = 67°.
C​
Calculate the size of the following angles, giving
reasons for your answers:
a) ˆ
​
C​ b) ​ˆ
C​1 2
2
1 3
c) ˆ
B​
​ B C D

Term 2 Week 10 Chapter 14 Cumulative revision 2 187

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 187 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 18. For each of the following number patterns:
(i) Write down the next three terms.
(ii) Write down a formula to generate each pattern.
a) 21; 22; 23; ... b) 5; 7; 9; 11; ....

19. In the diagrams below, determine the values of x and y, giving reasons for your
answers.
a) b) c)
x 55°
y
x 68° 85°
60° x

d) e)
58°
A y
B
x 20°

x 60°
C D

Exemplar of mid-year examination

Total marks: 85 Time: 2 hours

Question 1 7

a) Write 24 as the sum of two prime numbers in three different ways. (2)
b) Write 24 as the product of prime numbers. (1)
c) Find the HCF and LCM of 24 and 36. (3)
d) Write the ratio 24:36 in its simplest form. (1)

Question 2 3

During their holidays, three university students work on a job for which they get
paid R28 480. Bheka works for 1 day, Cebile works for 2 days and Didiza works for
5 days.
They decide to split the money in the same ratio as the days they worked on this.
Calculate how much money each of them will receive. [3]

Question 3 10

a) Calculate x2 − x − 3xy if x = −4 and y = −2. (5)

b) Determine the value of a2b − a −3(a − b) when a = 3 and b = −1. (5)

188 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 188 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Question 4 12

Simplify:
a) 5x − (2x − 3) + (−2x)(1 − x) − x2 (4)
b) 2x(x2 − 3x2) + 3x3 − (−5x2) (4)
c) 2a(−4a − 5) + 3a(−2)(−a) + (12a) (4)

Question 5 6

Solve for x:
a) 3(x − 1) − x(x + 1) = x(1 − x) (4)
b) Check your solution without using a calculator by substituting your answer
to a) into the left-hand side and the right-hand side of the equation.
Show all your working. (2)
Question 6 7

The square grid below shows the natural numbers arranged in a spiral.

Column

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
1
2
3 17
4 7 6 5 16
Rows

5 8 1 4 15
6 9 2 3 14
7 10 11 12 13
8
9
10

a) Fill in the numbers in the two empty shaded squares if the arrangement in the
spiral continues in the same pattern. (2)
b) How many natural numbers will fit into the square grid? (1)
c) Suppose the square grid is extended and the arrangement of the spiral
continues to follow the same pattern.
Continue the pattern of numbers along the shaded diagonal and write down
the first six terms in this sequence of numbers. (3)
d) John has a grid with 16 rows and 16 columns. Determine the number that will
be in row 3 column 16 if the spiral starts in row 8 column 8. (1)

Term 2 Week 10 Chapter 14 Cumulative revision 2 189

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 189 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Question 7 8

Simplify:
3a b − 12a b
2
___________ 2
a) ​    ​ (2)
2
−3a b
4x2y(−2xy3)
b) ​ _________​ (2)
16x y
3 2

2x2y 3xy4
c) ​ ____3 ​× ____
​  5 2 ​ (4)
3xy xy

Question 8 6

Menzi buys electrical appliances that cost R68 000.

He pays 15% in cash and the balance is paid through a hire purchase loan
agreement. He repays the loan over 4 years and the interest charged on the
loan is 18% p.a. on the full amount of the loan over the repayment period.
a) Calculate the loan amount. (2)
b) Calculate the total amount that must be repaid on the loan over 4 years
including the interest. (3)
c) Calculate the amount of money that must be paid each month to repay the
loan, assuming that he makes equal payments every month for 4 years. (1)
Question 9 12

ABCD is a parallelogram.
CD is produced to E so that AE = AD and ˆ E​
​ = 72°.
Calculate the size of all the angles in the diagram, giving reasons for your answers.
Question 10 6

CBD is right-angled at D with BD = 4 cm and DC = 3 cm.

ABC is right-angled at B with AB = 12 cm.
Calculate the length of AC.
Question 11 8

PQR is an isosceles triangle with PR = QR and ˆ

Q​
​ = 65°.
Determine all the angles in the diagram, giving reasons for your answers.

190 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 190 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Common
fractions 15
In this chapter you will learn about:
zz Addition and subtraction of common fractions, including mixed numbers
zz Finding fractions of whole numbers
zz Multiplication of common fractions, including mixed numbers
zz Converting mixed numbers to common fractions in order to perform calculations on
them
zz Equivalent forms between:
{{ common fractions (fractions where one denominator is a multiple of the other)
{{ common fraction and decimal fraction forms of the same number
{{ common fraction, decimal fraction and percentage forms of the same number
zz Using knowledge of multiples and factors to write fractions in their simplest form
before or after calculations
zz Finding equivalent fractions in order to add and subtract common fractions
zz Dividing whole numbers and common fractions by common fractions
zz Reciprocal relationships in order to divide common fractions
zz Solving problems in context involving common fractions and mixed numbers,
including grouping, sharing and finding fractions of whole numbers
zz Calculating the squares, cubes, square roots and cube roots of common fractions
zz Revising:
{{ finding percentages of whole numbers
{{ calculating the percentage of part of a whole
zz Calculating the percentage increase or decrease
zz Calculating amounts if the percentage increase or decrease is given
zz Solving problems in context involving percentages.

Term 3 Week 1 Chapter 15 Common fractions 191

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 191 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 15.1

1. What fraction of the area of the larger square does each

A
of the following shapes represent? B
a) A b) B
c) A + B d) C

C
1
2. Is ​ __
2
​ 58 ​? Show your calculations.
​greater than __

3. In a recent survey, 920 parents were asked the question

‘Are you happy with your child’s school?’.
1
​ __
5
​ 34 ​said yes.
​said no; __
Calculate how many parents:
a) said no b) said yes c) did not reply.
1
4. Maddy cycles a distance of 3​ __
4
​kilometres four times a week.

Calculate the total distance she cycles in a week.

Mixed numbers and improper fractions

An improper fraction is a fraction where the numerator is greater than the denominator,
​ 32 ​, __
such as __ ​  53 ​ and __
​  54 ​.
In everyday life we use mixed numbers more frequently than improper fractions.
Examples of mixed numbers are 1​ _2 ​ and 2​ __34 ​.
1

A mixed number is a combination of a natural number and a proper fraction.

​  14 ​.
1
A proper fraction has a numerator which is less than the denominator, such as _​ 2 ​ and __
We often have to work with improper fractions. We need to know how to convert
from mixed numbers to improper fractions and also from improper fractions to mixed
numbers.

Example 1 Example 2
Convert 1
2​ __
2
​to an improper fraction. ​  19
Convert ___5
​to a mixed number.

Solution Solution
1
2​ __
2
1
​ = 2 + ​ __
2
​ 19
​ ___
5
​  15
​ = ___5
​  45 ​
​ + __
​  12 ​
= _​  42 ​ + __ 4
= 3​ __
5
​
5
​  52 ​
= __
19
or ​ ___
5
​ = ​ __
5
​  55 ​ + __
​ + __ ​  55 ​ + __
​  45 ​
= 1 + 1 + 1 + _​  45 ​
= 3​ _45 ​

192 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 192 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 15.2

1. State which of the following numbers are improper fractions, which are proper
fractions and which are mixed numbers.
a) __ ​  34 ;​ __
​  43 ;​ __ ​  74 ;​ 1​ __
1 __
2 3
;​ ​  2 ;​ 2​ _23 ​
1 __
b) 3​ __
2 3
​; ​  7 ;​ 2​ __ ;​ ​  5 ;​ __
1 ___
4 11 3 2
​  3 ;​ __
​  5 ​

2. Convert the following mixed numbers to improper fractions.

3 1
a) 1​ __
4
​ b) 2​ __
3
​ c) 3​ _14 ​
3 1 3
d) 3​ __
8
​ e) −1​ __
2
​ f) −1​ __
4
​
2 5 3
g) 4​ __
5
​ h) 5​ __
6
​ i) −3​ __​8
3. Express the following improper fractions as mixed numbers.
15 16 17
a) ​ ___
2
​ b) ​ ___
5
​ c) ​ ___
3
​
30
​  21
d) ___4
​ 28
e) ​ __
9
​ f) ​ ___
7
​

Equivalent fractions
Depending on how you look at it, the rectangle below has been divided into 24 equal
parts, 12 equal parts, 8 equal parts or 6, 4, 3 or 2 equal parts.

In the rectangle on the right, the shaded area represents a certain fraction of the whole
rectangle.
​ 16
This fraction may be written in many ways: as __
24
​ or __ 8
​  12 ​  46 ​ or __
​ or __ ​  23 ​.
Since each of these fractions is represented by the same area we say that they are
equivalent fractions. Thus, dividing the whole rectangle into 6 equal parts and taking 4
of these equal parts gives the same result as dividing the whole rectangle into 24 equal
parts and taking 16 of them.
16 4
Thus ​ __46 ​ = ​ __
24
​. Note that both the numerator and the denominator of the fraction ​ __6 ​ have
been multiplied by 4.
Also, in this way we can see that:
__ 8
​  12 ​  23 ×
​ = _____ ×4
4
​  23 ​ × __
​ = __ ​  44 ​ = __
​  23 ​ × 1 = __
​  23 ​

Term 3 Week 1 Chapter 15 Common fractions 193

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 193 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 If one wants to obtain equivalent fractions for a particular fraction, one can multiply or
divide the fraction by 1.

Example 1 Example 2
​ 13 ​is equivalent to __
Show that __ ​ 26 ​. ​ 23 ​ = ___
Show that __ 8
​  12 ​.
Solution Solution

​  1 ​
__
3
×1 _ ​  4 ​
​  2 ​ × __
3 4
​  13 ​ × __
= __ ​  22 ​
​  23 ×
= _____ ×4
4
​
2
= ​ __ ​ 8
6 = ___
​  12 ​

When comparing fractions, it helps to change them to equivalent fractions with the
same denominators.

Example 3
7
Which is bigger: ___
​ 12 ​  58 ​?
​ or __

Solution
7
The LCM of 12 and 8 is 24. We will therefore write both ___
​ 12 ​  58 ​with a denominator
​ and __
of 24. The denominators must be the same.
5
7
​ ___
12
7
​ = ​ ___
12
​ × 1 ​ __
8
​  58 ​ × 1
​ = __
7 5
= ​ ___
12
​  22 ​
​ × __ = ​ __
8
​ × _​  33 ​
14 15
= ​ __
24
​ = ​ __
24
​

​ 15
Now we can see that ___
24
​  14
​ > ___24
​since 15 > 14 and the denominators are the same.

​  58 ​ > ___
So __ 7
​  12 ​.

Exercise 15.3

1. Find the missing numerator or denominator.

​  35 ​ = ___
a) __ ​  20 ​ b) ​ ___
3
​  16
​ = ___24
​ 1
c) ​ __
7
​  4 ​
​ = ___

​  95 ​
​  19 ​ = ___
d) __ 6
e) ​ ___ ​  18
​ = ___24
​ 20
f) ​ ___​ = ___ 5
​  13 ​

194 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 194 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 2. Compare the following pairs of fractions and use the signs =, > or < to indicate
the relationships between them:
3 5
​  14 ​ and ​ __
a) __ 4
​ b) ​ __
3
2
​ and ​ __
3
​ 1
c) ​ __
4
4
​ and ​ __
3
​
5 3 7 8 2 3
d) ​ __
3
​ and ​ __
5
​ e) ​ ___
12
​ and ​ ___
15
​ f) ​ __
5
​ and ​ ___
20
​

3. Write down a further three equivalent fractions:

1
​ __
2
​ = __ ​  36 ​ = − = − = −
​  24 ​ = __

4. For each pair of fractions, determine which one is bigger:

3
​  12 ​ or ​ __
a) __ 1
3
​ 1
b) ​ __
2
1
​ or ​ __
4
​ 2
c) ​ __
3
​ or ​ __
2
​
3 3
​  14 ​ or ​ __
d) __ 2
3
​ 2
e) ​ __
5
​ or ​ __
9
​ 2
f) ​ __
5
​ or ​ ___
20
​

5. Arrange the following fractions in descending order:

​  14 ;​ __
a) ​ _12 ;​ __ ​  18 ​ 2 ___
b) ​ __ ​  3 ​
​; ​  1 ​; ___
5 10 20

Addition and subtraction of fractions

In order to add or subtract fractions you should understand the following concepts:
a) equivalent fractions b) common denominators

Example 1 Example 2
​  34 ​
Calculate: 2 − __ ​  23b ​
Simplify: b + ___

Solution Solution

​  34 ​ = _​  21 ​ − __
2 − __ ​  34 ​ b + ___ ​  1b ​ + ___
​  23b ​ = __ ​  23b ​

8
= ​ __ ​  34 ​
​ − __ ​  33b ​ + ___
= ___ ​  23b ​
4
3b + 2b
​  54 ​
= __ = ​ _______
3
​

1
= 1​ __ ​ ​  53b ​
= ___
4

Exercise 15.4

1. Calculate without using a calculator:

7 5
a) ___
​  12 ​  49 ​
​ − __ 1
b) ​ __
2
​  13 ​
​ + __ 7
c) ​ __
8
​ − ___
​  12 ​
3
​  27 ​ + __
d) __ ​  23 ​ 7
e) ​ __
9
​ + ___ 4
​  11 ​ f) ​ __
4
​  12 ​
​ − __

​  34 ​
g) 6 − __ ​  16 ​
h) 7 − __ i) 1
​ __
3
​  34 ​ + __
​ + __ ​  16 ​

Term 3 Week 1 Chapter 15 Common fractions 195

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 195 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 2. Simplify:
3y y
a) __ ​  2x
​  4x ​ + __ 4
​ b) ​ ___
10
​ − ___
​  10 ​ x
c) ​ __
2
​  5x ​
​ − __
a −6y 3y
d) ___ ​  3x ​
​  −4x ​ + __ e) ​ __
4
​−a f) ​ ____
7
​ − ___
​  14 ​
xy 5xy
g) ​ __
3
​ − ___
​  4 ​ ​  3a
h) −5a − __ 4
​ i) a
​ __
2
​  2a
​ + __ 3
​  3a
​ + __ 5
​

Addition and subtraction of mixed numbers

Change mixed numbers to improper fractions and then add or subtract.

Example 1 Example 2
1 1
Simplify: 3​ __
4
​ + 2​ __ ​ 1
Simplify: 5​ __ 1
​ − 2​ __ ​
5 4 3
Solution Solution
1
1
3​ __
4
​ + 2​ __ ​  13 ​ + ___
​ = ___ ​  11 ​ 1
5​ __ 1
​ − 2​ __ 21
​ = ​ ___ ​  7 ​
​ − __
5 4 5 4 3 4 3
13 __ 5 __ 4
= ___
​  ​× ​  11 ​× ​  4 ​
​  5 ​ + ___ ​  21 ​×
= ___
3
__ 4
__
​  73 ​× ​  4 ​
​  3 ​ − __
4 5 4
65
= ___
​  ​ + ​  44 ​
___
​  63 ​ − ___
= ___ ​  28 ​
20 20 12 12
= ___ ​  109 ​ ​  35 ​
= ___
20 12
9
= 5​ ___ ​ = 11
2​ ___​
20 12

Exercise 15.5

Simplify without using a calculator:

1 1 1 3 1 1 1
1. 2​ __​ + 1​ __​ 2. 3​ __​ − 2​ __​ 3. 2​ __​ + 5​ __​ − 1​ __​
4 2 3 4 2 3 4
3 1 3 1
4. 3​ __ 2​ __
​− ​ 5. −2 + 1​ __​ 6. 2​ __ ​− 3
4 3 8 3
3
7. 2 − (​ __​ − __ ​  1 ​) 1 1
8. 4​ __​ + 3​ __
2
​ 1
9. 8 − (2​ __
5
1
​ + 1​ __
2
​)
6 3 4
1 1 1 1
10. (5​ __
4
​ + 2​ __ ​) − (2​ __ ​ + 3​ __​)
5 3 6

196 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 196 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Multiplication of fractions

Exercise 15.6

1. a) Copy the diagram alongside.

b) Shade half of it with stripes going one way.
c) C
 onsider the shaded portion as a new whole and
divide it into three equal parts.
d) S hade one of these parts with stripes going the
opposite direction.
Original whole New whole
e) W
 hat part of the original whole does this double-
shaded portion represent?

2. a) Copy the diagram alongside.

b) Shade two thirds of it with stripes going one way.
c) C
 onsider this portion as a new whole and divide
it into four equal parts. Original whole New whole

d) Shade one of these parts with stripes going in the opposite direction.
e) W
 hat part of the original whole does this double-shaded portion represent?
3. Calculate each of the following products using the diagram below.
1
a) ​ __ ​  1 ​
​ × __
2 2
1
b) ​ __ ​ × ​  12 ​
__
5
1
c) ​ __ ​ × __​  35 ​
2
1 __ 1
d) ​ __ ​ × ​  2 ​
4
1
e) ​  3 ​
__ × __​  2 ​
4

From the previous exercise one can see that when multiplying fractions we multiply
numerators by numerators and denominators by denominators.
Example 1 Example 2

​  1 ​ × __
Simplify: __ ​  23 ​ 1
Simplify: −1​ __ 2
​ × −1​ __ ​
2 2 3

Solution Solution
1 1 2
​ __ ​  23 ​
​ × __ −1​ __​ × −1​ __​ Change mixed numbers to
2 2 3 improper fractions.
1×2
= ​ _____​ 3
= − ​ __​× − __
5
​  3 ​
2×3 2
​  2 ​
= __ ​  3 ​ × __
= __ ​  5 ​
6 2 3
​  1 ​
= __ ​  5 ​
= __
3 2
1
= 2​ __​
2

Term 3 Week 1 Chapter 15 Common fractions 197

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 197 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 15.7

Simplify:
1. 1
​ __
3
​  12 ​
​ × __ 2. __ ​  3 ​
​  2 ​ × __ −2
3. ​ ___
3
​  3 ​
​ × ___
5 7 10

4. _ ​  m ​
​  x ​ × __ n
5. ​  xy ​ ×
_ ​  xy ​
_ ​  1 ​ × x
6. __
y 2

7. __ ​  3 ​
​  2 ​ × __ 8. ___ ​  1 ​
​  −2x ​ × __ −2
9. ​  5 ​ × ____
___ 10
​  −13 ​
x y y
1 2
10. 2​ __​ × 3​ __ 1
3
​ 11. 2​ __​ × ___ ​  9 ​ 3 1
12. 1​ __​ × 2​ ___
10
​
2 3 16 7

13. 1​ __1
2
​ × __ ​  5 ​ × 5 8
14. ​ __​ × 4​ __​ ×
2 1
1​ __ ​ 15. ___ 10
​  −13
​  −52 ​ × ____ ​
4 9 4 2

Using reciprocal relationships to divide fractions

Exercise 15.8

Complete the following to make the sentences true.

1. ​  3 ​ × __
__ ​  ​ = 1
3
2. __ ​  1 ​ = 1
​  2 ​ × __ ​  2 ​ ×
3. __ =1
4 2 3
3
4. ​  14 ​ = 1
× __ 5. 1 × =1 6. −​ __​ ×
8
= +1
7. ​  a ​ ×
__
3
=1 8. ​  dc ​ = 1
× __

Note
For any fraction, excluding zero, you can find another fraction such that the product of
the two fractions is one.
If one number is multiplied by another and the product of the two numbers is one,
these numbers are multiplicative inverses of each other.

Example
1
2 is the multiplicative inverse of ​ __2 ​.
1
​ __3 ​is the multiplicative inverse of 3.
3 4
−​ __
4
​is the multiplicative inverse of −​ __​.
3
We also say that each of these numbers is the reciprocal of the other.

Example
1
4 is the reciprocal of ​ __4 ​.
​ __19 ​is the reciprocal of 9.
2 3
−​ __​is the reciprocal of −​ __​.
3 2

198 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 198 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 If we multiply any fraction by its reciprocal we will always get 1.
1 3 8 x y
__ ​  1 ​ = 1 ​ __38 ​ × __
​  3 ​ × __ ​  3 ​ = 1 ​ _y ​× _​  x ​= 1

Exercise 15.9

Write down the reciprocal of:

1
1. 2 2. ​ __
2
​ ​  23 ​
3. __

4. ​  3 ​
__ ​  −54 ​
5. ___
5
6. ​ __​
4 6
1 1 1
7. 1​ __​ 8. 2​ __​ 9. ​ __​
3 3 3
−3
___
10. ​  4 ​ 11. − 4 ​  3a ​
12. __

​  bc ​
13. __ −a
14. ​ ___
b
​ 15. __​  −ef ​

Division of fractions
If Lucy has three pizzas and cuts them into halves, how
1
many people can get __ ​ 2 ​a pizza?
This may be illustrated as shown alongside.
1
3 ÷ ​ __2 ​ = 6
1
If Lucy has a pizza and divides __
​ 2 ​of this pizza amongst
3 people, what portion of the whole pizza will each person receive?
This can be illustrated as shown alongside.
1
​ __12 ​ ÷ 3 = __
​  6 ​
Mathematically we can show the 2 results as follows:
​  1 ​ ÷ __
1 3
​  31 ​ ÷ __
3 ÷ ​ __12 ​ = __ ​  2 ​ ​  12 ​ ÷ 3 = __
__
2
​  ​ 1
3 1 1
​  21 ​
= ​ __1 ​ × __ = __
​  ​ × __
2
​  ​ 3
1
= 6 = __
​  ​6

Exercise 15.10

1. Simplify (using the method above):

​  1 ​
__
​  1 ​
__
4 4
a) ​  __1 ​ b) ​  __1 ​​ c) ​  3 ​
​ 2 6
2

​  6 ​
__ ​  2 ​
__ ​  7 ​
__
d) ​  73 ​ e) ​  __33 ​ f) ​  __81 ​
__​ ​ ​
7 5 4

Term 3 Week 1 Chapter 15 Common fractions 199

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 199 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 2. Now that you have completed question 1, discuss a quick way for doing division
of fractions. Write down your conclusion.
3. Copy and then complete the following:
​ 12 ​is the same as multiplying by ...................
a) Dividing by __
​ 16 ​is the same as multiplying by ...................
b) Dividing by __
​ −83 ​is the same as multiplying by ...................
c) Dividing by ___
d) Dividing by −3 is the same as multiplying by ...................
​ 3a ​is the same as multiplying by ...................
e) Dividing by __
​ bc ​ is the same as multiplying by ...................
f) Dividing by __

Dividing by a number is the same as multiplying by its reciprocal

Example 1 Example 2
1 1
Simplify: −2​ __ ​ ÷ 1​ __ ​ 2
​ __ ​  3 ​
​ + __
2 9 Simplify: _____
​  13 14 ​ __
​  ​ + __
​  ​
Solution 2 3

Solution
1
−2​ __
2
1
​ ÷ 1​ __
9
−5
​ = ​ ___
2
​  10 ​
​ ÷ ___
9 2
__ 3
__
​  ​ + ​  ​
= −5
​ ___
2
​  9 ​
​ × ___
10
Here we inverted the
divisor and multiplied.
_____
__
​  ​ + __
2
​  ​
(3 4) (2 3)
​  2 ​ + __
​  13 14 ​ = ​ __ ​  3 ​  ​ ÷ ​ __
​  1 ​ + __
​  1 ​  ​
3
= −51
​  2 ​ × ___
___ 9
​  10 ​ = (​ _____ ​  3 + 2 ​  )​
​  8 + 9 ​  )​ ÷ (​ _____
2
12 6

−1 × 9
= ​ ______ ​ ​  17 ​ ÷ __
= ___ ​  5 ​
2×2 12 6

​  17 ​ ​  6 ​
1
9
= − ​ __ 1
​ (or −2​ __ ​) = ___ × __
4 4 122 5

​  17
= ___10
7
​ (or 1​ ___
10
​)

Exercise 15.11

1. Evaluate the following without using a calculator:

8
​  46 ​
a) _​  43 ​ ÷ __ 14
b) ​ __
5
​ ÷ ___ 7
​  15 ​ c) ​ __
9
​  23 ​
​ ÷ __

6
d) ___
​  25 ​  35 ​
​ ÷ __ 6
e) ​ __
5
​  35 ​
​ ÷ __ 1
f) ​ __
2
​÷2

g) 2 ÷ _​  12 ​ 2
h) ​ __
3
1
​ ÷ 4​ __
2
​ i) ​  8__1 ​
4
​

​  9 ​
__ ​  9 ​
__ 1
15​ __ ​
j) __
​  6 ​ k) ​ ____31 ​ l) ​ ___2
​
3 ​  3 ​ 1
__
5​  2 ​

200 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 200 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 2 ​ + __
​ __ ​  1 ​
11 3
m) ​  _____
5
3
___
3
​ n) ​ ___
15
​  13 ​ ÷ __
​ ÷ __ ​  15 ​ o) ​ _____
1
__ 3
__
​
​  ​ ​  3 ​ + ​  5 ​
15

​  1 ​ − __
__ ​  1 ​ ​  x ​ + __
__ ​  x ​
p) ​  _____
2
6
3
​ q) ​  _____
2
x ​
__
3
​  ​
4
1
2. a) H
 ow many ​ __
2
​metre lengths of cloth can be obtained from
2 m of cloth?
b) How many quarter apples can be obtained from 2 apples?

Solving problems using fractions

In order to solve problems involving fractions, we apply strategies covered in earlier
exercises.

Exercise 15.12

1. Thabo Tours organises bus trips to various sights in

Gauteng. One tour group consisted of the
following tourists:
20 Americans,
12 British,
18 Germans, and
10 French.
a) How many tourists were on tour?
b) E
 xpress the number of tourists from each country as a fraction of the total
number of tourists on the tour. Each fraction must be in its simplest form.
​ 3 ​from Germany, what fraction
​  15 ​of the group came from England and ___
c) I f __
10
of the tourists came from England and Germany together?
d) If _​  25 ​of the Americans were men, what fraction of the Americans were women?
e) How many American men were on the tour?
f) T
 he following figures are based on the number of tourists under 25 years of
age:
3
​ __
4
​of the Americans
1
​ __
3
​of the British
5
​ __
6
​of the Germans
1
​ __
2
​of the French.
What fraction of the group was under 25 years old?

Term 3 Week 1 Chapter 15 Common fractions 201

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 201 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 2. Lizo took part in a cycling race.
261
He cycled ​ ___
10
​km in 25 minutes.
a) How many kilometres did he cover in 1 minute?
b) Calculate his speed in km/h.
1
3. The area of a rectangle is 15​ __
3
​ cm2.
5
Its length is 3​ __
6
​cm. What is the width of the rectangle?

Fractions and the calculator

A calculator is a useful tool when it comes to saving time. It is necessary to know how to
use it effectively for fractions.

Exercise 15.13

Consult your calculator’s manual to do the following calculations.

1.
2
​ __ ​  34 ​
​ + __ ​  23 ​
2. 2 + __ ​  2 ​
3. 3 − __
3 3
2 1 1 1 1
4. 6​ __ ​ − 3​ ___​ 10
5. 3​ __ ​ × 2​ __
2
​ 6. 6​ __ ​÷22
3 4
3
7. 1​  12 ​
__ ​  45 ​ × 5
× __ 8. ​  14
___
5
​ ÷ ___7
​  15 ​ 9. 6​ __
4
​− 1
(2​ __
3
2
​ − 1​ __
5
)​

Squares and cubes of common fractions

To simplify a squared or cubed mixed number, we first have to write it as an improper fraction.

Example 1 Example 2

Simplify: ​​ 1​  3 ​  ​​ ​ ( ) 1 2
__ 1
Simplify: ​​ −1​ __
2 (
​  ​​ ​ )
3

Solution Solution

( ) 1 2
__
​​ 1​  3 ​  ​​ ​ = ( )​​( )​
​  4 ​ 
​ __
3
​  4 ​ 
__
3 ( 1
​​ −1​ __
2 )
3
( )( )( )
3
​  ​​ ​ = ​ − ​ __
2
3
​  ​​ − ​ __
2
3
​  ​​ − ​ __
2
​  ​
16
= ​ ___ ​ 27
= −​ ___ ​
9 8
7
= 1​ __ ​ 3
= −3​ __​
9
8

202 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 202 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 15.14

1. Complete the table below.

Calculation Expanded form Answer Calculation Expanded form Answer
2
a) () 1 2
​​ _​  2 ​  ​​ ​ ( )( )
​  12 ​  ​​ __
​ __ ​  12 ​  ​ ​ __14 ​ f) ( )
​​ 1​ __13 ​  ​​ ​
3
​​( __
​  23 ​  )​​ ​
2
b) ​​( __​  23 ​  )​​ ​ (​ __​ 23​  )​​( __​ 23​  )​ g)
2
c) (​​ __​ 13​  )​​ ​ ( )
h) ​​ − ​ __2 ​  ​​ ​
5
3

2
d) ​​( 1​ __12 ​  )​​ ​ (​ __​ 32​  )​​( __​ 32​  )​ i)
3 2
(​​ 1​ _​  )​​ ​
4
2
e) (​​ 2​ __14​  )​​ ​ (​ __​ 94​  )​​( __​ 94​  )​ j)
3
(​​ 2​ __13​  )​​ ​

Square roots and cube roots of common fractions

Find the value of each of the numbers below without using a calculator.

Example 1 Example 2
___ ____
Simplify: √
​ ___ 1
​  121 ​ ​ Simplify: √ 1
​ 5​ ___
16
​ ​

Solution Solution
___ ___ ____ ___
√ 121
​  1 ​ ​ = ​ ___
​ ___ ​  1 2 ​ ​ √ 11 ​√ 1
5​ ___
16
​ ​ =√
​ ​  81
___
16
​ ​
__
1
= ​ ___
11
​ =​ √ 92
​ __
42
​ ​

​  94 ​
= __

Example 3 Example 4
__ ___
3 __ 3
Simplify: √
​ ​  18 ​ ​ Simplify: ​√3​ __
3
8
​ ​

Solution Solution
__ __ ___ __
3 __ 3 __ 3 3 __
√
​ ​  18 ​ ​ = √
​ ​  213 ​ ​ ​√ 3
3​ __
8
​ ​ √
= ​ ​  8 ​ ​27

__
​  1 ​
= __ 3 __
2 √ 33
= ​ ​  23 ​ ​

​  3 ​
= __
It is sometimes useful to write: 2
√a ​
__ 3 __
__
​ ​ ​​ and
__ 3
​√ =
​ __ab ​  ​ __a
___
√ ​ ​ = ___
​ ​ __ab​  ​ __ ​
√
​√ b ​
​√ b ​
3

Term 3 Week 1 Chapter 15 Common fractions 203

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 203 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 15.15

Calculate the following without using a calculator:

__ __ ____
√
​  14 ​ ​
1. ​ __ 2. ​ √ 9
​ __
4
​ ​ 3. √
​ ___ 81
​  100 ​ ​
___ __ __
3 __
4. ​ ___​  16 √
9
​ ​ √4
​  49 ​ ​
5. ​ __ 6. √
​ ​  18 ​ ​
___ ___ ___
3 ___
7. ​ ​  27
__
√
8
​ ​ 8. ​ √ 1​ __
__
7
9
​ ​ √__41
9. ​ 2​ _​ ​

10. ​ __ √
​  a4 ​ ​ 11. ​√ ​  b92 ​ ​
__ 12. ​√ __
​  c1 ​ ​
2
2

__ ___ ___
3 1 3 125 3
13. ​ ​ __ √
c3
​ ​ √ 27
14. ​ ___
​  ​ ​ 15. ​√ __
​  −a83 ​ ​

Percentages

zz Percentages are an effective way of making comparisons.

zz ‘Cent‘ comes from the Latin word for a hundred, which gives ‘per cent’ the meaning
‘per one hundred’.
50
zz 50% is 50 hundredths or ___
​ 100 ​  12 ​.
​ or __
​  14 ​.
25
zz 25% is 25 hundredths or ___
​ 100 ​ or __
change
zz % change = ______
​  original ​ × 100

Example 1 Example 2
1
Write 33​ __
3
​% as a fraction. Calculate: 15% of R185

Solution Solution
​  100
___
1
33​ __ ​% = ​  100 ​ ___ 3
​
​  15 ​ × 185 = R27,75
___
100
3
15
100
= ​ ___ ​ × ___ 1
​  100 ​ Note: 15% means ​ ___
100
​
3

​  13 ​
= __

Example 3 Example 4
Calculate the percentage increase if 12 kg What percentage is 20c of R1,60?
is increased by 6 kg.
Solution
Solution
​  20 ​ × 100 = 12,5%
___
160
6
% increase = __
​  12 ​ × 100
= 50%

204 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 204 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Example 5 Example 6
A rectangular photo has a length of A 40 g high energy drink has the
12 cm and a breadth of 10 cm. following composition:
The length is increased by 50% and the 20% fibre,
breadth is decreased by 25%. 70% carbohydrates,
Calculate the dimensions of the new 6% protein, and
rectangle formed this way. 4% fat.
Calculate the mass
Solution of each part of the
50
50% of 12 cm = ​ ____ ​ × 12 energy drink.
100
= 6 cm Solution
25 ​ × 20
25% of 10 cm = ​ ____ 20
Mass of fibre = ​ ___ ​ × 40
100 100
= 2,5 cm =8g
70
Mass of carbohydrates = ​ ___
100
​ × 40
New length = 12 + 6
= 18 cm = 28 g
6
New breadth = 10 − 2,5 Mass of protein = ​ ___ ​ × 40
100
24
= 7,5 cm = ​ ___
10
​
= 2,4 g
4
Mass of fat = ​ ___
100
​ × 40
16
= ​ __
10
​
= 1,6 g

Exercise 15.16

1. Calculate:
a) 10% of R50 b) 25% of R132 c) 78% of R230
2. What percentage is 6c of R1,20?
3. Find the percentage increase if 100 kg is increased by 20 kg.
4. A 600 ml bottle of cough medicine is composed of: 40% water, 10% lemon,
20% honey and 30% syrup. Calculate the volume of each part of the cough
medicine in millilitres.
5. The prices of sports items are changed as set out in the table below.
Complete the table.
Item Old price Change New price
a) Track suit R600 10% increase
b) Running shoes R900 9% off
c) Training shoes R650 25% decrease
d) Exercise bike R2 000 20% more
e) Sweater R300 15% less

Term 3 Week 1 Chapter 15 Common fractions 205

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 205 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Check your skills
Exercise 15.17

5 _
1. Arrange the following fractions in order from the smallest to the largest: ___
​ 12 ​; ​  14 ​; __
​  14
24
​
2. Calculate without using a calculator:
1
a) 1​ __
2
​  34 ​
​ − __ 1
b) ​ __
3
​ − _​  14 ​ ​  1 −1 __​ 3 ​​
c) ____
4
​  2 ​ − 1
__
1
( 3 )(
d) ​ ​ __ 1
​  ​​ −1​ __ )
​  ​
2
e) ​  _____
5
​ 3
​  12 ​ × __
f) 1 − __ ​  23 ​
2
1 1 ​ __ ​  1 ​
​ − __
g) 4 − 3 × ​ __ ​ 3
h) ​ _____
1
__ 1
__
​ i) ​  _____
3
2
2
​
​  4 ​ + ​  2 ​

j) ​  1 ​ × 4 − 2 ÷ ​ __
__
2
1
​ 2
2
k) 4​ __
3
1
​ − 3​ __
2
​ + ___ 3
​  12 ​ l) 5
​ __
9 (5
​ ÷ ​ ​ __
3 )
​ + _​  53 ​  ​

3. Simplify:
​  x ​
a) x + __ ​  2m ​
b) 2m − ___ ​  5x
c) __ ​  3x ​
​ + ___
2 3 4 2
y y
d) − __
​  ​ − ___
​  ​
7 14
1
e) −3b + 1​ __​b 9
f) 5
​  2a ​ + ___
​ __a ​ + __ 3
​  3a ​
15
1
4. a) Calculate by using inspection: 1​ __
3
​ + 2​ _15 ​ + 2​ _23 ​
b) Explain how you obtained your answer to a).

5. Calculate the following without using a calculator:

___ __ ______
a) √ 4
​ 5​ __
9
​ ​ b) ​ __ √
​  81
64
​ ​ c) ​√______
​  10 1000 ​ ​

6. A 600 ml health product contains the following:

10% minerals, 60% water, 5% fat and 15% protein.
Calculate the volume of each part of the health product.

Extend your skills

Exercise 15.18

1. A CD played at a gym session takes 15 minutes to play.

a) D
 etermine the time taken if the disc is replaced
with a second disc that takes 10% longer.
b) Determine the time taken if the disc is replaced
with a third disc that takes 5% less time than
the first.

206 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 206 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Decimal fractions 16
In this chapter you will learn about:
zz Ordering and comparing decimal fractions and place values in decimal fractions
zz Performing calculations using decimal fractions:
—— adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing fractions
—— finding squares, cubes, square roots and cube roots of decimal fractions
zz Rounding off decimal fractions
zz Solving problems involving decimal fractions
zz Revising equivalent forms: common fractions, decimals and percentages.

Decimal fractions
In about the year 1530 a German mathematician, Christopher Rudolff, noticed
​  12 ​ = __
that __ 5
​  10 ​ and _​  34 ​ = ___75
​  100 ​.
He wrote these fractions as .5 and .75 − the point indicating that the figures which
follow it are tenths, hundredths and so on.
These are known as decimal fractions (or simply decimals).
A decimal fraction is a fraction whose denominator is a power of 10.
A decimal fraction is expressed without a denominator by inserting a comma (or point)
corresponding to the power of ten of the denominator.
Examples:
__ 3
​  10 ​is expressed as 0,3.
___27
​  100 ​is expressed as 0,27.
​ ____
5
1 000
​is expressed as 0,005 (the zeros in front of the 5 are called leading zeros).
In South Africa we use a comma instead of a point, in other words _​ 21 ​ = 0,5 and _​ 34 ​ = 0,75.
The point, however, is used on calculators and computers, by banks and in many other
countries.

Term 1 Week 1 Chapter 16 Decimal fractions

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 207 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 16.1

1. Complete the table below:

Common Tenths Hundredths Thousandths
Thousands Hundreds Tens Units ,
fraction ​( __ 1
​  10 ​  )​ (​ ___ 1
​  100 ​  )​ (​ ____ 1
​  1 000 ​  )​

e.g. 4 __ 3
​  10 ​ 4 , 3

__
​  2 ​
a) 10

b) 25 __ 7
​  10 ​

c) 32 ___ 7
​  100 ​

d) 231 ____ 7
​  1 000 ​

___
​  63 ​
e) 100

f) 6 530 ____
​ 1 47
000
​

2. In the number 627,432 the underlined digit 3 stands for ___ 3

​ 100 ​and the digit
6 stands for 6 × 100.
Write down the value of the underlined digit. Digits to the right of the comma
should be written as proper fractions with the denominator being a power of ten.
a) 52,78 b) 10,412 c) 198,76
d) 298,75 e) 78,22 f) 8,232

3. To which numbers, expressed as decimals, are the arrows pointing?

a) (i) (ii)

7 8
b) (i) (ii)

2,9 3
c)

30,2 30,3

d)
3,4 3,6

4. Write the following decimals from the smallest to the largest (i.e. in
ascending order):
a) 2,568; 2,5685; 2,06879; 2,5608
b) 0,5; 0,005; 0,006; 0,60; 1,005
c) 0,3; 0,43; 0,18; 0,193

208 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 208 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 5. Write the following decimals from the largest to the smallest (i.e. in descending
order):
a) 2,562; 2,568; 2,7568; 3,5609
b) 0,6; 0,006; 0,7; 0,008; 0,0075
c) 2,678; 0,345; 0,35; 3,985

6. Insert <, = or > in each of the boxes below.

a) 0,2  0,4 b) 1,6  1,1
c) 2,5  2,50 d) 1,784  1,8
e) 0,63  0,567 f) 0,005  0,04
7. Copy the number line below and insert the given numbers in the correct spots
on the line.

0 0,2 0,4 0,6 0,8 1 1,2 1,4 1,6 1,8 2 2,2 2,4

a) 0,3 b) 1,12 c) 1,21

8. Write down the missing terms in the following sequences:

a) 0,7; 0,8; 0,9; __; __; 1,2
b) 1,22; 1,24; 1,26; __; __; 1,32
c) 4,3; 4,6; 4,9; 5,2; __; __; 6,1
d) 1,234; 1,239; 1,244; __; __; 1,259
e) −3,6; −3,2; −2,8; __; __; −1,6

Converting a common fraction to a decimal fraction

To convert a common fraction to a decimal, we change the fraction to an equivalent
fraction with a denominator which is a power of 10.

Example 1 Example 2
Convert _​  35 ​to a decimal number. Convert __
​  17
25
​to a decimal number.

Solution Solution
_
​  35 ​ = ​ _35 ​ × _​  22 ​ ​ __
17
​= ​ __
17
​× _​  44 ​
25 25
= __​  6 ​
10
= ___68
​  100 ​
= 0,6 = 0,68

Term 3 Week 3 Chapter 16 Decimal fractions 209

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 209 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Example 3 Example 4
Convert __
​  13
40
​to a decimal number. ​ 45 ​litres of milk.
A chef needs __

Solution ​  45 ​as a decimal number.

Write __

​ __
13
40
​ = ​ __
13
40
​ × __
​  25
25
​ Solution
= ​ ____
325
​
1 000 _ ​  20 ​ = ___
​  4 ​ × ___
20
​  80 ​ = 0,8
100
= 0,325 5

When the denominator of a fraction is not a factor of a power of 10, this method cannot be
used. For example, we cannot convert _​ 23 ​to a decimal fraction by using the same method.
An alternative method is needed, which consists of dividing the denominator into the
numerator until the division terminates or a recurring pattern appears, as is illustrated
by the following examples.

Example 5 Example 6
Convert ​  23 ​to
__ a decimal fraction. Convert _​  37 ​to a decimal fraction.

Solution Solution
2,000 3,000 000...
​  2 ​ =
__
3
​ _____
3
​ _
​  37 ​ = ________
​  7
​
= 0,42857142857142...
= 0,666... Divide 3 into 2,000…
We show that the digits 428 571 recur
̇
= 0,​6​ by placing a dot above the first digit in
the string of recurring digits (4) and also
above the last digit (1) and writing the
recurring part of the decimal fraction as
• •
428 571

Thus, _​  37 ​ = 0,42857142837142...

• •
= 0,428 571

Note
zz When the division ends (terminates), as with _​ 34 ​ = 0,75, we call the numbers
terminating decimals.
zz When the division does not end, as with _​ 13 ​ = 0,3333... (or 0,​̇
3​) and _​  37 ​ = 0,​̇
4​28 57​̇
1​,
we call the numbers recurring decimals.
zz All recurring decimals are non-terminating, because they do not have a last digit.
zz Terminating decimals occur when the only prime factors of the denominator are 2
and 5. In all other cases the number will be a recurring decimal.

210 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 210 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 16.2

1. Convert each of the following fractions to equivalent fractions with

denominators which are powers of ten and then express the fraction as a
decimal number.
a) _
​  45 ​ b) __ 9
​  20 ​ c) ​  −__
7
4
​
d) ​  −__
7
25
​ e) __
​  21
50
​ f) __
​  19
20
​
g) −__ 15
​  20 ​ h) ___ 3
​  200 ​ i) ___
​  61 ​
125

j) 1​ _1 ​
4
k) −2​ __
3
50
​ l) −5​ _
1
5
​
2. Express the following common fractions as decimal numbers.
a) _
​  58 ​ b) __
​  11
20
​ c) __ 5
​  16 ​
d) _
​  94 ​ e) __ 7
​  20 ​ f) __
​  19
8
​
g) _
​  14 ​ h) __ 9
​  20 ​ i) _
​  1 ​
7

j) −__ 4
​  25 ​ k) −_
​  87 ​ l) __
​  2 ​
15

m) _
​  15 ​ n) _
​  13 ​ o) __ 1
​  40 ​
p) −_
​  32 ​ q) −__
​  19
8
​ r) __
​  13
9
​
s) __
​  11
6
​ t) __ 4
​  11 ​ u) −__ 1
​  12 ​

Percentages and decimal fractions

A number written as a percentage is simply a fraction whose denominator is 100 where

the % sign replaces the denominator.
To change a percentage to a decimal, write the number in the percentage as the
numerator of a fraction with a denominator of 100 and then change the fraction to a
decimal number.
To change a decimal to a percentage, write the decimal as a fraction with a
denominator of 100 and then replace the denominator with the % sign.

Example 1 Example 2
Write 23% as a decimal number. Write 5% as a decimal number.

Solution Solution
23% = ___23
​  100 ​ 5% = ___ 5
​  100 ​
= 0,23 = 0,05

Term 3 Week 3 Chapter 16 Decimal fractions 211

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 211 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Example 3 Example 4

Write 0,​̇
3​as a percentage. Write 0,5 as a percentage.

Solution Solution
̇
0,​3​ 0,5
̇
33,​3​ = __ 5
​  10 ​
= ​ ____​
100
= ​ ___
50
100
​
̇% or 33​ _1 ​%
= 33,​3​ 3
= 50%

Exercise 16.3

1. Write each percentage as a decimal number.

a) 75% b) 1% c) 10%
d) 100% e) 10,5% f) 1,5%
g) 1,05% h) 1,25% i) 0,75%
j) 112,5% k) 37​ _12 ​% l) 66​ _23 ​%

2. Write each decimal number as a percentage.

a) 0,4 b) 0,04 c) 0,45
d) 0,475 e) 0,004 f) 0,35
g) 0,275 h) 0,8 i) 7,835
3. Complete the table below.
Common fraction Decimal fraction Percentage
_
​  1 ​
a) 2

b) 0,25
c) 0,75
d) 10%
e) 73%
_
​  3 ​
f) 4
Divide 4 into 3,000…

_
​  56 ​
g)
h) 0,4
i) 0,005
j) 100%

212 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 212 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Addition and subtraction of decimal numbers
There is no difficulty in performing the following operations, as long as the numbers are
arranged so that the decimal commas are in line.
The digits should be added or subtracted in columns.

Example 1 Example 2

Simplify: 7,041 + 3,52 + 0,102 Subtract 14,734 from 23,8.

Solution Solution

7,041
1
2 1
3 ,78 9
0 1
0 We insert zeros (called
1 4 , 7 3 4 trailing zeros) in the
3,520  We insert a zero in the columns for the hundredths
thousandths column. 9 , 0 6 6 and thousandths.
0,102
10,663

Example 3
Olympic swimmer Chad le Clos beat Michael Phelps in the 200 m butterfly race in the
London 2012 Olympics. Chad le Clos’s time in the last 50 m was
29,2 seconds, while Phelps completed the last lap in 29,83 seconds.
Calculate the difference between their times.

Solution
29,83 − 29,2
= 0,63 seconds

Exercise 16.4

1. Evaluate the following without using a calculator and then check your answers
with a calculator.
a) 0,1 + 0,3 b) 0,4 + 0,5 c) 0,7 + 0,007
d) 3 − 1,4 e) 0,714 − 2,385 f) 2,167 − 3,812 + 4,547
g) −3,6 + 2,426 h) 4,62 + 19,41 + 32,96 i) 6 − 0,541
j) 25,01 + 3,135 + 6,427 k) 1 − 0,06 l) 72,4 + 27,04
m) −1 − 0,673 n) 0,39 + 0,011 o) 3 + 1,4 + 2,8
p) 3,25 − 4,023 q) 6,4 − 2,75 r) 165,7 − 134,893

2. Evaluate the following without using a calculator and then check your answers
with a calculator.
a) 2,58x − 1,32x b) 1,003xy + 10,03xy
c) 0,2ef + 0,7fe + 0,8eg d) 0,2mn − 0,7nm
e) 4,4a − 2,04a − 1,4a f) 0,3x2 − 0,7x2 − 1,2x2
g) 4,4a − (2,04a − 1,4a) h) 2,3x + 2,5y + 0,7x + 3,2y
Term 3 Week 3 Chapter 16 Decimal fractions 213

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 213 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 3. Solve the following problems without the use of a
calculator. You may use a calculator to check your
answers.
a) A
 scientist has a flask with a mass of
53,47 g when empty and 112,38 g when full of
water. Find the mass of the water.

b) T
 hree handbags have masses of 2,465 kg, 4,007 kg
and 6,4 kg respectively.
Find the total mass of the three handbags.

c) F ind the perimeter of a rectangle of which the length is 4,72 m and the
breadth is 2,85 m.

Multiplication and division by powers of 10

Example 1 Example 2

Simplify: 2,35 × 10 Simplify: 0,06 ÷ 10

Solution Solution
2,35 × 10 0,06 ÷ 10
= ___
​  235 ​ × 10 = ___ 6
​  100 ​ ÷ __
​  10 ​
100 1

= ​ ___
235
100
​  10
​ × ___1
​ = ___ 6
​  100 ​ × ___1
​  10 ​

= ___
​  235 ​ = ____ 6
​  1 000 ​
10
= 23,5 = 0,006

Exercise 16.5

1. Calculate the following using the method above:

a) 0,4 × 100 b) 0,383 × 10 c) 0,383 ÷ 10
d) 0,56 ÷ 10 e) 0,38 × 100 f) 0,38 ÷ 1 000
g) 15,72 ÷ 1 000 h) 1,89 × 1 000

214 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 214 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 2. a) C
 ompare the first factor with the final answer in each case in question 1.
Is there a quick way to simply write down the answer by inspection?
b) Write down a rule for quickly:
(i) multiplying a number by 10, 100, 1 000, etc.
(ii) dividing a number by 10, 100, 1 000, etc.

Note power of 10
Powers of ten
exponent
10 3
10 = 101
base (10) or index
100 = 10 × 10 = 102
1 000 = 10 × 10 × 10 = 103

To multiply a decimal by a power of 10, move the decimal comma the same number of
places to the right as the value of the exponent of the power of 10.

To divide a decimal by a power of 10, move the decimal comma the same number of
places to the left as the value of the exponent of the power of 10.
Examples:
1. 10 × 3,85 = 38,5 Move the comma one place to the right.
2. 100 × 3,8 = 380 Move the comma two places to the right.
3. 243,5 ÷ 10 = 24,35 Move the comma one place to the left.
4. 7,8 ÷ 100 = 0,078 Move the comma two places to the left.

Exercise 16.6

1. Write down the answers to the following by inspection:

a) 4,8 × 10 b) 0,48 × 100 c) 48 × 10
d) 173 ÷ 10 e) 0,173 ÷ 100 f) 17,3 ÷ 10
g) 0,0173 × 1 000 h) 4,9 ÷ 10 2,004 × 1 000
i)
j) 104 × 1,2 k) 103 × 0,008 l) 0,97 ÷ 102
m) 2 × 100 ÷ 1 000 n) 14,032 ÷ 100 o) 5 ÷ (1 000 ÷ 10)
2. Mr De Boer dusts the ground around each cabbage plant with 0,075 kg of
fertilizer. Calculate the mass of fertilizer he needs for:
a) 10 plants b) 1 000 plants c) 100 plants.

Term 3 Week 3 Chapter 16 Decimal fractions 215

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 215 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 3. The 10 staff members at a coffee shop share their tips
equally. One weekend the total tips they collected were:
Friday R290,80
Saturday R360
Sunday R190,50
For each day, calculate each person’s share of
the tips.

Multiplication of decimal numbers

Decimals can be multiplied by first converting them to common fractions, multiplying
the fractions and then converting the answer back to a decimal.
Example: 0,5 × 0,3 = ​ __
5
10
​ × __ 3
​  10 ​ (convert each decimal fraction to a common
fraction)
= ​ ___
15
100
​ (multiply using the rules for fractions)
= 0,15 (convert back to a decimal)

Exercise 16.7

1. Determine by converting the decimal fractions to common fractions:

a) 0,6 × 2 b) 0,6 × 0,2 c) 6 × 0,002
d) 12 × 0,3 e) 1,2 × 0,3 f) 0,4 × 0,06
g) 0,2 × 0,3 h) 0,3 × 0,009 i) 0,02 × 0,03
2. Now that you have calculated the products, you should have discovered a
shorter way of doing this. Describe your method.

Note
Shorter method:
1,2 × 0,03 = 0,036
This is obtained as follows:
12 × 3 = 36 (ignoring the decimal commas)
As 1,2 has one digit after the comma and 0,03 has two digits after the comma, the
product must have three digits after the comma.
You can see why this is the case by considering the following:
1,2 × 0,03
= __
​  12
10
​ × ___ 3
​  100 ​
12 × 3
= _____
​  1 000 ​, so multiply 12 by 3 and then move the comma 3 places to the left.

216 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 216 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 16.8

1. Evaluate the following without using a calculator:

a) 2 × 4 b) 0,2 × 4 c) 0,2 × 0,4
d) 0,2 × 0,04 e) 0,02 × 0,04

2. Evaluate the following without using a calculator:

a) 12 × 3 b) 1,2 × 3 c) 0,12 × 3
d) 0,12 × 0,3 e) 0,012 × 0,3

3. Before calculating the answers to the following:

(i) W
 rite down how many digits there should be after the decimal comma in
the answer.
(ii) Estimate your answer.
a) 0,5 × 2 b) 0,3 × 4 c) 0,4 × 2
d) 0,7 × 3 e) 5 × 0,3 f) 0,2 × 0,3
g) 0,02 × 3 h) 0,7 × 0,7 i) (0,1)2
j) 30 × 3,2 k) 0,006 × 60 l) 0,2 × 0,3 × 1,8
m) _
​  15 ​ × 9,50 ​  2 ​of 9,50
n) _ o) 0,2 × 0,2
5
p) 0,03 × 0,03 q) 0,2 × 0,02 × 0,002 r) (0,1)2 × 0,56
s) (20,3)2 t) (2,5)2

4. a) Find the area of a square of which the sides measure 0,8 m.

b) A
 n exercise book is 0,016 m thick.
Find the height of a pile of three of these exercise books.
c) Find the area of a rectangle which is 7 m long and 4,2 m wide.
d) On a certain map, a surveyor used a scale of 10 mm to represent 8 km.
On the map, the distance between two buildings is 32,3 mm.
Find the actual distance in km.

Term 3 Week 4 Chapter 16 Decimal fractions 217

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 217 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Division of decimals

Dividing decimal fractions by whole numbers

Example 1 Example 2
1,95
___ 13,36
Calculate ​  3 ​without using a calculator. Calculate ____
​  5 ​without using a calculator.

Solution Solution

3 1 , 91 5 5 13, 33 36 10
0 , 6 5 2, 6 7 2

Exercise 16.9

1. Calculate the following without using a calculator:

a) 4,74 ÷ 2 b) 1 406,16 ÷ 3 c) 1 394,28 ÷ 4
d) 31 054,10 ÷ 5 e) 333,3 ÷ 6 f) 6 151,46 ÷ 7
g) 259,6 ÷ 8 h) 172,98 ÷ 9 i) 171,776 ÷ 2
j) 210,08 ÷ 4 k) 105,615 ÷ 5 l) 35,4 ÷ 6

Dividing decimals by decimals

Example 1

Calculate: 43,2 ÷ 0,4

Solution ​ 10
We multiplied by __ ​ to
10
43,2 43,2 change the denominator
___
= ​ ___
​  0,4 ​ ​ × __
​  10 ​
0,4 10 into an integer.

= ___
​  432
4
​
= 108

Example 2
4,008
4,008 ÷ 0,04 = _____
​  0,04 ​
​ 10
Notice that __
10
​  100
​ = ___100
1 000
​ = ​ _____
1 000
​=1
and multiplying by 1 does not
Solution change any number.
This is why we often choose to
4,008
4,008 ÷ 0,04 = ____
​  0,04 ​ multiply by some form of 1 if it
simplifies our working.
4,008
= ____
​  0,04 ​ × ___
​  100
100
​
= _____
​  400,8
4
​
= 100,2

218 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 218 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 16.10

Do not use a calculator except to check your answers.

1. Calculate:
a) 6,8 ÷ 0,2 b) 0,68 ÷ 0,2 c) 0,68 ÷ 0,02 d) 7,5 ÷ 0,3
e) 0,75 ÷ 0,003 f) 1,25 ÷ 0,5 g) 21,6 ÷ 0,03 h) 2,52 ÷ 0,007
i) 0,75 ÷ 0,5 j) 0,675 ÷ 0,5 k) 0,56 ÷ 0,07 l) 4,44 ÷ 0,2
m) 0,506 ÷ 0,2 n) 0,228 ÷ 0,004

2. a) By what number must 5,25 be multiplied to obtain 3,5?

b) I f 5,5 cakes are divided among 11 children, what portion of cake will each
child receive?

c) H
 ow many 0,5 kg packets of tea can be made from 25 kg of tea?

d) C
 hantelle earns R1 207,50 for working 21 hours to
build wind turbines in a laboratory.
How much is she paid per hour?

e) Zama used 7,5 litres of paint to paint 15 chairs.

How many litres of paint did he use for each chair?
f) The area of a rectangle is 18,25 cm2.
The length is 7,5 cm. What is the breadth?
g) Liza took part in a cycling race. She cycled 30 km in 25 minutes
(i) How many kilometers did she cover in 1 minute (on average)?
(ii) Calculate her speed in km/h.

Term 3 Week 4 Chapter 16 Decimal fractions 219

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 219 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Squares, cubes, square roots and cube roots

Examples: _____
1. (0,3)2 = 0,3 × 0,3 = 0,09, so √​ 0,09 ​ = 0,3
_____
2 (1,2)2 = 1,2 × 1,2 = 1,44, so √​ 1,44 ​ = 1,2
_______
3 (0,05)2 = 0,05 × 0,05 = 0,0025, so √​ 0,0025 ​ = 0,05

When finding the square root of a decimal number

which has an exact square root, the number of
decimal places of the result will be half the number
of decimal places in the original number.

Examples: ______
3
1. (0,2)3 = 0,2 × 0,2 × 0,2 = 0,008, so √​ 0,008 ​ = 0,2
3
______
2 (0,5)3 = 0,5 × 0,5 × 0,5 = 0,125, so √​ 0,125 ​ = 0,5
3
______
3 (1,2)3 = 1,2 × 1,2 × 1,2 = 1,728, so √​ 1,728 ​ = 1,2
When finding the cube root of a decimal number which has an exact cube root, the
number of decimal places in the result will be _​ 13 ​of the number of decimal places in the
original number.

Example 1 Example 2
Without
_____ using a calculator, determine:​ Without using a calculator, determine: ​
_________
3
√0,81 ​ √0,000027 ​

Solution Solution
_____ _________
3
​√0,81 ​ √​ 0,000027 ​
___ _______
√
= ​ ___ 81
​  100 ​ ​ = √​3 _______
27
​  1 000 000
​ ​
= __ 9
​  10 ​ = ___ 3
​  100 ​
= 0,9 = 0,03
We notice that the square root has We notice that the cube root has
2 ÷ 2 = 1 digit after the decimal comma. 6 ÷ 3 = 2 digits after the decimal comma.

220 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 220 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 16.11

Do not use a calculator, except to check the answers.

1. Calculate:
a) (0,5)2 b) (0,2)2 c) (1,3)2 d) (0,2)3

2. Determine:
_____ _____ _______
a) ​√ 0,64 ​ b) ​√ 0,25 ​ c) ​√ 0,0144 ​
_______ _____ _______
d) ​√ 0,0036 ​ e) ​√ 0,49 ​ f) ​√ 0,0121 ​
_______ ______ _________
3 3
g) ​√ 0,0625 ​ h) √​ 0,125 ​ i) √​ 0,000064 ​
______ _____ _____ _________
3
j) √​ 0,027 ​ k) ​√ 0,09 ​ + √​ 0,16 ​ l) ​√0,9 × 0,4 ​
______ ______ _____ _____ _____ _____
3 3
m) √​ 0,008 ​ × √​ 0,027 ​ n) ​√ 0,64 ​ + √​ 0,25 ​ o) ​√ 0,64 ​ × √​ 0,25 ​

Approximating (rounding off) decimal fractions

Calculations with decimals often result in a large number of digits after the comma,
most of which are not very useful.

Example 1
Abdul runs a 100 m sprint in 13 seconds.
a) What distance does he cover in 1 second?
b) Round off the distance to three decimal places.

Solution

a) 100 ÷ 13 = 7,692307692307... or 7,​̇

6​9230​̇
7​ m/s
So Abdul runs 7,​̇
6​9230​̇
7​m in 1 second.
b) W
 e say that 7,692307692307... m rounded off is:
7,692 m correct to three decimal places or
7,7 m correct to one decimal place.

Note
After deciding on the number of decimal places required:
Look at the digit occurring immediately after the number of required digits.
If that digit is less than 5, write the required number of decimals without changing them.
If that digit is 5 or more, write the required number of decimals rounded up (treat the
required number of digits after the comma as a whole number and add 1).

Term 3 Week 4 Chapter 16 Decimal fractions 221

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 221 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Example 2
At birth a meerkat weighs 0,029 kg and an
adult meerkat weighs about 0,85 kg.
a) Round off 0,029 kg correct to two
decimal places.
b) Round off 0,85 kg correct to one
decimal place.

Solution

a) 0,03 kg
b) 0,9 kg

Exercise 16.12

1. Write 8,3475 correct to:

a) three decimal places b) two decimal places c) one decimal place.

2. Write 3,0498 correct to:

a) three decimal places b) two decimal places c) one decimal place.

3. Write ​ _23 ​as a decimal fraction correct to three decimal places.

4. Write ​ _59 ​as a decimal fraction correct to two decimal places.

Rough estimates
There are many situations in everyday life where we need to make rough estimates,
for example in building, painting and budgeting.

To estimate 29,7 m × 41,56 m,

reason as follows:
29,7 is close to 30.
41,56 is close to 40.
29,7 × 41,56 ≈ 30 × 40 = 1 200 m2
(The exact answer is 1 234,332 m2.)

222 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 222 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Similarly, to obtain an estimated answer for 478,4 ÷ 12,04, reason as follows:
478,4 is close to 480.
12,04 is close to 12.
∴ 478,4 ÷ 12,04 ≈ 480 ÷ 12 = 40 (The actual answer is 39,73 correct to two
decimal places.)

Exercise 16.13

1. Estimate the answers to each of the following calculations and then check these
estimates with a calculator.
a) 0,81 × 39,74 b) 160,7 × 5,13 c) 12,34 × 8,79
d) 118,6 ÷ 19,6 e) 0,813 ÷ 0,207 f) 12,35 ÷ 0,023

2. A gift box measures 12 cm by 102 cm by 148 cm.

Estimate its volume in cm3.
3. A square has sides measuring 98 mm. A rectangle has a length
that is 10 mm more and a breadth that is 20 mm less than the
sides of the square. Estimate which shape has the larger area.
Check your answer by using a calculator.
4. Estimate the number of rectangular tiles, 120 mm long and 80
mm wide, that would be needed to cover a floor which is 4,8 m
long and 3,2 m wide.

Solving problems involving decimal numbers

Example 1 Example 2
The masses of three boys are What is the average speed, correct to one
56,5 kg, 58,05 kg and 60,25 kg. decimal place, in metres per second if
Find the average mass of the boys correct 50 metres is covered in 7 seconds?
to two decimal places.
Solution
Solution
Average speed = __________
​  Total distance
Total time
​
56,5 + 58,05 + 60,25
= ​ __
50
7
​
= 174,8 kg
= 7,1 m/s correct to one
Average mass
decimal place
174,8
= ____
​  3 ​
= 58,26666...
= 58,27 kg correct to two decimal places

Term 3 Week 4 Chapter 16 Decimal fractions 223

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 223 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 16.14

1. A group of five boys buy a soccer ball which costs R185,75.

If they share the cost equally, how much will each boy have to pay?
2. A dressmaker bought the following lengths of material: 4,5 m, 7,2 m, 6,7 m
and 8,6 m.
What is the total number of metres of material that the
dressmaker bought?
3. If one phone call costs R1,48, calculate the cost of nine
phone calls.

4. Calculate the number that must be added to 0,54 to give 6,2.

5. A motorist travels 640 km in 7 hours. Calculate her average speed

in km/h.
6. Nine people in a lift add up their masses to make sure that their total mass
does not exceed the limit of 700 kg on the certificate in the lift. Their masses are:
91 kg; 87 kg; 65 kg; 78 kg; 102 kg; 56 kg; 76 kg; 65 kg; 80 kg.
a) Is their collective mass within the given limit?
b) What is their average mass rounded off to the nearest kg?

7. Steve’s weight before he started jogging was 85,56 kg and three months
later, after regular jogging, his weight was 74,48 kg.
Calculate the weight he lost.

8. The prices of two items at a spaza shop are as follows:

Can of orange juice: R9,50

Lunch plate: R36,50

a) A
 waitress at the spaza shop needs to work out the bill for a table she served.
In total they had:
2 cans of orange juice, and
4 lunch plates.
What is the final bill for this table?
b) M
 alome has R45 and wants to buy a can of orange juice and a lunch plate
at the spaza shop. Does he have enough money?

9. Athletes recorded the following times (in hours, minutes and seconds) in the
2012 Comrades Marathon, which is a distance of 89 km.
Ludwick Mamabolo 05:31:03 Mthembu Bongmusa 05:32:40
Leboka Noto 05:33:07 Marko Mambo 05:33:44
a) Arrange these times from the fastest to the slowest.
b) Calculate the average speed of each athlete in km/h.

224 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 224 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Measuring with decimal numbers
Equivalent metric units and abbreviations:
kilometre km 1 000 m kilogram kg 1 000 g kilolitre kℓ 1 000 ℓ
hectametre Hm 100 m
decametre Dm 10 m
metre m 1m gram g 1g litre ℓ 1ℓ
decimetre dm 0,1 m
centimetre cm 0,01 m
millimetre mm 0,001 m milligram mg 0,001 g millilitre mℓ 0,001 ℓ

Exercise 16.15

Convert each measurement as indicated without using a calculator.

1. 7,5 kg to: a) g b) mg 2. 0,89 m to: a) km b) mm
3. 124 mℓ to: a) ℓ b) kℓ 4. 18,9 g to: a) mg b) kg

Check your skills

Exercise 16.16

1. How many pieces of wood, each measuring 0,4 m, can be cut from a length of
wood measuring 6,8 m?
2. Evaluate: _____ _______ ______ ______
3 3
a) (1,37)2 + (0,2)3 b) √​ 0,49 ​ − √​ 0,0121 ​ c) √​ 0,125 ​ d) √​ 0,008 ​

3. Explain why the product of 237,912 and 4,123 will give the same result as the
product of 2,37912 and 412,3.

4. Calculate the values of a) to i) in the table below.

Item Quantity Price Total
Jar of peanut butter (400 g) 2 R16,99 R33,98
Wholewheat bread (per loaf) 1 a) R5,99
A dozen of eggs b) R12,99 R38,97
A packet of sugar (5 kg) 1 R37,99 c)
Tomatoes (per packet) 2 R15 d)
Total before VAT e)
14% VAT f)
Total after VAT g)
Rounding off (to two decimal h)
places)
Cash R200
Change i)

 Chapter 16 Decimal fractions 225

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 225 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

17 Theorem of
Pythagoras
In this chapter you will learn about:
zz Revising the Theorem of Pythagoras
zz Determining whether a triangle is right-angled or not, given the lengths of three sides
of the triangle
zz Using the Theorem of Pythagoras to calculate unknown sides of a right-angled
triangle.

Revising the Theorem of Pythagoras

In Chapter 12 you were introduced to the Theorem of Pythagoras to calculate the
lengths of sides in right-angled triangles.

Note
zz In any triangle, the longest side is always opposite the largest angle and the
shortest side is opposite the smallest angle.
zz In ∆ABC, the side opposite ˆ ​ is marked as a, the side opposite ˆ
A​ ​ is marked as b
B​
ˆ
and the side opposite ​C​is marked as c.

A A

77o b
7,4 cm c
5 cm

65o 38o B C
B C a
8 cm

The Theorem of Pythagoras:

In any right-angled triangle, the square on the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the
squares on the other two sides.

It is important to remember that the Theorem of Pythagoras only B

applies in a right-angled triangle and that the hypotenuse is always
the side opposite the right angle. c
a
In ∆ABC, if ​ˆ
C​= 90o, then a2 + b2 = c2.
c is referred to as the hypotenuse. C b A

226 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 226 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Example 1
Use a calculator to determine x
correct to two decimal places.

2,3 m
1,5 m

Solution
x2 + (1,5)2 = (2,3)2 Theorem of Pythagoras
x = (2,3) – (1,5)
2 2 2

x2 = 3,04
_____
x = √​ 3,04 ​
x = 1,74 m correct to two decimal places

Note _____
On a calculator, √​ 3,04 ​ ≈ 1,743559557. In decimal form the decimal part of the number
does not terminate and it does not form a recurring pattern. This type of number is
called an irrational number.

The opposite or converse of the Theorem of Pythagoras is:

If, in any triangle, the square on one side of the triangle is equal to the sum of the
squares on the other two sides, then the triangle is a right-angled triangle.
X
In ΔXYZ, if z = x + y ,
2 2 2

then ΔXYZ is right-angled and ˆ

​ = 90°.
Z​
y z
Note: The angle formed by the two shorter sides is 90°.
 Z Y
x
To determine whether or not a triangle is right-angled, we need to follow these steps:
(i) Square the longest side.
(ii) Square the other two sides and add these squares.
(iii) D
 etermine whether or not the square of the longest side is equal to the sum of the
squares of the other two sides.
(iv) If the triangle is right-angled, we need to determine which angle is equal to 90°.

Term 3 Week 4 Chapter 17 Theorem of Pythagoras 227

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 227 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Example 2 Example 3
Determine whether the triangle is right- Determine whether the triangle is
angled or not. right-angled or not.
A P 6 cm R

___
​√41 ​ cm
5 cm

12 cm
15 cm
B 4 cm C

Solution
Q
We must check whether the square of the
Solution
longest side is equal to the sum of the
squares of the other___ two sides. We must check whether the square of
The longest side is √​ 41 ​. the longest side is equal to the sum of
__ __ __
the squares of the other two sides.
Note: (​√3 ​)2 = √​ __
3 ​.√​ 3 ​
The longest side is 15.
= ​ 9 ​
√
(15)2 = 225
=3
(12)2 + (6)2 = 144 + 36
___ ___ ___
= 180
So (​√41 ​)2 = √​ 41 ​.√​ 41 ​= 41

So (15)2 ≠ (12)2 + (6)2

(5)2 + (4)2 = 25 + 16
= 41
∴ The triangle is NOT right-angled.
___
∴ (​√41 ​)2 = (5)2 + (4)2
∴ The triangle is right-angled with ˆ
B​
​ = 90°.

Exercise 17.1

1. Calculate the length of the hypotenuse of each of the following triangles:

a) b) c)
P
D M
12 m

5m F
R
16 m
15 cm
12 m
E
Q N L
8 cm

228 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 228 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 2. Calculate the length of the third side of each of the triangles below.
Use a calculator to determine the lengths of the sides.
Write your answer correct to one decimal place where applicable.
a) M b) c) Y
S

24 m 3m
12 cm 15 cm

R
T
25 m X Z
1,8 m
L N

3. For this question, you first need to draw and label each triangle ABC and then
calculate the lengths of the unknown sides.
a) ˆ
​ = 90°; AB = 5 cm; BC = 12 cm
B​
b) ˆ
​ = 90°; BC = 26 cm; AC = 24 cm
A​
c) ˆ
​ = 90°; AB = 8 cm; BC = 5 cm (correct to one decimal place)
C​
d) ˆ
​ = 90°; AC = 10,2 cm; BC = 12,3 cm (correct to two decimal places)
C​
e) ˆ
​ = 90°; AC = 412 cm; BC = 354 cm (correct to two decimal places)
B​
4. Determine which of the following triangles are right-angled.
Give a reason for your answer. If a triangle is right-angled, name the angle
which is the right angle.
a) In ∆PQR, PQ = 30 cm, QR = 40 cm and PR = 50 cm.
b) In ∆LMN, LM = 14 cm, MN = 48 cm and LN = 50 cm.
c) The sides of ∆ABC are a = 6 cm, b = 7 cm and c = 8 cm.
d) The sides of ∆DEF are d = 15, e = 9 and f = 10.
e) The sides of ∆JKL are j = 15, k = 20 and l = 25.

Term 3 Week 4 Chapter 17 Theorem of Pythagoras 229

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 229 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Applications of the Theorem of Pythagoras

Example 1
Themba was building a kite at home. 1,4 m
After building the kite, he was not sure whether
or not the kite would fit through the door frame.
The dimensions of the door are 2 m (height) and
1,4 m (width).

2m
The kite is 2,3 m wide and 2,7 m high.
Determine whether or not Themba will be
able to get his kite through the door.

Solution
2,3 m
Calculate the hypotenuse of the door:

2,7 m
(hypotenuse)2 = (2)2 + (1,4)2
= 4 + 1,96 2m
= 5,96
_____
hypotenuse = ​√5,96 ​
= 2,44 m 1,4 m

Since the height of the kite is 2,3 m, which is less than the hypotenuse of the door,
Themba will be able to get his kite through the door if he takes it through at an angle.

Exercise 17.2

1. A ladder stands against a perpendicular wall and reaches a

window above the ground.
If the ladder is 5 m long and the foot of the ladder is 4 m from 5m
a
the foot of the wall, how high above the ground is the window?

4m

2. A rope which is 15 m long is attached to a hot air

balloon, which is being blown by the wind. The rope
is tied to the ground at a point which is 12 m from the
base of the balloon. How high above the ground is
the balloon?
15 m

12 m

230 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 230 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 3. Melissa’s house is on a corner of a park such that it is on the
opposite side from a fun park, as shown in the diagram below.
She rides to the park and home each day.
a) C
 alculate the distance Melissa rides home Home

around the park.

b) C
 alculate Fun park 2,5 km

the distance
Melissa walks
to the fun 3,2 km
park if she
walks across
the park
along the
dotted line as shown in the diagram.
c) What is the difference between the distances in a) and b)?
d) C
 alculate the total distance that Melissa drives in 5 days if she drives
around the park.
e) C
 alculate the total distance that Melissa walks in 5 days if she walks
across the park.
f) What is the difference between the distances in d) and e)?

4. Kashiv knows that when an aeroplane flies over his home, it is 3 km above the
ground. If he sees an aeroplane directly overhead and it then continues to fly at
exactly the same height for a further 4 km, how far would it be from Kashiv?

5. Ross is a builder. He knows that if he wants to build a room that is a perfect

rectangle, then the diagonals must be equal.
If the room should be 6 m long and 4,5 m wide, how long should each
diagonal be?

6. Two ships set sail from a harbour

simultaneously.
After 1 hour, ship A has travelled
80 km due south and ship B has
travelled 60 km due east. How far are
the ships from each other after 1 hour?

Term 3 Week 4 Chapter 17 Theorem of Pythagoras 231

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 231 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Check your skills
Exercise 17.3

1. Use the Theorem of Pythagoras to calculate the length of the unknown side in
each of the triangles. All lengths are in centimetres.
a) b) c) R
A 24
P Q
8 15
5
25
B 12 C T S
R
Q
d) e) T

2,4
10,8

R
S 5,1
P 14,4 R

2. Determine whether or not the triangles with the following side lengths are
right-angled.
a) 4; 5; 6 b) 3; 4; 5 c) 6; 8; 10
d) 21; 28; 35 e) 8; 17; 15 f) 10; 24; 25

3. A lighthouse which is 10 m high

is situated on a vertical cliff
which is 17 m above sea-level. 10 m
The light beam from the x
lighthouse reaches a ship which
is 45 m from the foot of the cliff. 17 m
How long is the beam of light at
that instant?

45 m

4. Calculate the total length of fencing 40 m

needed to enclose the field illustrated.

9m

232 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 232 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Area and
perimeter 18
In this chapter you will learn about:
zz Formulae for the perimeter and the area of squares, rectangles and triangles
zz Calculating the areas of polygons by dividing them into rectangles and triangles
zz The radius, diameter and circumference of circles
zz The irrational number π (pi) and its relationship to circles
zz Formulae for the circumference (perimeter) and area of a circle
zz Solving problems involving the perimeter and area of polygons and circles
zz Converting from one unit to another.

Perimeter

zz The perimeter of any closed two-dimensional shape is the total distance around the
outside of the shape.
zz The perimeter of a polygon is the sum of the lengths of all its sides.
zz The lengths must all be expressed in the same unit.
zz Note: 1 km = 1 000 m; 1 m = 100 cm; 1 cm = 10 mm

Formulae for the perimeters of some common polygons are given below:

Polygon Perimeter (P)

P=s+s+s+s
Square s
= 4s

P=l+b+l+b
Rectangle b
= 2l + 2b
l = 2(l + b)

b
Triangle a P=a+b+c
c

Term 3 Week 5 Chapter 18 Area and Perimeter

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 233 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Example 1
Find the perimeter of the shape below.
7m

3m

4m
10 m
This side = 10 – 3 = 7 m

This side = 7 + 4 = 11 m

Solution
Perimeter = 10 + 7 + 3 + 4 + 7 + 11
= 42 m

Example 2
The perimeter of the rectangle is 36 cm. Determine the value of x.
x cm

5 cm

Solution

Perimeter = x + 5 + x + 5 or Perimeter = 2(x + 5)

36 = 2x + 10 36 = 2x + 10
26 = 2x 26 = 2x
13 = x 13 = x

∴ x = 13 cm

234 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 234 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 18.1

1. Determine the perimeter of each of the shapes below.

a) b) 8m

5m

5m

c) d) e)
120 mm 90 mm 4 cm

80 mm 50 mm

60 mm

2. Determine the perimeter of each of the shapes below. All angles are right angles.
a) 2m
b)
2m

3m
4m

2m

6m
2m

3m 2m
4m
2m

2m

30 mm
c) d)

25 mm
55 mm
30 mm
3a mm
20 mm
30 mm
25 mm
a mm
55 mm

30 mm

Term 3 Week 5 Chapter 18 Area and perimeter 235

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 235 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 3. The perimeter of each of the shapes below is 20 cm. Find the lengths of the sides
marked with a variable. All dimensions are in cm.
a) b) c) 7

6 x
x x

d) e) f) g)
a 6
a
x
7

3,5

2,5

8 x
7

4. a) Find the perimeter, in cm, of a square with a side length of 5,5 cm.
b) Find the perimeter, in cm, of a square with a side length of 2,4 m.
c) Find the perimeter, in cm, of a rectangle with breadth 25 mm and
length 4 cm.
d) Find the perimeter, in cm, of a triangle with side lengths 30 mm, 5 cm
and 0,02 m.
e) Find the perimeter, in cm, of an equilateral triangle with a side length
of 60 mm.

5. Find the perimeter, in cm, of a rectangular table with

length 200 cm and breadth 1,2 m.

Area

zz The area of a closed two-dimensional shape is the amount of surface it covers.

zz We can think of the area of a shape as the number of squares it covers (including
fractions of a square).
zz Area is expressed in square units such as mm2, cm2, m2 and km2.
Note: 1 km2 = 1 000 × 1 000 m2 = 1 000 000 m2
1 m2 = 100 × 100 cm2 = 10 000 cm2
1 cm2 = 10 × 10 mm2 = 100 mm2

236 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 236 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Formulae for the areas of some common polygons are given below.

Polygon Area (A)

A = side x side
Square s
= s2

Rectangle b A = length x breadth

= lb
l

Triangle
h h ​  12 ​x base x height
A = __
1
= ​ __
2
​ bh
b b

Note
1. A height (altitude) can be drawn from any vertex of a triangle.
P P P P

R R R

Q R
Q Q Q

Base = QR Base = PR Base = QP Base = QR

2. In a right-angled triangle, the sides which include the right angle form the base
and height of the triangle. An altitude can also be drawn from the right angle to
the hypotenuse.

h
h

b b

The height of a triangle is also called the altitude.

Term 3 Week 5 Chapter 18 Area and perimeter 237

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 237 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Example 1
Find the area of a rectangular artwork inspired by Picasso with sides 8 m and 5 m
respectively.

8m

5m
Solution
Area of rectangle = l × b
=8×5
= 40 m2

Example 2
The floor of a rectangular room is 6 m by 5 m.
Calculate how much it would cost to have wall-to-wall carpeting in the room if the
carpeting costs R150 per square metre.

Solution

Calculate the area of the room.

Area of rectangle = l × b
=6×5
= 30 m2
You need 30 m2 of carpeting at R150 per square metre.
30 × 150
= R465,00
∴ It will cost R4 500 to carpet the room.

238 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 238 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Example 3
Find the area of the shape.

4 cm
2 cm

6 cm

Solution

This shape can be divided

into two rectangles.

4 cm
The total area of this A
shape is:
2 cm
Area of A + Area of B
= (4 × 2) + (6 × 2)
2 cm

B
= 8 + 12
= 20 cm2 6 cm

Exercise 18.2

1. Find the areas of the shapes below.

a) A square with a side length of 5 cm
b) A square with a side length of 35 mm
c) A rectangle with side lengths of 3 cm and 9 cm
d) A rectangle with side lengths of 1,7 m and 2,3 m
e) A square with a side length of 1,75 m (correct to two decimal places)
f) A rectangle with one side x m and the other side twice as long
__
g) A square with a side length of √
​ 5 ​ cm

2. Find the length of the side of a square which has an area of:
a) 64 m2 b) 144 cm2
c) 625 mm2 d) 12,25 m2
e) 20 m2 (correct to two decimal places)

Term 3 Week 5 Chapter 18 Area and perimeter 239

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 239 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 3. Calculate the perimeter and area of each of the shapes below by subdividing
the shapes into rectangles. All angles are right angles and the unit of
measurement is centimetres.
a) b) 1
c) 4
1
2

3 4
5

2
2
4

d) e) 2
f)
2
13
3
2
12 4 2 2

13 8
2
12

13 3
2

2

42

4. Calculate the cost of gravelling a square playing-field with a side length of 32 m

at R60 per square metre.
5. A room is as long as it is wide. Calculate its length if it has an area of 16 m2.
6. A square tile has a side length of 14 cm. 14 cm

The length of a rectangle of equal area is 16 cm.

Find its width. 14 cm
7. Calculate the sides of the squares of which the
areas are equal to those of the following rectangles:
14 cm
a) 160 mm and 90 mm
b) 49 m and 36 m
8. A flower bed is in the shape of a rectangle of 1,2 m
which the length is 5 m and the breadth is 3,5 m.
A path around the bed has a width
of 1,2 m (as illustrated). 3,5 m

a) Calculate the area of the flower bed.

5m
b) Calculate the area of the path.
c) C
 alculate how many square tiles with a side
length of 200 mm will be needed to tile the path.

240 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 240 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 9. a) A rectangle has an area of 24 mm2. The table below shows eight different
rectangles which have an area of 24 mm2. Complete the table.
Length in mm 1 2 3 4 6 8 12 24
Breadth in mm

Perimeter = 2(l + b)

b) Which rectangle has the largest perimeter?

c) Which rectangle has the smallest perimeter?

Example 1 Example 2
Calculate the area of ABC. Calculate the area of trapezium PQRS.
A
P 8 mm Q

6 mm 3 mm
A
B
S R
B C 12 mm
8 mm

Solution Solution

Area of ​  1 ​  base × height

ABC = __ Area of PQRS = Area A + Area B
2
​  1 ​ (base × height)
= (l × b) + __
1 ​  (8 2
= ​ __ × 6)
2
​  1 ​  (4 × 3)
= 8 × 3 + __
= 24 mm2 2
= 24 + 6
= 30 mm2

Example 3 Example 4
Calculate the area of PQR. The area of PQR is 1 350 mm2.
If the height of the triangle is 30 mm,
P
calculate the length of the base.
12 mm
Solution
Q R
65 mm
Area of 1 ​  base × height
PQR = ​ __
2
Solution
1 350 = ​  1 ​  b
__ × 30
1 ​  base × height 2
Area of PQR = ​ __
2 1 350 = 15b
​  1 ​  (65 × 12)
= __ ​  1 350 ​
∴ b = _____
2
15
= 390 mm2 b = 90
∴ base = 90 mm

Term 3 Week 5 Chapter 18 Area and perimeter 241

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 241 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 18.3

1. Calculate the area of each of the following triangles. (All lengths are in mm.)
a) b) c)
S
Q U 13 W
4

4 5
R
3

T U Hint: Use the Theorem V

6
P of Pythagoras.

2. Complete the table below.

Base of triangle Perpendicular height Area of triangle

a) 24 m 15 m
b) 8,6 m 129 m2
c) 16,8 m 105 m2
d) 3,35 km 7,5 km2
e) 4,4 m 3,2 m

3. Calculate the areas of ABC and 4. Calculate the areas of JKM and
PQR. MKL.
A P 7m R
J 2 cm M

4m 3 cm

B 4m C Q K L
6 cm

5. If the area of KMN is 36 mm2 and 6. Find the areas of the three triangles
base MN = 8 mm, find the height. below. FGHK is a rectangle.
3m 5m
M K H
E
Copy the N
diagram alongside 4m

and draw in the

height. F G

242 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 242 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 7. Find the area of PQRS. R

SP and QR are perpendicular to PR. S

4
All measurements are in cm. Q
9
6

 P

8. Calculate the areas of the shapes below.

17 mm
a) b) 6 cm
15 cm

30 mm 5 cm 5 cm

7 cm

40 mm

Circles
A circle is a closed curve such that all the points on this curve are the same distance
from a fixed point called the centre of the circle.

P
di
am
et
er
O
us
r adi
A

zz O is the centre of the circle.

zz A line segment drawn from the centre of the circle to any point on the circle is called
a radius of the circle (plural: radii). OA is a radius of the circle, and so are OP and
OQ.
zz Any straight line segment with its end points on the circle and passing through the
centre of the circle is called a diameter of the circle. PQ is a diameter of the circle.
zz If the length of the radius is r and the length of the diameter is d, then d = 2r.
zz The perimeter of a circle is called its circumfrence.

Term 3 Week 5 Chapter 18 Area and perimeter 243

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 243 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 zz A diameter of a circle divides the circle into two identical semicircles.

The perimeter
of a circle
is called its
circumference.
= +

Example
Calculate the radius of the plate alongside if the diameter is 28 cm.

Solution
1 ​ diameter
Radius = ​ __
2
= ​  1 ​(28)
__
2
= 14 cm

Exercise 18.4

1. For this question you need four cylindrical cans of different sizes (for example
soft drink cans or tinned food cans). Work in groups.
C
For the top of each can: d

a) Carefully measure its diameter, d.

b) Carefully measure its circumference, C. Tubby Tuna
(Make a mark on the edge of the top
of the can, then roll the can very carefully against a ruler, or use a piece
of string.)
c) Complete the table below, giving the answers in the last column correct to
at least four decimal places:

circumference
Can number Diameter (d) Circumference (C) diameter
1
2
3
4

244 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 244 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 2. In the diagrams below, the circles each have radius r, diameter d and
circumference C.
(i) (ii)

a) Express the perimeter of the square in diagram (i) in terms of r.

b) Express the perimeter of the hexagon in diagram (ii) in terms of r.
c) Use your the answers from a) and b) to explain why 6r < C < 8r.
d) Deduce that 3 < _​ C_​ < 4 (remember that d = 2r).
d
​ C ​?
e) Can you suggest a way of improving on this estimate for __
d

The irrational number π (pi)

circumference
In the previous exercise you showed that for any circle the ratio diameter always lies
between 3 and 4. If you worked very carefully and accurately, your measurements for
the cans should have given answers between 3,10 and 3,20, in fact very close to 3,14,
to the calculation circumference
diameter
.
circumference
It turns out that no matter how large or small a circle may be, the ratio diameter
always turns out to be the same number, a constant, which mathematicians denote by
the Greek letter π, which we pronounce ‘pi’ (like ‘pie’).

circumference
For any circle, =π
diameter

Note
zz π is an irrational number. In other words, it is a non-recurring infinite decimal and
cannot be expressed as a ratio of two integers.
zz π is needed to calculate the circumference and the area of a circle, and also the
volume and the surface area of a sphere.
zz Mathematicians have used supercomputers to calculate π to trillions of digits.
zz Correct to 9 decimals, π = 3,141592654 (press the π button on your calculator and
see what value it displays).

Term 3 Week 5 Chapter 18 Area and perimeter 245

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 245 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 zz In calculations involving π:
–– use the π button on your calculator and then round off the answer to the
required number of decimal places, or
–– ​ 22
use a rational approximation for π, such as 3,14 or ___7
​.

​ 22
π is not equal to 3,14 or ___7
​– these
are approximations only!

Calculating the circumference of a circle

If the circumference of a circle is C, the diameter is d and the radius is r, then:
C
​ __
d
​ = π, so C = πd or C = 2πr (since d = 2r)

Example 1
Calculate the circumference of a circle with a
diameter of 16 cm correct to one decimal place.

Solution
16 cm
C = πd
= π × 16 When doing a problem like this on your calculator,
use the full value of π. Only round off at the end.
= 50,3 cm

Example 2
Calculate the circumference of a circle with a
radius of 5 cm correct to one decimal place.

5 cm

Solution

C = 2πr
= 2×π×5
= 31,4 cm

246 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 246 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 18.5

1. Complete the table below by using a calculator (give your answers correct to an
appropriate number of digits).

Radius Diameter Circumference

a) 4 cm
b) 12 cm
c) 100 mm
d) 3m
e) 55 mm
f) 20 mm
g) 16 cm
h) 5 km

2. Find the perimeter of each of the diagrams below, giving your answers correct to
two decimal places. O is the centre of each circle.
a) b) c)

0 60 m B
12 cm
5 cm

80 m
O

d) e)

8 cm

3 cm 3 cm O 3 cm 3 cm

3. Peter wants to build a fence around his circular flower bed.

If the diameter of the flower bed is 4 m, how much fencing does he need?
Peter can only buy fencing in whole metres.
Calculate the cost of the fencing around the flower bed if the fencing costs
R250,00 per metre.

Term 3 Week 5 Chapter 18 Area and perimeter 247

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 247 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 4. A circular fish pond is surrounded by a path which is 2 m wide.
The inner and outer edges of the path are fenced.
If the diameter of the fish pond is 8 m, how much longer is the outer
fence than the inner fence?
Give your answer correct to two decimal places.

5. a) A
 bicycle wheel has a diameter of 0,6 m.
Calculate the circumfrence of the wheel.
b) Through how many revolutions will the wheel turn
during the Argus cycle race, which is 107 km long?

Calculating the area of a circle

The area A of a circle with radius r is given by A = πr2.

We can demonstrate the formula A = πr 2 for the area of a

circle is reasonable by dividing a circle into a number of sectors.
We can place the sectors so that they look almost like
a parallelogram.
​ 12 ​the circumference and
The base of the parallelogram is __
the height is approximately the radius of the circle.
The formula for the area of a parallelogram is
base x height. r

​  12 ​ circumference × radius
Area = __
1 half circumference
= ​ __
2
​×2πr×r
= πr2

Example 1
Find the area of a circle with a radius of 30 mm.

Solution

Area = πr2 When doing a problem like this on your

calculator, use the full value of π.
= π × 302 Only round off at the end.
= 2 827,433
= 2 827 mm2 correct to the nearest mm2

248 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 248 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Example 2
A semicircle is drawn on top of a square, as shown in
the diagram. The side length of the square is 10 cm.
a) Calculate the perimeter of the diagram.
Round off the answer to two decimal places. 10 cm 10 cm

b) Calculate the area of the diagram.

10 cm
Round off the answer to two decimal places.

Solution

​  1 ​ × 10 = 5 cm
d = 10 cm, so r = __
2
a) Perimeter = 10 + 10 + 10 + π × 10 × ​ _2 ​
1

= 45,71 cm
​  1 ​ × π × 52
b) Area = 10 × 10 + __
2
= 139,27 cm 2

Exercise 18.6

1. Complete the table below (give your answers correct to an appropriate number
of digits).

Area Radius Diameter

a) 5m
b) 28 m
c) 20 m
d) 3,5 km
e) 13 cm
f) 7m

2. The shapes below are made up of circles and squares or parts of them.
In each case, calculate the area of the shaded part correct to one decimal place.
The unit of measurement is cm.
a) b) c) d)

10 7
14
7
6
7
14

Term 3 Week 5 Chapter 18 Area and perimeter 249

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 249 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 e) f) g) h)

12
r = 20

16 16

3. A rectangular flag is 1 200 mm long and

white
600 mm wide.
The background is white.
There is a shaded kite on the flag. red

The diagonals of the kite have a length of

800 mm and 400 mm respectively, and the
point of intersection of the diagonals is at the
centre of the red circle, which has a radius of 70 mm.
Calculate the:
a) perimeter of the flag b) area covered by the blue figure on the flag
c) circumference of the red circle d) area of the white background.

4. Which table has the greater area: a rectangular table of 1,6 m by 1,2 m or a
circular table with a radius of 84 cm?
5. A rotating water sprinkler sprays a jet of water which is 300 cm long.
How many square metres does the sprinkler cover in one revolution?
6. The Wheel of Excellence in Cape Town is a landmark and gives passengers an
opportunity to view the city in a unique way.
a) The diameter of the wheel is 40 m. Calculate the circumference.
b) If it takes 30 minutes to complete one revolution, determine the wheel’s
speed in metres per minute.

250 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 250 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Check your skills
Exercise 18.7

1. Calculate the perimeter and area of each diagram correct to one decimal place.
Measurements are given in metres.
a) b)
20
16,4
20

22,8

2. Complete the table below.

Radius Diameter Circumference Area

a) 9,3 m
b) 63,6 cm
c) 48 mm
d) 5,76 cm
e) 400 m
3. A path that is 1,5 m wide is placed around a circular flower bed with a diameter
of 2,5 m. Determine the area of the path and flower bed together, as well as the
area of the flower bed and the area of the path.
4. A round table has a diameter of 90 cm.
It has a tablecloth that extends to 15 cm below the level of the table.
Calculate the area of the cloth.
5. The squares below each has a side length of 4 cm.
Which square has the smallest shaded area?
a) b) c)

6. Which is the shorter path from A to B: along the four

semi-circles or along the larger semi-circle? Justify your
answer by doing the necessary calculations.

A B
12 cm

 Chapter 18 Exponents 251

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 251 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

19 Surface area
and volume
In this chapter you will learn about:
zz The formulae for calculating the surface area, volume and capacity of cubes and
rectangular prisms
zz Calculating the surface area, volume and capacity of triangular prisms
zz The interrelationship between the surface area and volume of these prisms
zz Solving problems involving surface area, volume and capacity
zz Converting from one unit to another.

Formulae for calculating surface area and volume

The surface area of a three-dimensional (3D) object is

the total area of the outside of the object. Surface area is
measured in square units.
The volume of a 3D object is the amount of space
occupied by the object. Volume is measured in cubic units.
The capacity of a 3D object is the amount of space inside
the object. Capacity is also measured in cubic units.
A prism is a 3D object (or solid) with a pair of parallel
congruent faces (called bases), and all remaining faces
being parallelograms. If the remaining faces are all
rectangles, the prism is called a right prism, and all the faces are perpendicular to the
bases.

Examples of right prisms:

252 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 252 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 A rectangular prism is a right prism whose bases are rectangles.
So, a rectangular prism has six faces (sides), all of which are rectangles.
The faces meet at edges and the edges meet at vertices (corners).
An example of a rectangular prism is a cardboard box.
Face or side
Edge

Vertex or corner

s
A cube is a rectangular prism with six identical square faces

s
s

Volume and capacity of a rectangular prism

= area of base × height
=l×b×h
h
= lbh cubic units
b
l
Surface area of a rectangular prism
= sum of the areas of all the rectangular faces
l×h h
=2×h×l+2×l×b+2×b×h l h
= 2(hl + lb + bh) square units
The unfolded diagram is called b l×b b×h l×b b×h
a net of the prism.
h
h l×h

l

Term 3 Week 6 Chapter 19 Surface area and volume 253

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 253 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Volume and capacity of a cube
s
=s×s×s
= s3 cubic units s
s
Surface area of a cube
= 6 × (s × s) (there are six faces)
= 6s2 square units

The linear dimensions (l, b, h, s) must all be expressed

in the same units.

Example:
1 m = 100 cm, so:
1 m2 = (1 m)2
= (100 cm)2
= 100 cm × 100 cm
= 10 000 cm2

1m 1 m2
= 10 000 cm2 100 cm

1m 100 cm

1 m3 = (1 m)3 = (100 cm)3

= 100 cm × 100 cm × 100 cm
= 1 000 000 cm3

1m 1 m3
= 1 000 000 cm3 100 cm

1m 100 cm

Note
1 km3 = 1 000 × 1 000 × 1 000 m3 = 1 000 000 000 m3 = 109 m3
1 m3 = 100 × 100 × 100 cm3 = 1 000 000 cm3 = 106 cm3
1 cm3 = 10 × 10 × 10 mm3 = 1 000 mm3 = 103 mm3

1 ml (millilitre) is equivalent to 1 cm3.

1 litre is equivalent to 1 000 cm3 = 1 dm3.
1 kl (kilolitre), or 1 000 litres, is equivalent to 1 m3.

254 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 254 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Example 1
A closed rectangular tank (a prism) has length 150 cm,
breadth 120 cm and height 2 m.

a) Calculate the surface area of the tank in cm2 and m2.

b) Calculate the volume of the tank in m3.
c) How much water can the tank hold (capacity) in litres?

Solution
a) All units must be the same, so first write 2 m as 200 cm.

Surface area = sum of the areas of the six faces

= 2 × (150 × 120) + 2 × (120 × 200) + 2 × (200 × 150)
= 144 000 cm2
= 14,4 m2 (1 m2 = 10 000 cm2)

Alternatively, write all dimensions in metres:

Surface area = sum of the areas of the six faces
= 2 × (1,5 × 1,2) + 2 × (1,2 × 2) + 2 × (2 × 1,5)
= 14,4 m2
= 144 000 cm2 (1 m2 = 10 000 cm2)

b) Volume = length × breadth × height

= 150 × 120 × 200 (all units must be the same)
= 3 600 000 cm3
= 3,6 m3 (1 m3 = 1 000 000 cm3)

Alternatively, work in metres:

Volume = length × breadth × height
= 1,5 × 1,2 × 2 (all units must be the same)
= 3,6 m3
= 3 600 000 cm3 (1 m3 = 1 000 000 cm3)

c) Capacity = 3 600 000 cm3

= 3 600 litres (1 litre = 1 000 cm3)
So the tank can hold 3 600 litres, or 3,6 kl, of water.

Term 3 Week 6 Chapter 19 Surface area and volume 255

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 255 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 19.1

1. Calculate the surface area in cm2 and the volume in cm3 of a cube with an
edge of:
a) 8 cm b) 100 mm c) 2 m

2. Calculate the volume in mm3, the capacity in ml and the surface area in cm2 of
a rectangular prism with edges:
a) 2 cm, 4 cm and 7 cm
b) 1 cm, 40 mm and 10 cm
c) 1 cm, 1,4 cm and 21 mm
d) 20 cm, 200 mm and 0,2 m.
Does the prism with the largest volume also have the largest surface area?
3. Calculate the volume in cm3 of a rectangular prism with the given
base area and height:
a) b
 ase 12 mm2 and height 1 cm
b) base 7 cm2 and height 90 mm
c) base 17 mm2 and height 10 mm.
Is it possible to calculate the surface areas of the prisms from the information
given?
4. Calculate the capacity in kilolitres of each of the rectangular prisms shown
below. Hint: 1 kl = 1 m3. Work in metres.
a) b)

3m 2,5 m

3m 2,5 m
2,5 m
4m

256 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 256 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Triangular prisms
A right triangular prism is a prism whose bases are triangles.
A right triangular prism has two congruent parallel faces which
are triangles and three faces which are rectangles.
An example of a right triangular prism is an old-fashioned
camping tent or a Toblerone™ box.

Note
1. The bases of the prism can be any triangle,
not necessarily an equilateral or isosceles triangle. height

2. Recall that the area of a triangle is given by

base
​  12 ​ × base × height, where the height is the
A = __
length of the altitude drawn to the base (extended
if necessary) from the opposite vertex.
3. You may need to use the Theorem of Pythagoras in
some calculations.

Example 2
The base of the triangular prism in the sketch is a right-angled
triangle with the dimensions as shown. 17 cm
a) Calculate a, the length of the third side of the base.
b) Calculate the surface area of the prism. a
15 cm
c) Calculate the volume of the prism.

Solution
30 cm

a) a2 + 152 = 172 (Theorem of Pythagoras)

a2 = 172 – 152
= 64
a = 8 cm
(a = ± 8, but here a is the length of a side and hence positive)
b) Surface area of the prism
= sum of the areas of all the faces
1 ​ × 8 × 15) + (17 × 30) + (15 × 30) + (8 × 30)
= 2 × (​ __
2
= 1 320 cm2
c) Volume of the prism
= area of base × height of prism
1 ​ × 8 × 15) × 30
= (​ __
2
= 1 800 cm3

Term 3 Week 6 Chapter 19 Surface area and volume 257

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 257 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Volume of a triangular prism H

= area of base × height of prism ….. ➀

= area of triangle × H
a c
= (​ _12 ​ × b × h) × H h

= _​  12 ​ bhH cubic units

b
Surface area of a triangular prism
= sum of the areas of all the faces ….. ➁
a
= area of the 2 triangles + area of the 3 rectangles
= 2 × (​ _12 ​ × b × h) + (a × H) + (b × H) + (c × H) a
= bh + H(a + b + c) square units b
h
c
Note: It is easier to remember the formulae marked ➀
and ➁ than the final formulae. c

Exercise 19.2

1. Calculate the volume of each of the right triangular prisms below.

a) b) c)
9 cm

5 mm2 12 mm 12 m 4 m2
8 cm2

2. Calculate the volume of each of the right triangular prisms below.

a) 10 cm b) c)
8 cm

12 cm
20 cm
20
cm

10 cm
4 cm 6 cm
20 cm

3. Calculate the surface area, the volume and the capacity in millilitres of each of
the prisms below correct to one decimal place.
a) 17 cm b)
3 cm a
12 cm
4 cm 13 cm 12 cm
a cm

258 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 258 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 c)
Hint: Use the Theorem of
Pythagoras to calculate h.

40 mm
h
50 mm
40 mm
20 mm 20 mm

d)
30 mm

60 mm

40 mm
80 mm

4. Cube A has edges with a length of 5 cm each. The edges are doubled to form a
new cube, B.

Cube A Cube B

Complete the table below:

Ratio
Cube A Cube B
Cube A : Cube B
Length of an edge
Area of a face
Volume
Surface area

Term 3 Week 6 Chapter 19 Surface area and volume 259

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 259 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Check your skills
Exercise 19.3

1. a) C
 alculate the volume of each of the prisms below, given the area of the base
(B) and the height (h).
(i) B = 7 cm2; h = 2 cm (ii) B = 12 m2; h = 3 m
(iii) B = 100 mm2; h = 1,4 cm (iv) B = 8 m2; h = 80 cm
b) Express the capacity of each of the above prisms in millilitres.
c) Does it matter what shape these prisms have?

2. Calculate the missing dimensions for each of the prisms below correct to one
decimal place.
Prism Base dimensions Height Volume Total surface area
a) Cube

3 s = 3 cm s = 3 cm V=? SA = ?

3
3
b) Rectangular prism

h
l=5m
h=2m V=? SA = ?
b=4m
5
4

c) Right triangular prism

with a right-angled
triangle as its base
s3
s1 = 30 mm
s2 s1 s2 = 40 mm H = 10 cm V=? SA = ?
s3 = ? mm
H

d) Right prism with an

equilateral triangle
as its base
6

h s=6m
6 H=8m V=? SA = ?
6 h=?m
H
8

260 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 260 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Organising and
representing data 19
In this chapter you will learn about:
zz Terminology used in data handling
zz Doing surveys and using questionnaires
zz Being more critical of the manner in which data is represented and used, and
understanding that the way data is represented may be biased
zz Grouping data and drawing histograms for grouped data
zz Broken-line graphs
zz The dispersion of data.

Terminology used in data handling

zz Counting data is the data obtained by counting how many of a particular type of
object there are. We generally use a tally table to assist us in our counting.
Data that we count is called discrete data.
zz Measurement data is data obtained by measuring with some form of an instrument,
for example a thermometer, ruler or scale. Such data is continuous because it is not
obtained through counting.
zz Ranked data is data that has been sorted from the lowest value to the highest value.
zz Measures of central tendency are values around which the data set falls.
There are three measures that we need to be aware of:
_
–– The mean (​x​). This is traditionally known as the average of a set of data.
It is the sum of all the values divided by the total number of items in the data set.
_ sum of all values
_____________
​x​=   
​    
number of values
​
–– The median (Q2). This is the number that is halfway through an ordered set of
data.
It may also be halfway between two numbers that form the middle of the data set.
n+1
The position of the median is ____
​  2 ​, where n is the number of data items in the set.
–– The mode is the value that appears most often in the data set.
zz The range is the highest value minus the lowest value.
This gives us an idea of the spread of the data.
zz An outlier is a data item that does not fit the trend of the rest of the data set.

Term 3 Week 7 Chapter 20 Organising and representing data 261

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 261 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Conducting surveys

Terminology relating to conducting surveys

zz If data needs to be collected from all the people concerned, then you conduct a
census.
zz If it is not possible, nor necessary, to collect data from everyone concerned, then you
conduct a survey.
zz A population in terms of statistics is the entire group of which data is being
investigated. A population could be all the learners in a school, all the people in
a particular neighbourhood, or all the people who drive a particular type of motor
car. A population could also be all types of objects, for example the thickness of
books or the mass of paper collected at each waste paper collection point in your
neighbourhood.
zz A sample is a selection from the population.
zz A representative sample is one that is made up in a similar way to the total
population. It is important that samples are representative. If not, the data could be
skewed, with the result that it will not give fair results.
For example, if you are conducting a survey in a school and there are twice as many
Grade 8s as Grade 9s, then there need to be twice as many Grade 8s as Grade 9s in
the representative sample.
zz If a sample is not representative, we say it is biased.
zz Random samples are samples in which every member of the population has an equal
chance of being selected for the sample.

Why do we work with a sample and not a population?

zz It may not be possible to collect data from the entire population.
zz Working with an entire population is extremely time-consuming, both in the
collection and analysis of the data.
zz A sample is usually sufficient to draw conclusions about the whole population.
zz Opinion polls done with a representative sample have been shown to be very
accurate.
How to choose a sample:
1. E
 very member or element of the population must have an equal chance of being
selected.
2. The samples must be representative of the total population.

262 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 262 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 20.1

1. Thembi’s group needs to do a research survey. They want to find out why people
in their community prefer to buy a magazine made out of ordinary paper
rather than glossy paper. They decide to do a survey on 15% of the population
in the area.
a) State one way in which Thembi’s group can choose a representative
sample.
b) G ive reasons why the group rejects the following ways of conducting a
sample survey:
(i) I nterviewing the people as they come out of the movie theatre in the
area.
(ii) Interviewing the learners in Thembi’s class.
(iii) Interviewing people as they get off the taxis at the taxi rank.
(iv) Using the phone to interview people during the day.

2. Dalene’s group wants to research how learners feel about school uniforms being
compulsory.
a) L
 ist three ways of choosing a sample that would not be acceptable.
Give a reason why each of these three ways would not be acceptable.
b) S uggest a way in which Dalene’s group could choose a sample that is
unbiased and large enough so that they could draw sound conclusions.
3. Consider the table below and state which of the samples are likely to be good
samples. Give reasons for your choices and state why the other samples would
not be appropriate.
Population Issue Sample
Ten people walking along the
a) People in a suburb Paper littering the streets
street
Opinions on discipline in Parents of five learners in
b) School parents
school each class
The mass of waste paper Schools are assigned numbers
c) All schools in a city
collected per school and every tenth one is chosen
All television viewers of Quality of programming on a Ask viewers to fill out a
a particular channel television channel questionnaire

d)

5% of the suburb’s
e) People in a suburb Opinions on the bus service population chosen at random
from the telephone directory

Term 3 Week 7 Chapter 20 Organising and representing data 263

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 263 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 4. Describe how you would select an unbiased sample of
the following populations:
a) Learners in your school
b) Trees in a forest
c) Readers of a particular newspaper
d) Viewers of an animation movie.

Questionnaires
When designing a questionnaire, it is better to design it with multiple choice answers.
This will ensure that the person who is answering the questionnaire is guided.
Your questionnaire should allow the person to supply the answer ‘none of these’ if the
question does not apply to him/her.

Example
Study the questionnaires below. The purpose of both questionnaires is to find out:
a) The approximate mass of waste paper coming from each suburb
b) Which collection points are used
c) How frequently waste is taken to collection points.

QUESTIONNAIRE 1
Please complete the following questionnaire by writing your answers in the blank spaces.

Surname: ….……………………………….…………………....................………………
Address: ….……………………………….…………………....................………………
….……………………………….…………………....................………………
….……………………………….…………………....................………………

What is the approximate mass of waste paper that your household produces?

….……………………………….…………………....................……………..........................…

Where do you take your waste paper?

….……………………………….…………………....................……………..........................…

How often do you take your waste paper to a collection point?

….……………………………….…………………....................……………..........................…

Thank you for completing the questionnaire.

264 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 264 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 QUESTIONNAIRE 2
What types of waste paper does your household produce?
Newspaper Magazine paper Computer paper Low-quality paper

What is the approximate mass of waste paper that your household produces each week?
3 – 4 kg 4 – 5 kg 5 – 6 kg 6 – 7 kg

Where do you take your waste paper?

School Suburb collection point Place of work Other (please specify)

About how often do you take you waste paper to the collection point?
Once a day Once a week Once a month Once a year

Discuss the following points in a group and then report back to the whole class.
1. W
 hich questionnaire do you think is better designed? Give reasons for your answer.
2. How could you improve Questionnaire 1?
3. W
 hat assumption does Questionnaire 1 make about paper collection in the suburb?

How to design a good questionnaire

zz Design the questionnaire so that it will be easy to collect the
data, enter the data obtained into a table or computer and
interpret the data.
zz Allow for various possible answers in your questionnaire.
This includes answers that you have not thought of.
Using a block ‘Other (please specify)’ is one way of doing this,
or allow a place on the questionnaire for open responses to the
questions posed.
zz Give clear instructions as to how you want the questions
answered, for example: ‘yes / no’, ‘tick’, or ‘cross’ or ‘fill in a number’.
zz Do not ask for information that is unnecessary for the purpose of the survey.
zz Avoid asking questions that people might not be willing to answer.
zz Questions should be clear and concise. Do not be ambiguous in what is asked in the
question or in the way you want the person to respond to the question.
zz Make sure the questions do not suggest a particular response.

Term 3 Week 7 Chapter 20 Organising and representing data 265

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 265 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 zz The questions should be as short as possible while still asking the questions needed
to collect the data.
zz Making ticks or crosses is easier than writing words.
zz Be polite and thank the respondents for their time in answering the questionnaire.

Stem-and-leaf plots
As you have learnt before, this is an efficient method of getting an idea of the way the
data is distributed. Study the example below to ensure that you understand the method
of drawing a stem-and-leaf plot.

Example 1
The marks for a Mathematics test out of 100, obtained by two Grade 8 classes at a
school, are recorded as:
55 61 32 43 65 78 82 51 46 37
52 41 80 57 62 43 58 54 45 52
63 65 44 47 54 41 31 28 84 53
46 57 66 63 68 54 49 57 58 67
16 31 92 66 41 72 66 37 65 63
76 27 35 58 67 46 48 59 68 79
a) Determine the range of the data.
b) Draw an ordered stem-and-leaf plot to represent the data.
c) Describe the general trend of the data.
d) Determine the mode of the data.
e) Determine the median of the data.
f) Calculate the mean of the data.

Solution

a) W
 e read off the minimum value and the maximum value. This means that we
can calculate the range.
Range = 92 – 16
= 76

266 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 266 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 b) Unordered stem-and-leaf plot of the Maths Key
marks for Grade 8 learners 1 | 6 means 16
1 6
Step 1:
2 8 7
Draw a vertical line.
3 2 7 1 1 7 5
On the left-hand side, write the tens
4 3 6 1 3 5 4 7 1 6 9 1 6 8 digit in a column. This forms the
5 5 1 2 7 8 4 2 4 3 7 4 7 8 8 9 stem.
6 1 5 2 3 5 6 3 8 7 6 6 5 3 7 8
Step 2:
7 8 2 6 9
Fill in the units digit of each number
8 2 0 4
in the data set opposite its tens digit.
9 2 Remember to leave spaces between
Ordered stem-and-leaf plot of the Maths each digit. This forms the unordered
marks for Grade 8 learners stem-and-leaf plot.
1 6 We need to insert a key into the
2 7 8 plot so that people will be able to
3 1 1 2 5 7 7 understand the data.
4 1 1 1 3 3 4 5 6 6 6 7 8 9
5 1 2 2 3 4 4 4 5 7 7 7 8 8 8 9 Step 3:
6 1 2 3 3 3 5 5 5 6 6 6 7 7 8 8 Redraw the stem-and-leaf plot, but on
7 2 6 8 9 the right of the vertical line arrange
8 0 2 4 the units digits in numerical order
9 2 from smallest to biggest. This forms
 the ordered stem-and-leaf plot.
This ordered stem-and-leaf plot makes answering most questions easier.
c) Most of the learners scored in the 50s or 60s for this test.
d) In this example, there are several modes as these numbers appear most frequently.
The modal intervals are 50 to 59 and 60 to 69.
The individual modes are: 41; 46; 54; 57; 58; 63; 65; 66.
As you can imagine, the mode in this example is not going to tell us anything
useful for this set of data.
​ 60 2+ 1 ​ = 30,5.
e) There are 60 entries in the data set. The position of the median is ______
The median is therefore the value halfway between the value at position 30 and
the value at position 31.
​  55 + 57 ​ = 56
Q2 = _______
2
__ sum of all the data entries
f) ​x​= ____________________
​      ​
n
​  3 60
= _____301
​
= 55,02 (correct to two decimal places)
By looking at this data, the measure of central tendency that we would consider
gauging information from would either be the mean at 55,02 or the median at 56.
The individual modes will not give us any relevant information for this data set, but
the modal intervals (50 to 59 and 60 to 69) are useful.

Term 3 Week 7 Chapter 20 Organising and representing data 267

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 267 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 20.2

1. In a class investigation, the heights of learners were measured

correct to the nearest centimetre.
The following is the set of data obtained.
145 141 138 148 152
142 150 144 142 145
140 148 148 144 142
144 147 143 150 144
146 145 146 139 151
a) D
 raw an ordered stem-and-leaf plot to represent the data.
The stem will be the hundreds and the tens digits.
b) Use the stem-and-leaf plot to determine:
(i) the range of the data
(ii) the modal height of the learners
(iii) the median height of the learners
c) Calculate the mean height of the learners.

2. A group of learners were timed in their efforts to complete an obstacle course.

The times (in seconds) of 20 learners are recorded in the table below.
50 56 41 80 65
52 55 46 63 58
49 60 45 58 47
67 54 51 48 63
a) Draw an ordered stem-and-leaf plot to represent the data.
b) Use the stem-and-leaf plot to determine:
(i) the range of the data
(ii) the modal time taken (in seconds) to complete the obstacle course
(iii) the median time taken (in seconds) to complete the obstacle course.
c) Calculate the mean time taken (in seconds) to complete the obstacle course.
d) A
 re there any data items in the set that could be considered outliers?
If so, provide a possible reason for the outliers.

268 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 268 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 3. The percentages given below are those obtained by Grade 8s (boys and girls) for
an end-of-term test.
Boys Girls
55 32 43 65 51 61 78 82 46 52
37 41 43 54 45 80 57 62 58 63
52 65 54 28 84 47 41 31 66 68
53 46 57 63 54 49 57 67 31 66
58 16 92 41 66 72 27 58 46 59
37 65 63 76 35 68 69
67 48
a) D
 raw a back-to-back stem-and-leaf plot that represents both the data for
the boys and the data for the girls on the same plot. The first few entries
have been done for you.

Boys Stem Girls

1
2
2 3
3 4 6
1 5 5 2
5 6 1
7 8
8 2

b) Use your stem-and-leaf plot to determine:

zz the modal interval for the (i) boys; (ii) girls
zz the range for the (i) boys; (ii) girls
zz the median score for the (i) boys; (ii) girls.
c) Calculate the mean score for the boys.
d) Calculate the mean score for the girls.
e) U
 se the above information to compare the performance of the boys
and the girls.

Term 3 Week 7 Chapter 20 Organising and representing data 269

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 269 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Representation of data
Data can be represented in many different forms. You learnt about bar graphs, double
bar graphs, histograms and pie charts in Grade 7.
Study the example below to revise drawing the different types of graphs.

Example 1
In a school, a survey was conducted to determine the number of boys and girls who
took part in the sports that the school offered. The following table captures the data
from the survey.
Took part in
Played soccer Played hockey Played netball Played cricket
cross country

Boys 35 12 28 0 30

Girls 5 7 35 30 3

a) D
 raw a compound bar chart to represent the number of learners (by gender) who
took part in the sports offered at the school.
b) Draw a pie chart to represent the various sports that the girls participated in.

Solution
Compound bar chart representing the participation
a) W
 hen drawing a in sports (by gender) in a school
40
compound bar graph,
we look at the categories 35
we need to plot. These, 30
in this case, would be
Boys
Number of children

the sports offered at the 25

school. The frequency 20

Girls
will be represented on
15
the y-axis.
As we are drawing a 10
compound bar chart,
5
it is necessary for us
to draw two bars per 0
Played Took part Played Played Played
category and this means soccer in cross hockey netball cricket
that the graph must country
Sports
have a key.
b) B
 efore we can draw a pie chart, we need to determine the number of degrees each
section of the pie is going to occupy. It is best to do this in a table.
Before starting, it is necessary to know how many girls participated in the survey.
n = 5 + 7 + 35 + 30 + 3
n = 80

270 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 270 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Girls Number of degrees used % of the total
in the pie chart
5 5
Played soccer 5 ​ __
80
​ × 360° = 22,5° __
​  80 ​ × 100 = 6,25%
7 7
Took part in cross country 7 ​ __
80
​ × 360° = 31,5° __
​  80 ​ × 100 = 8,75%

​  35
35
Played hockey 35 ​ __
80
​ × 360° = 157,5° __
80
​ × 100 = 43,75%
30
Played netball 30 ​ __
80
​ × 360° = 135° ​  30
__
80
​ × 100 = 37,5%
3 3
Played cricket 3 ​ __
80
​ × 360° = 13,5° __
​  80 ​ × 100 = 3,75%

A pie chart can be used to represent the various sports that the girls participated in.

A pie chart representing the participation in sport by the girls

Played soccer
Took part in cross country
Played hockey
Played cricket
Played netball

Broken-line graphs
Broken-line graphs can be used to represent data. For this type of chart, the points are
plotted on a grid and then joined with straight lines. The graph allows us to visualise
trends in the data.

Example 2
The number of people in a store at hourly intervals during the day is recorded in the
table below.
Time
12 noon
10 am

11 am

1 pm

2 pm

3 pm

4 pm

5 pm

6 pm

Number of people
2 5 10 22 15 5 4 12 3
in the store

Term 3 Week 8 Chapter 20 Organising and representing data 271

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 271 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 The broken-line graph used to represent
this data would be:
Number of people in the store
25

a) W
 hat is the maximum number of
20
people in the store during one time
interval?
Number of people

15
b) W
 hat is the minimum number of
10 people in the store?
c) What time did the store open?
5
d) What time did the store close?
0
10 am

11 am

12 noon

1 pm

2 pm

3 pm

4 pm

5 pm

6 pm

Time

Solution

a) 22 b) 2 c) 10 am d) 6 pm
Note: We cannot read the number of people in the store between observation
times. An estimate can be read, but this could be inaccurate. At 2:30 pm there were
probably approximately 10 people in the store, but one cannot be sure.
Business starts slowing down after 1 pm.

Exercise 20.3

1. The amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) released into the atmosphere by a vehicle,
in kg per litre of petrol used while idling, is recorded in the table below.
Litres of petrol used
1 2 3 4 5 6
while idling
Amount of CO2 (kg) 2,4 4,8 7,2 9,6 12 14,4
a) Sketch the broken-line graph for the above data.
b) I s it fair to say that as the number of litres of petrol used while idling
increases, so does the amount of CO2 released into the atmosphere?
Explain your answer.
c) P
 redict the number of litres used while idling if the CO2 released into the
atmosphere is 8 kg.
d) Estimate the amount of CO2 released into the atmosphere if 2,5 litres of
petrol was used while idling.

272 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 272 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 80
2. A broken-line graph is given. 70
a) A
 student claimed that her marks 60
improved throughout the year. Is
50
this statement valid? Explain your
40
answer.
30
b) H
 ow has the graph been drawn to
mislead the person reading it? 20

c) H
 ow can the data be presented so 10

that it is not misleading? 0

Test 4 Test 3 Test 2 Test 1

3. The distribution of application downloads in the Manroid Market is represented

in the table below. The percentages are based on a total of 336 868 downloads.
Type Number of downloads
Applications 85%
Games 15%

a) How many downloads were games?

b) D
 raw a pie chart to represent the distribution of
applications and games in the Manroid Market.
Include the actual number of downloads in the labels.

Taking a critical view

Statistics represented in charts can be misleading. This can be brought about by:
zz using the effect that two or three dimensions in pictograms and bar charts have on
apparent size
zz using perspective or shape to exaggerate the representation
zz reversing the direction of an axis, thus making a decrease over time seem to be an
increase
zz leaving out part of an axis to lessen the apparent differences
zz using a large or small scale on the axes.

Term 3 Week 8 Chapter 20 Organising and representing data 273

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 273 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 20.4

1. Steel Heights and Best Steel are steel production companies who are in
competition with each other. Here are a collection of charts that Steel Heights is
using to get money from investors in spite of competition from Best Steel.

Chart 1
Our production volumes are much more than those
of Best Steel.

Steel Heights
Best Steel

Chart 2
Steel Heights has steeper production increases.
Steel Heights Best Steel
60 60

55 50
50
40
45
30
40
20
35

30 10

25 0
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

a) S teel Heights claims that they have had the biggest increase in the
production of steel. Use the graphs to comment on this claim.
b) D
 iscuss how the presentation of the information and the claims made could
be misleading and how the data should be presented in a more honest way.
Your conclusions should refer to:
(i) the way in which the presentation of the data and the claims made are
misleading
(ii) how the data should be presented so as not to be misleading.

2. The pictogram on the next page represents the number of boxes of apples sold
by shops A, B and C in a week.
a) W
 hich dimension of the boxes is a proper indication of the number of
boxes of apples sold?

274 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 274 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 b) W
 hat about the pictogram will
most probably lead to a wrong
impression about the comparison
of the number of boxes sold by the
60
shops?
30
c) Draw a bar graph that will be less 20

likely to misrepresent the data. A B C

3. The maize production companies Unreal Maize and Every-Maize issue shares
through the Johannesburg Securities Exchange (JSE).
Unreal Maize’s claim: Every Maize’s share price Every-Maize’s claim: Every-Maize’s share price is stable
fluctuates wildly and is going down. and has had an upwards trend over the last few months.
220 250

210
200
Share price (R)

Share price (R)

200
150
190

100
180

170 50
J F M A M J J J F M A M J J

a) J ustify Every-Maize’s claim that Unreal Maize’s share price fluctuates wildly
and that the general trend is downwards.
b) J ustify Every-Maize’s claim that their share price is stable, based on the
graph that they have presented.
c) The same data is being used in both graphs. Explain how the different
visual impressions are obtained.
4. Two running shoe production
companies Airbourne and SwiftRun 60

are in competition with each

Thousands of applications

other. Airbourne uses the bar

graph alongside to claim that its 50
production in 2012
is almost three times that of
SwiftRun. 40

a) I s Airbourne’s claim correct?

If not, what is the ratio of
Airbourne’s production to that 30
Airbourne SwiftRun
of SwiftRun in 2012?
b) E
 xplain what Airbourne did when drawing the bar graph to justify its claim.

Term 3 Week 9 Chapter 20 Organising and representing data 275

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 275 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Grouped data and histograms
In this section we learn how to work with larger data sets, group the data and draw
histograms of the grouped data.

Example 1
The heights of 50 Grade 8 girls (in metres) are recorded.
1,56 1,4 1,42 1,52 1,54 1,56 1,26 1,36 1,32 1,51
1,42 1,39 1,48 1,58 1,56 1,47 1,34 1,41 1,46 1,43
1,51 1,52 1,77 1,63 1,68 1,42 1,56 1,48 1,43 1,36
1,62 1,63 1,62 1,69 1,54 1,49 1,47 1,52 1,36 1,33
1,37 1,71 1,47 1,48 1,51 1,54 1,57 1,56 1,42 1,28
a) Determine suitable classes.
b) Draw up a frequency table.
c) Determine the modal class.
d) What is the relative frequency of the modal class?
e) Draw a histogram to represent the data.

Solution

a) Range = 1,77 – 1,26

= 0,51
If we choose 10 class intervals, the interval length will have to be greater than
0,51
____
​  ​ = 0,051. The length would then have to be 0,06, which is not convenient, so
10
we will have 11 intervals with a length of 0,05. We start at 1,25 for the sake of
convenience.
b) Classes Tally Frequency
1,25 – 1,29 // 2
1,30 – 1,34 /// 3
1,35 – 1,39 //// 5
1,40 – 1,44 //// /// 8
1,45 – 1,49 //// /// 8
1,50 – 1,54 //// //// 9
1,55 – 1,59 //// // 7
1,60 – 1,64 //// 4
1,65 – 1,69 // 2
1,70 – 1,74 / 1
1,75 – 1,79 / 1

276 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 276 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 c) The modal class is 1,50 – 1,54.
frequency of an event
d) Relative frequency = _____________________
​  total
      ​
number of data items
9
= ​ ___
50
​
e)
Heights of Grade 8 girls
10
9
8
7
Frequency

6
5
4
3
2
1
0
1,25–1,29

1,40–1,44

1,45–1,49
1,30–1,34

1,35–1,39

1,50–1,54

1,55–1,59

1,60–1,64

1,65–1,69

1,70–1,74

1,75–1,79
Height (metres)

Note
zz A histogram is always used when data is continuous.
zz There are no gaps between the columns, because the data is continuous.
zz When the widths of class intervals are all the same, the frequency for each class
interval is used to determine the height of the column for each interval.
zz The histogram does not record the detailed measurements a stem-and-leaf plot
would include.

Calculating a mean from grouped data

In grouped data, we do not know the actual data entries of the data set, so the mean
that is calculated will be an estimated mean. To get a relatively accurate estimation we
use the frequencies and the midpoints of the classes.

Term 3 Week 8 Chapter 20 Organising and representing data 277

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 277 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Example 2
Calculate the mean of the grouped data.
Step 1:
Calculate the midpoint of the
Frequency Midpoint of
Class fx class interval by adding the
(f ) the class (x)
two end values of the class and
1–5 1 3 3×1=3 diving by 2. The midpoint of
6 – 10 5 8 8 × 5 = 40 ​ 1 +
class 1 – 5 is _____
2
5
​ = 3.

11 – 15 9 13 13 × 9 = 117
Step 2:
16 – 20 4 18 18 × 4 = 72 Calculate the estimated total
for the class by multiplying the
21 – 25 1 23 23 × 1 = 23
frequency by the midpoint of
n = 20 Sum of fx = 255 the class.

Solution
sum of frequencies × midpoint of the class interval
Estimated mean = ​ __________________________________
        ​ Step 3:
number of entries in the data set
Substitute the
1 × 3 + 5 × 8 + 9 × 13 + 4 × 18 + 1 × 23
= _____________________________
​       ​ calculated
20
values into the
​  255
= ___20
​ formula and
simplify.
= 12,75

Exercise 20.5

1. In a survey, the amounts in rand spent on petrol per week as reported by 40

motorists were recorded as follows:
330 210 260 150 264 285 190 245 220 360
240 169 350 186 236 276 210 251 245 276
269 110 377 275 305 315 265 276 295 310
336 82 290 150 325 283 290 360 345 250

a) (i) Determine the range.

(ii) Divide the data into eight class intervals (with a width of R40).
b) Draw up a frequency table.
c) Determine the modal class.
d) How many motorists spent R280 or more on petrol per week?
e) Draw a histogram of the data using the intervals chosen.
f) Calculate the estimated mean of the data from the grouped data.
g) C
 ompare the estimated mean calculated from the grouped data with the
actual mean.

278 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 278 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 2. The histogram below was created from data collected in a television survey
conducted in a school. The number of hours spent watching television per week
was recorded for each learner. 60

a) H
 ow many learners were involved
in the survey? 50

b) What is the modal class?

40
c) W
 hat is the relative frequency of

Frequency
the modal class?
30
d) C
 alculate the estimated mean time
that a learner spends watching
20
television.
e) H
 ow many learners spend more 10
than 12 hours per week watching
television? 0
f) D
 o you think the survey reflects

0<t≤ 3

3<t≤6

6<t≤9

9 < t ≤ 12

12 < t ≤ 15

15 < t ≤ 18

18 < t ≤ 21

21 < t ≤ 24
learner’s habits during the school
term or during holidays?
Give a reason for your answer. Time
3. From the grouped data given in the
table below, calculate an estimate of the mean mass (correct to the nearest
kilogram) of the:
a) girls b) boys.
Mass (rounded off
to the nearest kg) 30 < x ≤ 33 33 < x ≤ 36 36 < x ≤ 39 39 < x ≤ 42 42 < x ≤ 45

Boys 2 6 7 4 1
Frequency
Girls 1 5 3 1 0
4. Calculate an estimate of the mean test mark from the data below:
Classes Frequency

20 < x ≤ 30 2

30 < x ≤ 40 8

40 < x ≤ 50 14

50 < x ≤ 60 22

60 < x ≤ 70 18

70 < x ≤ 80 10

80 < x ≤ 90 4

90 < x ≤ 100 2

Term 3 Week 9 Chapter 20 Organising and representing data 279

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 279 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Check your skills
Exercise 20.6

1. Information was collected from a group of Colour Number of learners

learners regarding their favourite colour. Blue 20
a) Draw a pie chart of learners’ favourite colours. Brown 6
b) What is the modal favourite colour? Green 18
Orange 9
Purple 11
Red 28
2. The examination percentages for Social Sciences Yellow 8
of a Grade 8 class are given below.
BOYS GIRLS
30 41 21 36 26 54 71 26
16 31 47 41 39 42 35 21
33 33 41 29 29 63 29 45
28 81 52 36 42 28 40 32
28 61 34 41 36 32 51 54
36 15 33 36 52
a) D
 raw a combined (back-to-back) stem-and-leaf diagram to represent the
above data.
b) Determine the mean exam percentage for the boys.
c) Determine the median exam percentage for the girls.
d) Write down the range of the:
(i) boys’ examination percentages
(ii) girl’s examination percentages.
e) W
 rite a paragraph in which you compare the performance of the boys
and girls. Zbox 360 active users (% by hour)
3. Information was posted about the 30

times at which Zbox 360 users use their 25

consoles.
20
a) What is the most popular time when All
people use their Zbox 360 console? 15
Male
Female
b) T
 he following claim was made:
10
‘Males are more addicted to the Zbox
360 gaming console than females.’ 5
Critique the statement based on the
graph alongside. 0
6 am

8 pm

10 pm

12 pm

2 pm

4 pm

8 pm

10 pm

12 am

2 am

4 am

4. The graph alongside was used to describe

280 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 280 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 the activity of people who Percentage of employed people aged 25 to 54
who engage in sports and exercise activities on an
engage in sports and exercise average day by hour of day (2003-2006)
activities on an 25
average day. Non-workdays
a) I f you were the gym 20
manager, at what time

Percentage
would you open your gym 15

on a:
10
i) workday Workdays
ii) n
 on-workday? 5
Justify your answers
from the given graph. 0

Midnight

2:am

4 am

6 am

8 am

10 am

Noon

2 pm

4 pm

6 pm

8 pm

10 pm
b) I s it reasonable to close the
gym during lunch time on a
non-workday?
Justify your answer.
c) What is the most popular time for a working person to go to gym?
5. a) D
 raw up a questionnaire that will give you information about what the
Grade 8 learners in your school think about smoking.
b) T
 o whom will you give the questionnaire? How will you choose your
sample? Give reasons for your answer.
6. The data below shows the salary structure at the company Best Steel:
• 3 directors: R1 500 000 each p.a.
• 10 managers: R750 000 each p.a.
• 4 chemists: R680 000 each p.a.
• 2 statisticians: R320 000 each p.a.
• 10 technicians: R180 000 each p.a
• 150 labourers: R70 000 each p.a.
The trade union is not happy with the labourers’ salary and takes the company
to the labour court. Use the data to draw charts and calculate statistics. Use the
charts and statistics to make an argument that:
a) s upports management’s claim that, on average, the salary structure is just
and fair
b) supports the trade union’s claim that, generally, the salaries at Best Steel
are not a living wage. (The accepted living wage is R4 200 per month.)

 Chapter 20 Organising and representing data 281

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 281 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

21 Cumulative
revision 3
In this chapter you will learn about:
zz This chapter will revise the work in chapters covered in the third term.

Exercise 21.1

1. Find the unknown side in each of the triangles below: E

a) b) 4 cm
c)
y 26
c m
x
6 cm F
t
5 cm H
8 cm 6 cm
24 cm
F

2. Find the area and perimeter of the shapes below.

8m
a) b) 10 m c)

24 m 2m
7m
6m

5m
3. Calculate the total surface area and volume of the solid objects illustrated
below:
a) rectangular prism b) triangular prism

2 cm

4 cm
5 cm
13 cm
3
2,5 cm cm
6,5 cm

4. Calculate, correct to one decimal place, the area and circumference of a circle
with a diameter of 20 cm.

282 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 282 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 5. The area of a rectangle is 41,25 cm2. The length is 7,5 cm. What is the width?

6. A survey is conducted on the soccer teams supported by learners in your class.

The information gathered is represented on a pictograph:

ѳ Ajax A
ѳ ѳ Supersport
ѳ ѳ SU
United
ѳ ѳ ѳ Maritzburg
ѳ ѳ ѳ ѳ United
MU
ѳ ѳ ѳ ѳ ѳ
Black Leopards BL
ѳ ѳ ѳ ѳ ѳ ѳ
ѳ ѳ ѳ ѳ ѳ ѳ Amazulu AM
ѳ ѳ ѳ ѳ ѳ ѳ Sundowns S
A SU MU BL AM S
a) Which team has the most support in your class?
b) Draw a pie chart to represent the data shown on the pictograph.

7. The table below shows the number of births in one week in the maternity ward
of
a hospital:
Day Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
Number 10 8 6 7 5 9 3

a) W
 hat graph do you think would be an appropriate way of
representing the data? Give a reason for your answer.
b) C
 alculate the mean number of births per day in this week.

8. The heights of fifteen Grade 8 learners are recorded as:

142 151 157 136 149 163 139 140 158 139 151 132 148 143 151

a) Complete a stem-and-leaf diagram for the data.

b) Calculate the mean of the data.
c) Calculate the median of the data.
d) Calculate the mode of the data.

Term 3 Week 10 Chapter 21 Cumulative revision 3 283

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 283 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 9. Without using a calculator, find the value of:
​  1 ​ + __
__ ​  1 ​
1 ​ × 4 – 2 ÷ __
a) ​ __ ​  1 ​ 1 ​
b) ​ _____ ​  18 18 ​
c) _____
2 2 1
__ 1
__
​  4 ​ + ​  ​ __ __
​  4 ​ + ​  4 ​
2
1 ​, b = – ​ __
10. If a = ​ __ 1 ​ and c = __
​  14 ​, find the value of:
3 2
a) a + b b) a – b c) 2b2

d) bc2 e) b – 2c f)
+c
​  a_____​
b
11. Three parcels weigh 2,436 kg, 4,009 kg and 5,3 kg
respectively. Find their total mass.
12. Which triangle below is right-angled?
a) X b) A

1,5 m 60 m
80 cm 36 m
P
Y 1,7 m E 46 m G

P
13. Find the value of x correct to two
decimal places.
10

Y 3 T 3 H
A
14. Calculate the perimeter and area of △AEH.
10
5

R H
3 E 8

15. The two circles with the same centre alongside have radii
of 5 cm and 10 cm respectively. Calculate the shaded area 5 cm
correct to the nearest cm2. 0 10 cm

16. Lucy fills her fish tank with water to a depth of 40 cm. She
lowers a rock into the water and the level rises by 10 cm to
50 cm. The tank is 100 cm long and 60 cm wide.
a) Find the volume of the stone.
b) W
 rite an explanation to a friend on how to find the
volume of an irregular object.

284 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 284 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 17. The pie chart alongside shows the number of animals on
a game farm. There are a total of 600 wild animals. W
W = Warthogs G = Giraffes
K = Kudu I = Impala I G

a) F rom the graph, which animal are you most likely

to see?
K
b) Give a reason for your answer.
c) U
 se a protractor to measure the size of the sector
angle representing the number of warthogs.
d) W
 hat fraction of the total number of animals are warthogs?
e) C
 alculate the number of warthogs on the farm.
f) How many kudu are on the farm?
g) W
 hat fraction of the circle are giraffes?
h) How many giraffes are on the farm?
i) How many impala are on the farm?

18. Examine the histogram below of contestants’ scores.

The frequency of scores achieved by contestants in the game show
Who wants to be a millionaire?
35

30

25
Number of people

20

15

10

0
1–20 21–40 41–60 61–80 81–100 101–120

a) Create a frequency table from the histogram above.

Score
b) What is the modal class?
c) What is the relative frequency of the modal class?
d) What percentage of contestants have a score of 81 and above?

Term 3 Week 10 Chapter 21 Cumulative revision 3 285

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 285 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

22 Functions and
relationships 2
In this chapter you will learn about:
zz Formulae for finding output values from given input values
zz Equivalent forms of descriptions of the same relationship.

Example 1
In the flow diagram below, some input values and the rule are given.
Use the rule to determine the output values for the given input values.
Input values (x) Output values (y)
Rule
−3

6 y=x×5+1
19

Solution

When input value = −3: When input value = 6: When input value = 19:
y = (−3) × 5 + 1 y = (6) × 5 + 1 y = (19) × 5 + 1
y = −15 + 1 y = 30 + 1 y = 95 + 1
y = −14 y = 31 y = 96

Example 2
Use the rule given below to determine the input values for the given output values in
the flow diagram.

Input values (q) Output values (p)

Rule
−17

p=q×3−2 22

154

286 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 286 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Solution
When output value = −17:
q = [(−17) + 2] ÷ 3
= −15 ÷ 3 According to the order of operations,
we first do the calculation inside
= −5
the bracket.

When output value = 22:

q = [(22) + 2] ÷ 3 In order to calculate q we have to work
= 24 ÷ 3 backwards.
The inverse process of subtraction is
=8 addition. So we first add 2.
The inverse process of multiplication
When output value = 154: is division.
So we divide by 3.
q = [(154) + 2] ÷ 3
= 156 ÷ 3
= 52

Exercise 22.1

1. Given:
Input values y=x+2 Output values

a) Calculate the output value y if the input value x is equal to:

(i) −24 (ii) −17 (iii) 0 (iv) 13 (v) 129
b) Calculate the input value x if the output value y is equal to:
(i) −13 (ii) −5 (iii) 23 (iv) 0 (v) 123

2. Given:
Input values y = 2x − 3 Output values

a) Calculate the output value y if the input value x is equal to:

(i) −12 (ii) −7 (iii) −3 (iv) 0 (v) 19

b) Calculate the input value x if the output value y is equal to:

(i) −13 (ii) −5 (iii) 23 (iv) 0 (v) 123

3. A rule describes the relationship between two numbers, x and y, as follows:

y = x2 − 5
a) Calculate y if x is equal to:
(i) −11 (ii) −3 (iii) 0 (iv) 17 (v) 43
b) Calculate the positive value of x if y is equal to:
(i) −4 (ii) −1 (iii) 11 (iv) 76 (v) 139

Term 4 Week 1 Chapter 22 Functions and relationships 2 287

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 287 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 4. The relationship between x and y is represented by means of a flow diagram as
shown.

Input values (x) Output values (y)

−2 Rule −3
−1 −1
0 1
1 3
2 5

a) Describe, in words, the rule that would complete the flow diagram.
b) If the input number is x and the output number is y, write down a rule
you can use to calculate y.
c) Calculate y if x is equal to:
(i) −15 (ii) − 6 (iii) 0 (iv) 117 (v) 243
5. Input values (x) −2 −1 0 1 2 3 4
Output values (y) −8 −1 0 1 8 27 64

a) Write down a rule in terms of x and y that represents the relationship

between the input values and the output values.
b) Calculate y if x is equal to: (i) −5 1​
(ii) ​ __
2
c) Calculate x if y is equal to: (i) 216 (ii) ​  8 ​
____
343

Example 3 Example 4
The area of a rectangle is given Calculate the breadth of the
by the formula rectangular photo below if the area is
A = L × B, where L is the length and B is 192 cm2 and the breadth is 16 cm.
the breadth.
Use this formula to calculate the area
of a rectangular stamp if the length is 4
cm and the breadth is 2,5 cm.

Solution

A= L × B
16 cm
= 4 × 2,5
= 10 cm2 Solution

A= L × B
192 = 16 × B
​  192 ​
B = ____
16
B = 12 cm

288 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 288 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 22.2

1. The area of a rectangle is given by the formula A = L × B, where L is the length

and B is the breadth. Use this formula to calculate:
a) the area if the length is 33 cm and the breadth is 21 cm L

b) the length if the area is 513 cm2 and the breadth is 19 cm B

A
c) the breadth if the area is 270 cm2 and the length is 18 cm.
A

2. Given: triangle ABC with sides AB, BC and AC.

a) Write down a formula for the perimeter of the triangle.
B C
b) Use your formula to calculate:
(i) the perimeter if AB = 10,7 cm, BC = 13,4 cm and AC = 11,1 cm
(ii) AB if BC = 125,1 cm, AC = 107,8 cm and the perimeter is 315,3 cm
(iii) AC if BC = 17,6 cm, AB = 14,5 cm and the perimeter is 44 cm
(iv) BC if AB = AC = 13,9 cm and the perimeter is 45,7 cm.

​  1 ​b × h, where b is the
3. The area, A, of a triangle is given by the formula A = __
2
base and h is the perpendicular height.
Use this formula to calculate:
h
a) the area if b = 7,5 cm and h = 5,3 cm
b) b if A = 20 cm2 and h = 5 cm
base
c) h if A = 15 cm2 and b = 2,5 cm.

4. The area, A, of a circle is given by the formula

A = πr2, where r is the radius of the circle. r

a) Calculate the area of the flower if r = 7,5 cm.
b) Calculate the radius, r, of the plate if A = 154 cm2.

Term 4 Week 1 Chapter 22 Functions and relationships 2 289

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 289 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Equivalent forms of descriptions of the same relationship

Functional relationships focus on the relationship between input and output values. We
use flow diagrams, tables, symbols, words and diagrams to represent relationships.

Different representations can be used to illustrate the same relationship.

They are called equivalent relationships.

Input Output Input number 1 2 3 4

squared +2
values values
Output number 3 6 11 18

Flow diagram Table

Diagram

The input number is squared and

then 2 is added. y = x2 + 2

Words Symbols

Sometimes equivalent relationships can be expressed by different symbolic representations which

are equivalent.
Examples:
a) x + x + x is equivalent to 3x since both will give the same numerical value if x is substituted by
any number.

b) (3x + 5) + (2x + 7) is equivalent to 5x + 12 since both will give the same numerical value if any
number is substituted for x.

290 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 290 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Example 1
The flow diagram below tells us what happens to the input number to get the
output number. There are three operations.
1 Rule 2
2 11
3 square ×3 –1
17
23

a) Describe in words how you can calculate the output number for any given
input number.
b) Represent the flow diagram by means of a formula. (Let the input value be
x and the output value y.)
c) Represent the flow diagram by means of a table.
d) Write down three equivalent expressions for the output value.
e) Calculate y if x = 25.
f) Calculate x if y = 2 186.

Solution

a) The input value is first squared and then multiplied by 3, and then 1 is
subtracted.
b) y = 3x2 − 1
c) Input value (x) 1 2 3 17 23
Output value (y) 2 11 26 866 1 586

d) y = 3x2 − 1 is equivalent to:

• y = 2x2 + x2 − 1
zz y = 5x2 − 2x2 − 3 + 2
There are many more equivalent
forms of the expression.
zz y=x +x +x −1
2 2 2

e) When x = 25:
y = 3x2 − 1
y = 3(25)2 − 1
y = 3(625) − 1
y = 1 875 − 1
= 1 874

Term 4 Week 1 Chapter 22 Functions and relationships 2 291

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 291 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 f) When y = 2 186:
2 186 = 3x2 − 1 In order to calculate y, we reverse the process.
The inverse process of subtraction is addition. So we add 1.
2 186 + 1 = 3x2
The inverse process of multiplication is division.
2 187 = 3x2 So we divide by 3.

​  2_____
187
3
​ = x2 The inverse process of squaring is finding the square root.
So we find the square root of 729.
729 = x 2

x = 27

Exercise 22.3

1. The flow diagram below tells us what happens to the input number to get the
output number. There are two operations.

Input Output
×7 −3
numbers numbers

a) Describe in words how you can calculate the output number for any given
input number.
b) Represent the flow diagram in terms of symbols. Let the input value be x
and the output value y.

2. Given the table below:

Input number (x) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Output number (y) −2 −1 0 1 2 3 4

a) Represent this relationship symbolically.

b) Represent the relationship by means of a flow diagram.

3. The mathematical rule between the input and output numbers of a functional
relationship is given by y = 3x2.
a) Represent this relationship by means of a table. Choose your own input values.
b) Represent the relationship by means of a flow diagram.

4. In a functional relationship, the input value is doubled and then increased by

3 to give the output value.
a) Express this relationship symbolically.
b) Draw a table which represents the relationship.

292 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 292 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 5. Sipho describes the relationship between the input and output values
as follows: ‘The input number is squared, then multiplied by 5 and then
decreased by 2.’
a) Draw a flow diagram to represent this relationship.
b) Write down a mathematical rule which represents the relationship.

6. Calculate y for each of the given x values.

x −1 0 2 13

(i) y = (7x + 4) + (3x + 2)

(ii) y = (2 + 11x) + (4 − x)

(iii) y = 10x + 6
​  20x 2+ 12 ​
(iv) y = ________
(v) y = 11x + 5

(vi) y = 2(5x + 3)
a) Which of the equations are equivalent to y = 2(5x + 3)? Explain.
b) If you could choose any equation from the table to calculate
y = (7x + 4) + (3x + 2) when x = 113, which equation would you
choose? Explain.
7. Write down three different equivalent equations for each of the following
equations:
a) q = 2p + 3 + p − 1 + 5p + 4
b) y = 3(x +2)
c) c = a – b + 1 + a – 2b + 2 + a + 3b + 3 + a + 4b + 4

8. Smiley faces are arranged to form patterns as shown:

Picture 1 Picture 2 Picture 3

a) Calculate the number of smiley faces in:

(i) Picture 4 (ii) Picture 5 (iii) Picture 17.
b) Write down an algebraic formula that will help you to calculate the
number of smiley faces in any picture.
c) Which picture would contain 157 smiley faces?

Term 4 Week 1 Chapter 22 Functions and relationships 2 293

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 293 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Check your skills
Exercise 22.4

1. Use the rule y = 4x − 3 to complete the table below.

x −3 −1 3 4 5 13 29 100
y

a) D
 escribe in words how you can calculate the output number for any given
input number.
b) Represent the table by means of a flow diagram.
c) Write down three equivalent expressions for the output value.
d) Calculate y if x = 73. e) Calculate x if y = 225.
2. A rule describes the relationship between two variables, x and y, as follows:
y = −5x2
a) Calculate y if x is equal to:
(i) −5 (ii) −3 (iii) 0 (iv) 15 (v) 31
b) Calculate the positive value of x if y is equal to:
(i) −20 (ii) −245 (iii) − 845
3. Carla describes the relationship between the input and output
values as follows: ‘The input number is multiplied by 3 and then
decreased by 7.’
Represent this relationship by means of a:
a) flow diagram b) table c) mathematical rule.
4. Write down two different equivalent equations for each of the following
equations:
a) y = 2x +3 + 5x + 4 + x + 7 b) y = (3x − 2) + (4x + 7)
c) y = 5x + 3y d) y = 3(2x + 5)

5. Temperature can be converted between degrees

Fahrenheit (°F) and Celsius (°C ) by using the formula: oF
​  95 ​ × °C + 32°.
= __
a) Use this formula to convert the following
temperatures to degrees Fahrenheit:
(i) 35 °C (ii) 180 °C
b) Use the formula to convert the following temperatures
to degrees Celsius:
(i) 428 °F (ii) 220 °F (iii) −40 °F

294 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 294 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Algebraic
equations 3 23
In this chapter you will learn about:
zz Solving equations using the laws of exponents
zz Using substitution in equations to generate ordered pairs.

Solving equations
After solving an equation, check your answer.

Exercise 23.1

1. Solve the following equations:

a) 6 = k − 40 ​  x ​ = 9
b) __ c) − 8x = 32
3
x ​ = −1
d) − ​ __ e) −36 = x − 9 f) x − 2 = −1
5
g) −3(p − 2) = p + 10 ​  2x​ − 1 = 0
h) ___ i) 8x − 39 = 11x
3
j) 3(x − 2) − 5(2x − 3) = 23

Solving equations where the unknown is an exponent

Revise the laws and definitions of exponents.

1. ax × ay = ax + y, a ≠ 0 (When multiplying terms

with the same base, keep the base the same
and add the exponents.)
2. ax ÷ ay = ax − y, a ≠ 0 (When dividing terms with
the same base, keep the base the same and
subtract the exponents.)
3. (ax)y = ax × y, a ≠ 0 (When raising a power to a
power, keep the base the same and multiply the
exponents.)
4. a 0 = 1, a ≠ 0 (Any non-zero number raised to
the power of zero gives an answer of 1.)

We will use these laws and definitions to solve equations.

If ax = ay; a ≠ 1; a ≠ 0, the bases are the same, and therefore x = y.

Term 4 Week 2 Chapter 23 Algebraic equations 3 295

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 295 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Example 1 Example 2
Solve: 3x = 35 Solve for x if 10x = 1.

Solution Solution
3x = 35 The bases are the same. 10x = 1
∴x=5 10x = 100 a0 = 1 provided a ≠ 0
∴x=0

Example 3 Example 4
Solve for x: 2x = 23.27 Solve for x: 5x − 1 = 25

Solution Solution
2x = 23.27 5x − 1 = 25  Write the RHS as a power of 5
so that the bases are the same.
Simplify the RHS by using
2x = 210  the laws of exponents.
5x − 1 = 52
∴ x = 10 x−1=2
∴x=3

Example 5 Example 6
x
7
Solve for x: 2 x+1
.2 = 45 4
Solve for x: ​ __
72
​ = 74

Solution Solution
x x
7 7
2x + 1.25 = 44 ​ __
72
​ = 74 ​ __
72
​ = 74
 Simplify to the same bases
2x + 1 + 5 = (22)4 using the laws of exponents. 7x − 2 = 74 or 7x = 74.72
2x + 6 = 28 x − 2 = 4 7x = 76
x+6=8 ∴ x = 6 x=6
∴x=2

Exercise 23.2

1. Solve the following equations:

a) 5x = 57 b) 2x = 210 c) 2x = 2−9
d) 3x = 3 e) 3x = 1 f) 5x = 5
g) 5x = 1 h) 3x = 81 i) 32x = 36
j) 73x = 79 k) −2x = −23 l) 8x = 4
m) 72x = 49 n) 3x − 1 6
=3 o) 3x + 1 = 9
p) 22x − 1 = 1 q) 32x − 1 = 3x − 5 r) (23)x = 2−3
s) 5x = (53)2 x
t) 2 + 1 = 9 u) 52x + 2 = 27
2. Solve for x:
a) 103x − 5 = 995 b) 2x = 23.26 c) 2x + 1 = 23.25
d) 22x.25 = 215 e) 25.2x.2x + 1 = 210 f) 2x.2x + 1 = 25

296 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 296 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Example 7

Given: y = 2x + 1
a) Complete the table below for the x values shown.
x –3 –1 0 1 3
y
b) Use the table, and list five ordered pairs that satisfy the equation y = 2x + 1
c) Given x = −7, find an ordered pair that satisfies the equation but is not shown in
the table.
d) Does the ordered pair (−20; −41) satisfy this equation?

Solution
a) y = 2x + 1
We complete the table by substituting the given x values into the equation to find
the corresponding y values.
x –3 –1 0 1 3
y y = 2(–3) + 1 y = 2(–1) + 1 y = 2(0) + 1 y = 2(1) + 1 y = 2(3) + 1
= –6+1 = –2 +1 = 0 +1 = 2 +1 =6+1
= –5 = –1 =1 =3 =7

 omplete the table without showing the process of substitution (which we do

C
mentally):
x –3 –1 0 1 3
y –5 –1 1 3 7
b) T
 he five ordered pairs in the table satisfying the equation are:
(−3; −5), (−1; −1), (0; 1), (1; 3), (3; 7)
c) For x = −7 in y = 2x + 1:
y = 2(−7) + 1 (substituting x = −7 into the equation)
= −14 + 1
= −13
 he ordered pair is (−7; −13), which does not occur in the table, but does satisfy
T
the equation.

d) T
 o confirm whether the ordered pair (−20; −41) satisfies the equation, we substitute
the x value into the equation and check whether we get the given y value.
If we do not get the given y value, then the ordered pair does not satisfy the equation.
When x = −20, then y = 2(−20) + 1
= − 40 + 1
= −39 (this is not the given y value of −41)
The ordered pair (−20; −41) therefore does not satisfy the equation y = 2x + 1.

Term 4 Week 2 Chapter 23 Algebraic equations 3 297

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 297 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Note
zz In the ordered pair (x; y), x is called the independent variable and y is the
dependent variable, because you choose the value of x and then find the value of
y by substituting the value you have chosen for x into the equation.
Thus the value of y depends on the value of x.
zz To find the x value when you are given the y value, use inverse operations on the
equation to solve for x.

The table below shows both these processes.

Example 8

Complete the table below for the equation y = 3x + 1 and list five ordered pairs from
the table.
x –3 –1 0
y –5 13

Solution

x –3 –1 0 –2 4
y –8 –2 1 –5 13
The ordered pairs are: (−3; −8), (−1; −2), (0; 1), (−2; −5), (4; 13)

Exercise 23.3

1. Complete the table of values below for each of the equations shown:
x –3 –1 0 2 5
y
(x; y)
a) y = x b) y = x − 5 c) y = −x
d) y = −x + 1 e) y = −2x f) y = 2x + 1

2. Given the equation y = x − 5.

a) D
 raw up and complete a table of values for this equation where x is all
integers between −3 and 2 (inclusive).
b) Does (0; 0) satisfy this equation?

3. Given the equation y = −x − 9.

a) Does the ordered pair (−1; 10) satisfy this equation?
b) List two ordered pairs that satisfy the equation.

298 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 298 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 4. Complete the tables below for the equations given.
a) y = −3x + 2
x –3 –1 0
y –4 –10
(x; y)
b) y = −x − 3
x –10 –7 –3
y –3 –15
(x; y)
c) y = −x2
x –1 3
y 0 –4 –100
(x; y)
d) y = x2 − 4
x –1 3
y –4 0 –100
(x; y)

5. From the ordered pairs shown below, list those which satisfy the equation
y = x2 − 4:
(0; − 4), (− 4; 0), (2; 8), (0; 0), (−2; −8), (−2; 0), (1; 3), (3; 2), (−3; 5), (0; − 4)

Term 4 Week 2 Chapter 23 Algebraic equations 3 299

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 299 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Check your skills
Exercise 23.4

1. Solve the equations below using the laws of exponents.

a) 2x = 16 b) 100y = 102 c) 2p = 43 d) 25q = 125
e) 4x = 16 f) 64x = 8 g) 2k.2k + 1.2k + 2 = 26 h) ​ __
5x
57
​ = 52

2. Complete the tables below for each of the equations shown.

a) y = 2x x –2 –1 0 1 2
y
b) y = x + 1 x –2 –1 0 1 2
y
c) y=x−2 x –2 –1 0 1 2
y
3. Given the equation y = −3x + 4.
a) Complete the table of values below for this equation.
x –3 –1 0 2 4
y
b) Represent the table as ordered pairs.
c) Does the ordered pair (−3; 4) satisfy the equation? Show your working.

Extend your skills

Exercise 23.5

1. A scientist recorded that the number of bacterial cells (y) at a particular time
(x seconds) is given by the equation y = 2x.
a) Complete the table of values below.
x –1 0 2 3
y 32
b) Calculate the number of cells at 2 seconds.
c) Determine y in the ordered pair (3; y).
d) Find the number of cells at 6 seconds.
e) Determine x in the ordered pair (x; 128).
f) How long will it take to get 512 bacterial cells?
2. Solve for x:
a) 3x + 2 = 3.31 − x b) 3.2x = 96

300 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 300 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Graphs 24
In this chapter you will learn about:
zz Analysing and interpreting global graphs of problem situations, with a special focus
on the following trends and features:
−− linear or non-linear
−− constant, increasing or decreasing
zz Extending the focus on features of graphs to include:
−− maximum or minimum
−− discrete or continuous
zz Drawing global graphs from given descriptions of a problem situation, and identifying
features listed above
zz Using tables of ordered pairs to plot points and draw graphs on the Cartesian plane.

Graphical representation

zz Generally a graph shows the relationship between two quantities in a diagrammatic

way. These quantities are sometimes called the input and output values and are also
referred to as variables.
zz Graphs are a visual way of indicating trends.
zz A graph can either be continuous (consisting of a solid line) or discrete (consisting of
a set of points).
zz Continuous graphs are used to represent continuous variables, such as time, mass
and temperature.
zz Discrete graphs are used to represent discrete variables. These are variables of which
the values are separated by gaps, such as the number of passengers in a bus or the
dress sizes in a shop.

Term 4 Week 3 Chapter 24 Graphs 301

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 301 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Continuous graph Body temperature
A single unbroken curve with no gaps or jumps 40

is a continuous graph. 39

Example: the body temperature of a patient in 38

Temperature
hospital over a period of time.
37
The highest temperature is 39,8 °C.
36
We say this is the maximum temperature.
35
The lowest temperature is 35 °C.
34
We say this is the minimum temperature. 1 2 3 4 5 6
Time (in hours)

Discrete graph
A graph is discrete when the variables are discrete entries.
Example: the number of goals scored in five soccer matches.
Soccer goals
13
12
11
Number of goals scored

10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
1 2 3 4 5 6
Soccer match

Exercise 24.1

1. The rainfall in millimetres from March to August in a city in South Africa is

represented in the graph below.
Rainfall from March to August
250

200
Rainfall (in mm)

150

100

50

0
M A M J J A
Months

302 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 302 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 a) Which month had the highest rainfall?
b) Which month had the lowest rainfall?
c) T
 he graph is continuous, but should it have been discrete?
Give a reason for your answer.
d) Can you predict the rainfall for September? Give a reason for your answer.
e) W
 rite a short paragraph in which you describe the rainfall pattern for the
six months.

2. Cans were stacked as shown in the picture below. Two learners were asked to
each draw a graph representing the number of cans in each row.

Row 1

Row 2

Row 3

Row 4

The graphs presented by the learners represent the number of cans plotted
against the row number.
13 13
12 12
11 11
10 10
Number of cans

Number of cans

9 9
8 8
7 7
6 6
5 5
4 4
3 3
2 2
1 1
0 0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Row number Row number

a) Complete the table below.

Row number (r) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Number of cans (N)

b) W
 rite down an algebraic rule for the number of cans in row r in the
form N = …………….
c) Which graph is more suitable? Give a reason for your answer.

Term 4 Week 3 Chapter 24 Graphs 303

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 303 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Increasing and decreasing graphs

zz A graph that slopes upwards from left to right is said to be increasing.

Vertical axis

Vertical axis

Vertical axis
Horizontal axis Horizontal axis Horizontal axis

zz An increasing graph shows that an increase in the value of the variable on the
horizontal axis is linked to an increase in the value of the variable on the vertical axis.
zz A graph that slopes downwards from left to right is said to be decreasing.

Vertical axis
Vertical axis
Vertical axis

Horizontal axis Horizontal axis Horizontal axis

zz A decreasing graph shows that an increase in the variable on the horizontal axis is
linked to a decrease in the value of the variable on the vertical axis.

Interpreting graphs
Case 1
The graph alongside represents the relationship between time and distance in a particular
24
situation. 22
20
zz The distance is increasing in the 18
16
interval 0 to 2 hours.
Distance in km

14
We say it is increasing because 12
10
as the time (on the horizontal 8
6
axis) increases, the distance (on 4
the vertical axis) is increasing. We 2
0
also say that the graph is strictly 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Time in hours
increasing in this interval.
zz The distance is decreasing in the interval 3 to 5 hours.
We say it is decreasing because as the time (on the horizontal axis) increases,
the distance (on the vertical axis) is decreasing.
We also say that the graph is strictly decreasing in this interval.
zz In the interval 2 to 3 hours the time is increasing, but the distance remains the same.
This indicates a stoppage.

304 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 304 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Case 2
A charge is attached to all telephone calls, even for a fraction of a minute.
zz From the behaviour of the graph we can

see that as the number of telephone calls

increases, the amount of the telephone
account increases.
Telephone account

zz Since the graph does not start at

the origin, there is a basic cost even
before the cost of the telephone calls is
calculated.
0 Number of telephone zz The graph is linear.
calls made
zz The graph is continuous since all
telephone calls, even for a fraction of a
minute, are charged.

Example 1
The diagram alongside represents a container. An experiment is
conducted to observe the changes in the height of the water level in
the container as water is poured in and out of the container.
a) Draw a graph that will represent the changes in the height of the
water level in the container when water is poured steadily into the
container.
b) I n order to empty the full container, water is allowed to leak out
steadily from a hole in the bottom of the container.
Draw a graph that will represent the changes in the height of the water level.

Solution
Height of water level

a) At the beginning of the experiment the height of the

water level in the container is 0 mm. Initially, the
rate at which the height of the water level increases is
rapid because the container is narrow at the base.
The rapid rise decreases gradually as the container Time
widens towards the rim.
Height of water level

b) I nitially, the water level drops gradually because the

container is wider at the rim. As the water level falls,
the container becomes narrower, leading to a rapid
drop in the water level until the height of the water
returns to 0 mm.
Time

Note how the shapes of the graphs are related to each other.

Term 4 Week 3 Chapter 24 Graphs 305

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 305 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 24.2

1. The graph shows the distance, in kilometres, that a hiker walked for part of a day.
45

40

35

30
Distance in km

25

20

15

10

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Time in hours

a) After how many hours did the hiker take a rest? Explain.
b) For how long did the hiker take a break?
c) H
 ow many kilometres did the hiker walk before he took a second break?
Explain your answer.
d) How many kilometres did the hiker walk in total?
e) What was the average speed over the whole distance?
f) Is the graph increasing or decreasing? Explain.
g) Is the graph continuous or discrete? Explain.
2. The graph shows the relationship between the length of the side of a square and
the area of the square.
17
16
15
14
13
a) W
 hat is the area if the
12 side is 2 cm?
11
10 b) W
 hat is the area if the
Area (in cm2)

9
8 side is 3 cm?
7
6
c) Is the graph increasing
5 or decreasing? Explain.
4
3 d) Is this a straight line
2
1 graph or not? Explain.
0
0 1 2 3 4 5
Lenght of side (in cm)

306 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 306 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 3. The graph shows the monthly car sales at a dealer over 8 months.
35

30

Number of cars sold

25

20

15

10

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Months
a) How many cars were sold in month 4?
b) W
 hat is the maximum number of cars sold in any month? Explain.
c) I n which month were the sales a minimum? State the minimum value.
d) When is the graph decreasing?
e) Can we join the points? Explain.
f) Can you predict the number of cars that will be sold in week 10? Explain.

4. The graph shows the marks Thomas obtained in weekly Mathematics tests over
six weeks.
80%

70%

60%
Percentage

50%

40%

30%
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Week

a) W
 hat is the highest percentage (the maximum) that Thomas obtained over
the six weeks?
b) W
 hat is the lowest percentage (the minimum) that Thomas obtained over
the six weeks?
c) C
 alculate the average percentage that Thomas obtained over the six weeks.
d) Is the graph discrete or continuous?
e) When is the graph increasing?

Term 4 Week 3 Chapter 24 Graphs 307

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 307 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 f) When is the graph decreasing?
g) Can you predict what percentage Thomas will obtain in week 7? Explain.
5. The graph represents the number of cooldrink cans in a vending machine
between 10:00 and 15:00 on a particular day.
90

80

70
Number of cans of cooldrink

60

50

40

30

20

10

0
10 11 12 13 14 15
Time (in hours)

a) At 10:00 the vending machine was three quarters full.

How many cans does the machine hold when it is full?
b) How many cans were sold between 10:00 and 11:00?
c) T
 he machine was filled up twice during the day. At what times was the
machine filled up?
d) When was the machine empty?
e) How many cans were sold altogether between 10:00 and 15:00?

308 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 308 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 The Cartesian coordinate plane
Below is an example of a Cartesian plane. It is represented by a horizontal and a vertical
axis to form a coordinate system.

Second quadrant B(–1; 4) y First quadrant

4

3
A(3; 2)
2

1
Horizontal axis x
–9 –8 –7 –6 –5 –4 –3 –2 –1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
–1

–2
D(6; –2)

Vertical Axis
–3
C(–5; –3)
–4
Third quadrant Fourth quadrant
–5
0
Note
The Cartesian plane is named after René Descartes, the inventor of coordinate geometry.

Some conventions about the coordinate system

zz Any position in the plane is represented by an ordered number pair.
For example, the point A is represented by (3; 2). The value represented on the
horizontal axis (x-coordinate) is written first and the number represented on the
vertical axis (y-coordinate) is written second.
zz The horizontal axis is usually called the x-axis.
All points on the horizontal axis are of the form (x; 0). That is, the y-coordinate is 0.
zz The vertical axis is usually called the y-axis.
All points on the vertical axis are of the form (0; y). That is, the x-coordinate is 0.
zz The point where the axes intersect is called the origin. Its coordinates are (0; 0).
zz We also refer to the x- and y-axes in the Cartesian plane as a system of axes.

Term 4 Week 3 Chapter 24 Graphs 309

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 309 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 zz All points can be represented by (x; y).
zz The axes divide the plane into four quadrants.

Quadrant (x; y)
First quadrant The x-coordinate is positive and the y-coordinate is positive. (+; +)
Second quadrant The x-coordinate is negative and the y-coordinate is positive. (–; +)
Third quadrant The x-coordinate is negative and the y-coordinate is negative. (–; –)
Fourth quadrant The x-coordinate is positive and the y-coordinate is negative. (+; –)

Example 1
Write down the coordinates of points A to K on the grid below.
y
6

5
B A
• 4 •

3
C D
• 2 •

1• E
F G x
• •
–9 –8 –7 –6 –5 –4 –3 –2 –1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
H• –1 •K

–2 • J

–3

Solution
The first coordinate (x-coordinate) of a point is the value
represented on the horizontal axis.
A(3; 4)
The second coordinate (y-coordinate) of a point is the
B(−3; 4) value represented on the vertical axis.
C(−1; 2)
If the point is on the horizontal axis, the first coordinate
D(1; 2)
(x-coordinate) is the value represented on the the
E(0; 1) horizontal axis.
F(−5; 0) The second coordinate (y-coordinate) of the point is 0.
G(5; 0)
If the point is on the vertical axis, the first coordinate
H(−2; −1) (x-coordinate) is 0.
J(0; −2) The second coordinate (y-coordinate) of the point is the
value represented on the vertical axis.
K(2; −1)

310 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 310 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 24.3

1. Write down the coordinates of points A to L in the drawing below.

y
13 I F
• •
12 • •
H G
11 • •
J E
10

9 K D
• •

4
L
3 • • •
A C
2 •
B
1

0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 x

2. Plot the following points and join them in the order given.
a) (6; −4) b) (8; −2) c) (2; −2)
d) (2; −1) e) (6; −1) f) (1; 7)
g) (1; −2) h) (0; −2) i) (0; 9)
j) (−7; −1) k) (−1; −1) l) (−1; −2)
m) (−8; −2) n) (−6; −4) o) (6; −4)

Term 4 Week 3 Chapter 24 Graphs 311

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 311 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 3. Study the map of South Africa below. Write down the coordinates of the towns
or cities as accurately as possible.

a) Cape Town b) Polokwane

c) Bloemfontein d) Richards Bay
e) Upington f) Musina
g) Durban h) Rustenburg
i) Johannesburg

Linear vs non-linear graphs

Examples of linear graphs

y

y 3
•

5
2
•

4 •
1
•

3 •
x
•

2 • –2 –1 0 1 2
–1
•

1•
x –2
•

•
–3 –2 –1 0 1 2 3 4 5
–3
•

• –1

–2 This graph is vertical because the

x-coordinate is the same value no matter
what the value of y is.

312 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 312 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 zz When we join the plotted points, they form a straight line.
zz In such a case, the x and y values are connected by a certain rule of the form.
y = ax + c or y = mx + c. In the first example, y = x + 1.
zz The rule for a vertical graph is of the form x = k, where k is a constant.
In the second example, x = –2.
zz In Grade 9 we will investigate this type of graph further.

Examples of non-linear graphs

y y
9 •

8 2

7 1
x
6
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
5 –1

4 • –2

3 –3

2 y

1 • 1
x x
–1 0 1 2 3 4 5 –90 –45 45 90
–1 –1

zz In contrast to linear graphs, the joined plotted points do not form a straight line.
zz The examples above form smooth curves.
zz Equations whose graphs are not straight lines are called non-linear.

Example 1

Consider the formula y = 2x + 3.

a) C
 omplete the table below by using the x values given in the table to calculate the
correponding y values.
x –2 –1 0 1 2 3
y
b) Write each pair of x and y values as an ordered pair.
c) Plot these points on a system of axes.
d) Join the points to form a graph.
e) State whether the graph is linear or non-linear.

Term 4 Week 4 Chapter 24 Graphs 313

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 313 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Solution

a) When x = −2: When x = −1: When x = 0:

y = 2(−2) + 3 y = 2(−1) + 3 y = 2(0) + 3
= −4 + 3 = −2 + 3 = 0 + 3
= −1 = 1 = 3

When x = 1: When x = 2: When x = 3:

y = 2(1) + 3 y = 2(2) + 3 y = 2(3) + 3
=2+3 = 4 + 3 = 6 + 3
=5 = 7 = 9

x –2 –1 0 1 2 3
y –1 1 3 5 7 9

b) (−2; −1), (−1; 1), (0; 3), (1; 5), (2; 7), (3; 9)
c) and d)
y
9 The x value always
comes first in the ordered
8
pair and the y value
7 is written second.

1
x
–4 –3 –2 –1 0 1 2 3 4
–1

e) The graph is linear.

Exercise 24.4

1. Consider the tables on the next page.

(i) Complete the table of ordered pairs for the given equation in each case.
(ii) D
 raw the x- and y-axis on a square grid and plot the coordinate points on
the square grid.
(iii) Join the points to form a graph.

314 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 314 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 (iv) State whether the graph is linear or non-linear.
a) y = x – 2
x –4 –3 –2 –1 0 1 2 3 4
y

b) y = 2x + 1
x –4 –3 –2 –1 0 1 2 3 4
y

c) y = x2 – 3
x –4 –3 –2 –1 0 1 2 3 4
y

2. Use the pattern showed below to answer the questions that follow.

Pattern

Number of pentagons (x) 1 2 3 4

Number of toothpicks (y) 5 9 13 ….
a) Write down a general formula for the relationship between the number of
pentagons (x) and the number of toothpicks (y).
b) Draw the x- and y-axis on a square grid and plot the coordinate points on
the square grid.
c) Can we join these points? Give a reason for your answer.
d) Is the graph increasing or decreasing? Give a reason for your answer.

3. Jill’s shoe size from age 12 to 20 is recorded in the table below.

Age (in years) (x) 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
4__12
1
Shoe size (y) 2 2_2 3 4 5 5 5 5

a) Plot the coordinate points on the Cartesian plane.

b) Can you join the points? Explain.
c) For which values of x is the graph increasing?
d) For which values of x is the graph constant?
e) What will Jill’s shoe size be when she is:
(i) 25 years old
(ii) 13 years and 6 months old
(iii) 54 years old
(iv) 19 years and 6 months old?

Term 4 Week 4 Chapter 24 Graphs 315

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 315 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Check your skills
Exercise 24.5

1. The graph below shows the temperature on a particular day in Sutherland,

South Africa. Study the graph and answer the questions that follow.
14

12

10
Temperature in °C

0
7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
–2

–4
Time

a) What was the temperature at 10:00?

b) What was the minimum temperature?
c) What was the maximum temperature?
d) Estimate the temperature at 15:30.
e) When is there no change in the temperature?
f) When is the graph increasing?
g) When is the graph decreasing?
h) What was the average temperature from 07:00 to 18:00?
i) Describe the weather for the day.
2. Consider the table below:
a) y = 5x – 2
x –1 0 1 2 3
y

(i) Complete the table of ordered pairs for the given equation.
(ii) Draw an x- and y-axis on a square grid and plot the coordinate points
on the square grid.
(iii) Join the points to form a graph.
(iv) State whether the graph is increasing or decreasing.

316 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 316 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 b) y = –x +w 3
x –2 –1 0 1 2 3 4
y

(i) Complete the table of ordered pairs for the given equation.
(ii) Draw an x- and y-axis on a square grid and plot the coordinate points
on the square grid.
(iii) Join the points to form a graph.
(iv) State whether the graph is increasing or decreasing.

3. Toothpicks are used to build patterns of squares as shown in the table below.
1 2 3 4 5

Pattern (p)

Number of squares 1 3 5 …. ….
Number of toothpicks 4 12 20 …. ….

a) Draw the fourth and fifth patterns and complete the table.
b) (i) W
 rite down a general formula for the relationship between the pattern
number and the number of squares.
(ii) W
 rite down the coordinates representing the relationship between the
pattern number and the number of squares.
c) (i) W
 rite down a general formula for the relationship between the pattern
number and the number of toothpicks.
(ii) W
 rite down the coordinates representing the relationship between the
pattern number and the number of toothpicks.
d) D
 raw a system of axes on a square grid and plot the coordinate points
representing the relationship between the pattern number and the number
of squares.
e) O
 n the same system of axes, plot the coordinate points representing the
relationship between the pattern number and the number of toothpicks.

Term 4 Week 3 Chapter 24 Graphs 317

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 317 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

25 Transformation
geometry
In this chapter you will learn about:
zz Recognising, describing and performing transformations on points in a coordinate
plane, focusing on:
−− translating a point within and across quadrants
−− reflecting a point in the y-axis or x-axis
zz Recognising, describing and performing transformations on triangles in a coordinate
plane, focusing on the coordinates of the vertices when:
−− reflecting a triangle in the y-axis or x-axis
−− translating a triangle within and across quadrants
−− rotating a triangle around the origin
zz Using proportion to describe the effect of enlargement or reduction on the area and
perimeter of geometric diagrams.

Transformations
A transformation of a shape or point is a movement of the shape or point.
The movement can be a translation, a reflection or a rotation.

Translations
The first of the transformations that we will cover are translations. These include:
zz vertical movements up or down
zz horizontal movements to the left or right
zz slant movements, which are combinations of horizontal and vertical movements.
A translation is sometimes called a slide or a shift and is a movement in a straight line.
In a translation, the figures
maintain their shape, size
and orientation (the way
they face).

The movement of points

or objects takes place in
Vertical shifts (up Horizontal shifts (to the Slant shifts: both to the left
a Cartesian plane, with all or down) right or left) or right and up or down
points having coordinates.

318 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 318 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Note
zz The new position of a point or figure is called the image. The image of a point P is
usually labelled P′. The image of a △ABC is generally labelled △A′B′C′.
zz We write P ➞ P′ and △ABC ➞ △A′B′C′ to indicate that P′ is the image of P and
△A′B′C′ is the image of △ABC.

Example 1 Example 2
On the grid labelled A below: On the grid labelled A below:
a) Plot the point R(−7; 5). a) Plot the point M(6; 2).
b) R′ is the image of R after a b) P
 lot M′, the image of M after a
translation 7 units down. horizontal translation of 9 units to
Plot R′ on the same grid. the left.
c) Give the coordinates of R′. c) Give the coordinates of M′.

Solution Solution
a) and b) On the grid a) and b) On the grid
c) R′ is the point (−7; −2). c) M′ is the point (−3; 2).
W
 e say that R′ is the image of We say that M′ is the image
R under the mapping of M under the mapping
(x; y) ➞ (x; y − 7). (x; y) ➞ (x − 9; y).

Grid A
6
y
R (–7; 5) 5

3
M′(–3; 2)
2 M(6; 2)

1
x
–7 –6 –5 –4 –3 –2 –1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
–1

R′ (–7; –2) –2

–3

–4

–5

–6

Term 4 Week 5 Chapter 25 Transformation geometry 319

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 319 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Example 3 Example 4
On the grid labelled B below: On the grid labelled B below:
a) Plot the point L(2; 1). a) Plot the point J(−6; −2).
b) Give the coordinates of L′, the b) Give the coordinates of J′, the image
image of L after a translation of 5 of J after a translation of 11 units to
units to the left and 3 units up. the right and 2 units down.
c) Plot L′. c) Plot the point J′.

Solution Solution
a) On the grid a) On the grid
b) To calculate the x-coordinate of L′, b) To calculate the x-coordinate of J′, we
we subtract 5 from 2. add 11 to −6.
To calculate the y-coordinate of L′, To calculate the y-coordinate of J′, we
we add 3 to 1. subtract 2 from −2.
Thus L′ is the point (2 − 5; 1 + 3), Thus J′ is the point (−6 + 11; −2 − 2),
which gives us L′(−3; 4). which gives us J′(5; −4).
We say that L is mapped onto L′ by We say that J is mapped onto J′ by
the rule (x; y) ➞ (x − 5; y + 3). the rule (x; y) ➞ (x + 11; y − 2).
c) On the grid c) On the grid

Grid B

6
y
5

L′(–3; 4) 4

2
L(2; 1)
1
x
–7 –6 –5 –4 –3 –2 –1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
–1

–2
J(–6; –2)
–3

–4
J′(5; –4)
–5

–6

320 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 320 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 25.1

6 y
1. Use the given grids or similar square paper for this
4
exercise. Label all the points.
2
a) Plot the point A(5; −4).
x
b) A
 is translated 6 units vertically up to A′. Plot the –6 –4 –2 2 4 6
point A′. –2

c) Give the coordinates of A′. –4

–6
2. a) Plot the point B(−4; −2).
b) B
 is translated 5 units horizontally to the right to B′. Plot the point B′.
c) Give the coordinates of B′.

3. a) Plot the point C(2; −4).

b) C is translated 3 units to the left and 6 units up to C′. Plot the point C′.
c) Give the coordinates of C′.

4. Point D(3; 5) is translated 7 units to the left to D′.

a) Give the coordinates of D′.
b) Plot points D and D′.

5. Point E(4; −5) is translated 8 units up to point E′.

a) Give the coordinates of E′.
b) Plot points E and E′.

6. Point F(−3; 4) is translated 5 units to the right and 7 units down to point F′.
a) Give the coordinates of F′.
b) Plot points F and F′.

7. Point G(−3; 7) is translated 7 units to the right and 5 units up to point G′.
Give the coordinates of G′.

8. Point H(−2; −7) is translated 5 units left and 2 units up to point H′. Give the
coordinates of H′.

9. Point J(−5; −6) is translated 3 units to the right and 7 units down to point J′.
Give the coordinates of J′.

10. Describe in words the mapping of point K(8; 6) to point K′(3; 2).

11. Describe in words the mapping of point L(5; −7) to point L′(1; −10).

12. Describe in words the mapping of point M(−3; −4) to M′(−5; 7).

Term 4 Week 5 Chapter 25 Transformation geometry 321

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 321 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Translating triangles on a coordinate plane

Example 1

The vertices of △ABC are A(−6; 5), B(−4; 3) and C(−5; −2).
a) On a grid, draw △ABC, labelling all points and giving their coordinates.
b) △ABC is translated 8 units to the right and 3 units down to △A′B′C′.
Write down the coordinates of the vertices of △A′B′C′.
c) Draw △ABC. ___
d) If the length of BC is √
​ 26 ​, what is the length of B′C′?

Solution
a) On the grid
b) A
 horizontal shift results in a change in the x value while a vertical shift affects
the y value. Each point on △ABC will move 8 units to the right and 3 units down.
Thus we add 8 to each x-coordinate of the vertices of △ABC and we subtract 3 from
each y-coordinate of the vertices of △ABC.
Thus A(−7; 5) ➞ A′(−7 + 8; 5 − 3). A′ is the point (2; 2).
B(−4; 3) ➞ B′(− 4 + 8; 3 − 3). B′ is the point (4; 0).
C(−5; −2) ➞ C′(−5 + 8; −2 − 3). C′ is the point (3; −5).
We say that △ABC ➞ △A′B′C′ by the rule (x; y) ➞ (x + 8; y − 3).
T
 his notation tells you that you add 8 to all your x-coordinates and subtract 3
from all your y-coordinates.
 lot the coordinates A′, B′ and C′ and join them to get △A′B′C′.
c) P
Once you have plotted the image, count the blocks between them to check that
your calculations are correct.
___
d) B′C′ is also ​√26 ​, since translations do not change the shape or size of a diagram.
6
y
A(–6; 5)
5

4
B(–4; 3) 3
A′(2; 2)
2

1
B′(4; –0)
x
–7 –6 –5 –4 –3 –2 –1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
–1

–2
C(–6; –2)
–3

–4

–5
C′(3; –5)
–6

322 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 322 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 25.2
6
y
1. △PQR is given in the diagram alongside. 5

4
a) W
 rite down the coordinates of the vertices of 3

△PQR. 2

1
b) △
 PQR is translated 2 units to the right and –7 –6 –5 –4 –3 –2 –1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
x
7
6 units up to give the image △P′Q′R′. –1
P
Write down the coordinates of the vertices –2

–3
of △P′Q′R′. –4 Q
c) Draw △PQR and △P′Q′R′ on a grid. –5
R
–6

6
y
5

 he vertices of △ABC are A(−6; − 4), B(−2;

2. a) T 3

−3) and C(− 3; 2). Draw △ABC on a grid. 2

1
x
b) △
 ABC is translated 5 units to the right and –7 –6 –5 –4 –3 –2 –1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

2 units up to give △A′B′C′. Write down the –1

–2
coordinates of the vertices of △A′B′C′. –3

–4
c) Draw △A′B′C′ on the same grid as △ABC. –5

–6

6
y
5

3. In the diagram alongside, △XYZ has been X′ 4

transformed to △X′Y′Z′. Z′ 3

 escribe the transformation if △X′Y′Z′ had

a) D 1
x
Y′
been transformed to △XYZ. –7 –6 –5 –4 –3 –2 –1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
___ –1

b) T
 he length of ZY is √
​ 34 ​. What is the length –2
X

of Z′Y′? –3 Z
–4

–5

–6 Y
4. Consider the diagram given alongside. Describe
6
the translation of the following pairs of triangles 5
y

in words: 4
C
a) △A to △D b) △B to △A D
3

c) △C to △A d) △D to △B 1
x

e) △C to △B f) △A to △C –7 –6 –5 –4 –3 –2 –1 0
–1
1 2 3 4 5 6 7

A –2

–3 B
5. △PQR is translated 4 units to the right and –4

–5
2 units up to give △P′Q′R′. –6

If the area of △PQR is 12 square units,

what is the area of △P′Q′R′?

Term 4 Week 5 Chapter 25 Transformation geometry 323

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 323 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Reflections
Points and shapes can be reflected in any straight line.
Reflection is the movement of a point or shape so that it becomes a mirror image of
itself in the line of reflection. The lines of reflections that will be dealt with in
Grade 8 are the x- and y-axes.

Exercise 25.3

1. Points A, B and C are reflected in the x-axis to give the points A′, B′ and C′
respectively:
6
y Write down the
•C 5
coordinates of:
4 •A
a) A and A′
• B′ 3
b) B and B′
2
c) C and C′.
1
x
–7 –6 –5 –4 –3 –2 –1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
–1

–2

•B –3

–4 • A′
• C′ –5

–6
2. What do you notice when comparing the coordinates of points A, B and C with
the coordinates of their reflections in the x-axis?

3. Points P, Q and R are reflected in the y-axis to give the points P′, Q′ and R′.
6
y Write down the
• P′ 5 •P coordinates of:
4
a) P and P′
3
b) Q and Q′
2
c) R and R′.
1
x
–7 –6 –5 –4 –3 –2 –1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
–1

•Q –2 • Q′
–3

•R –4 • R′
–5

–6

4. What do you notice when comparing the coordinates of points P, Q and R with
the coordinates of their reflections in the y-axis?

324 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 324 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Reflections in the x-axis
You will have noticed that when comparing the coordinates of points A, B and C in
number 1 of the previous exercise with those of their reflections in the x-axis,
zz the x values were the same
zz the y values had opposite signs
zz a point and its image are equidistant from the x-axis, but lie on opposite sides of it.

With a reflection in the x-axis, the x value stays the same, but the y value’s sign
changes. The mirror image of a point (x; y) in the x-axis is the point (x; –y).

Reflections in the y-axis

You will have noticed that when comparing the coordinates of points P, Q and R in
number 3 of the previous exercise with those of their reflections in the y-axis,
zz the y values were the same
zz the x values had opposite signs
zz a point and its image are equidistant from the y-axis, but lie on opposite sides of it.

With a reflection in the y-axis, the y value stays the same, but the x value’s sign
changes. The mirror image of the point (x; y) in the y-axis is the point (–x; y).

Example 1
6
A(−2; 5), B(3; 1) and C(5; 3) are the vertices A(–2; 5) y
5
of △ABC. 4
C(5; 3)
3
a) If △A′B′C′ is the reflection of △ABC in the x-axis, 2
write down the coordinates of A′, B′ and C′. 1
B(3; 1) x

b) Draw △A′B′C′ on the same grid. –7 –6 –5 –4 –3 –2 –1 0

–1
1 2 3 4 5 6 7

–2

–3

–4

–5

 –6
6
A(–2; 5) 5
y

Solution 4
C(5; 3)
a)  he mirror image of a point (x; y) in the x-axis
T 3

2
is the point (x; −y), which means that the 1
B(3; 1) x
x value remain the same and the y value’s –7 –6 –5 –4 –3 –2 0
–1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
sign changes. Thus the coordinates of the –1 B′(3; –1)
vertices of △A′B′C′ are A′(−2; −5), B′(3; −1)
–2

–3
and C′(5; −3). –4 C′(5; –3)
b) On the grid A′(–2; –5)
–5

–6

Note that if a shape is reflected in the x-axis, the figure and its mirror image are the
same distance away from the x-axis.

Term 4 Week 5 Chapter 25 Transformation geometry 325

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 325 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Example 2
6
y
Consider the diagram alongside: P 5

4
a) W
 rite down the coordinates of P, Q and R, 3
the vertices of △PQR. Q 2

1
b) △
 PQR is reflected in the y-axis to give x
–7 –6 –5 –4 –3 –2 –1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
△P′Q′R′. Write down the coordinates of –1

the vertices of △P′Q′R′. –2

–3

 raw △P′Q′R′, remembering to label

c) D –4

the vertices correctly. R

–5

–6
6
Solution P 5
y
P′
4

a) P(−6; 5), Q(−2; 2), R(−3; −5) 3

Q 2 Q′
b) T
 he mirror image of a point (x; y) in the y-axis is 1
x
the point (−x; y), which means that the y value –7 –6 –5 –4 –3 –2 –1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
–1
stay the same, but the x value’s sign changes. –2

P′(6; 5), Q′(2; 2), R′(3; −5) –3

–4

c) On the grid R
–5

–6
R′

Note that if a shape is reflected in the y-axis, the figure and its mirror image are the
same distance away from the y-axis.

Exercise 25.4

Square paper should be used for this exercise.

6
y
1. Study the diagram alongside. Give, A 5 B
in words, the transformation when: 4

a) △A is mapped onto △D 3

2
b) △C is mapped onto △D
1
c) △B is mapped onto △C x
–7 –6 –5 –4 –3 –2 –1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
d) △B is mapped onto △A. –1

–2

–3

–4
D C
–5

–6

326 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 326 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 2. Consider △ABC in the diagram 6
y A
5
alongside.
4
a) W
 rite down the coordinates of
3
A, B and C.
2 B C
b) I f △ABC is reflected in the
1
x-axis to give △A′B′C′, write x
down the coordinates of A′, B′ –7 –6 –5 –4 –3 –2 –1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
–1
and C′.
–2
c) O
 n the same set of axes
–3
draw △ABC and △A′B′C′,
remembering to label the –4

vertices correctly. –5

–6

3. In the diagram below, boat B has been reflected in the x-axis to give boat B′, and
in the y-axis to give boat B′′. P is the point (4; 3) and Q′ is the point (13; −3).

P(4; 3)
Q′′ P′′ Q
B′′ B

x
0

B′
P′ Q′(13; –3)

a) Write down the coordinates of P′ and P′′.

b) Give the coordinates of Q and Q′′.
c) If boat B were to move 5 units to the left and 2 units up, give the
coordinates of the new position of P.
4. Describe, in words, the transformation if point G(−3; 4) is transformed to:
a) point G′(3; 4)
b) point G′′(−3; −4)
c) point G′′′(5; 7).

Term 4 Week 5 Chapter 25 Transformation geometry 327

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 327 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 5. The diagram alongside shows a rondavel P 6
y

with P being the highest point on the 5

4
thatched roof.
3
a) From the diagram, determine the
2
coordinates of P. 1
x
b) G
 ive the coordinates of the new
–7 –6 –5 –4 –3 –2 –1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
position of P if the rondavel is –1

reflected about the y-axis. Call this –2

point P′. Plot P′. –3

c) G
 ive the coordinates of the new –4

–5
position of P if the rondavel is
–6
reflected about the x-axis. Plot this
point and call it P′′.
d) G
 ive the coordinates of the new position of P if the rondavel is translated
7 units to the right and 7 units down. Plot this point and call it P′′′.
y
6. What word would we have if the word ‘WOW’ were
reflected about:
a) the y-axis b) the x-axis? WOW
x
7. Consider the Ndebele pattern given below.
a) Is this pattern symmetrical about:
(i) the x-axis only y

(ii) the y-axis only P′ P′′

(iii) neither the x- nor the
y-axis
 oth the x- and the
(iv) b x

y-axis?
b) I f P is the point (−12; 4),
give the coordinates of:
P(–12; –4) P′′′
(i) P′
(ii) P′′
(iii) P′′′.
8. Write down the coordinates of the image of P(x; y) after:
a) a reflection about the y-axis
b) a translation 4 units to the right and 2 units down
c) a reflection about the x-axis
d) a translation 4 units down
e) a translation 2 units down and 4 units to the right
f) a translation 6 units to the left and 8 units up
g) a translation 6 units to the right and 8 units down.

328 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 328 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Rotations
6
Rotations move a shape to a new position y
5
by turning it about a fixed point, which is
called the centre of rotation. We will use 4 A
A′
3
the origin, the point (0; 0), as our centre
of rotation. 2

1
x
If you look at the diagram alongside, we –7 –6 –5 –4 –3 –2 –1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
can liken the triangles A, A′, A′′ and A′′′ –1

to the blades of a windmill which rotate –2

about the origin, O. We say that: –3 A′′′
(i) △
 A is rotated to △A′ through an A′′
–4

angle of 90º in an anti-clockwise –5

direction about the origin. –6

 A is rotated to △A′′ through an angle of 180º in an anti-clockwise or clockwise

(ii) △
direction about the origin.
 A is rotated to △A′′′ through an angle of 90º in a clockwise direction about the
(iii) △
origin.
Notice that all the triangles have the same shape and size. Triangles A, A′, A′′ and A′′′
are said to be congruent.

In the previous diagram, one of the vertices (corners) of the triangles was at O, the
centre of rotation. This is not necessarily the case. Consider the diagram below:
8 y

A′ 6

5
A
4

1
x
0
–7 –6 –5 –4 –3 –2 –1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
–1

Here △A has been rotated through an angle of 90º in an anti-clockwise direction about
the origin to give △A′.
We could also have said that △A′ has been rotated through an angle of 90º in a
clockwise direction about the origin to give △A.

Term 4 Week 5 Chapter 25 Transformation geometry 329

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 329 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 zz Again, notice that neither the size nor the shape of the triangle changed during the
rotation. Triangles A and A′ are congruent.

Example 1
6 y
The diagram alongside shows that △ABC
B′ A
has been rotated through an angle of 5

90º in an anti-clockwise direction about 4 B

the origin to give △A′B′C′. 3

The lines that anchor the triangles to the 2 C

C′ 90º
origin have been drawn as dotted A′ 1
x
lines so that the angle of rotation can –6 –5 –4 –3 –2 0
–1 1 2 3 4 5 6
be seen more clearly.

a) Write down the coordinates of:
(i) A and A′
(ii) B and B′
(iii) C and C′.
b) W
 hat do you notice about the coordinates of a point and its image after a
rotation of 90º in an anti-clockwise direction?

Solution

a) (i) A(1; 5) and A′(−5; 1)

(ii) B(5; 4) and B′(−4; 5)
(iii) C(1; 2) and C′(−2; 1)
b) T
 he coordinates are interchanged and then the sign of the first coordinate is
changed. Each point (x; y) has an image (−y; x).

Notice that if a shape is rotated

through an angle of 90º in either
direction, any horizontal line in the
shape becomes a vertical line after the
transformation and any vertical line in
the shape becomes a horizontal line
after the transformation.

330 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 330 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Example 2

6 P
y
In the given diagram, △PQR has been 5
rotated through an angle of 180º 4 Q
about the origin to give the image 3

△P′Q′R′. 2
R
Note that the rotation could 180º 1
x
have been clockwise or anti-clockwise – –8 –7 –6 –5 –4 –3 –2 –1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
the resulting image would be the same. –1

–2
R′ R′′
The lines that anchor the triangles to –3

Q′ P′′
the origin have been drawn as dotted –4

–5
lines so that the angle of rotation can
–6
be seen more clearly. P′
O′′

a) Write down the coordinates of:

(i) P, P′ and P′′
(ii) Q, Q′ and Q′′
(iii) R, R′ and R′′.
b) W
 hat do you notice about the coordinates of a point and its image after a
rotation through an angle of 180º?

Solution

a) (i) P(4; 6), P′(− 4; −6) and P′′(6; −4)

(ii) Q(7; 4), Q′(−4; −7) and Q′′(−7; 4)
(iii) R(3; 2), R′(−3; −2) and R′′(2; −3)
b) A
 fter a rotation of 180º the signs of the coordinates change.
Each point (x; y) has an image (−y; −x).
Note: Two consecutive rotations of 90º in the same direction will also give a rotation
of 180º.

Term 4 Week 5 Chapter 25 Transformation geometry 331

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 331 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 25.5

8 y
1. △ABC has been rotated through 180º A
7
about the origin to give the image 6
△A′B′C′. 5

a) Write down the coordinates of A 4 B

and A′. 3

2 C
b) W
 rite down the coordinates of B 180º
1
and B′. x
–8 –7 –6 –5 –4 –3 –2 –1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
c) W
 rite down the coordinates of C –1
C′
and C′. –2

d) W
 hat do you notice when –3

B′ –4
comparing the coordinates of the
–5
vertices of △ABC with those of the
–6
vertices of image △A′B′C′? –7
e) I f the point (4; 5) lies on △ABC, A′ –8

what are the coordinates of the

corresponding point on △A′B′C′?
f) If the point (6; 4) lies on △ABC, what are the coordinates of the
corresponding point on △A′B′C′?
 re the shape and size of △ABC the same as that of △A′B′C′?
g) A

2. The house in the diagram, H, is rotated through 90º in an anti-clockwise

direction about the origin to give the image H′.
a) Write down the coordinates of the point A and its image A′.
b) Write down the coordinates of the point B and its image B′.
8 y
c) W
 hat do you notice about the
A
coordinates of any point on H 7

and those of its image on H′? 6

d) I f the coordinates of one of the 5

points on the house H is (5; 1), H′

4
H
what are the coordinates of the A′ 3

corresponding point on H′? 2

B′ 90º
e) C
 ompare the shape and size of H 1
B x
with those of its image, H′. –7 –6 –5 –4 –3 –2 –1 1 2 3 4 5 6

332 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 332 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 9 y
3. △PQR has been rotated through 90º in a R
8 Q
clockwise direction to give the image △P′Q′R′.
7
a) Write down the coordinates of P and P′. 6
b) W
 rite down the coordinates of Q and Q′. 5

c) W
 rite down the coordinates of R and R′. 4

3
d) W
 hat do you notice when comparing the
2
coordinates of the vertices of △PQR with 90º
P
1
those of the vertices of image △P′Q′R′? x

e) I f the point (5; 7) lies on △PQR, what are –1 1

–1
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

the coordinates of the corresponding point –2 R′

on △P′Q′R′? –3
f) I f the point (6; 4) lies on △PQR, what are –4

the coordinates of the corresponding point –5

on △P′Q′R′? –6 P′
g) I s △PQR larger than, smaller than, or the –7 Q′
same size as △P′Q′R′? –8

–9

4. Describe the transformations that follow using

y
the words ′reflection′ or ′rotation′.
If you use the word ‘reflection’, state
the line of reflection.
a) A to B B A

b) A to C x

c) B to C
d) B to D C D

e) D to C
f) D to A

Enlargements
An enlargement (or a reduction) is a transformation that produces an image that is
the same shape as the original, but a different size. Shapes such as triangles can be
enlarged through any point by what is called a scale factor. This means that each point
on the original shape is moved further from or closer to the chosen point by the same
scale factor to produce the vertices of the new shape, which is called the image.
For example, a triangle can be enlarged through the origin by a scale factor of 2 or 3 by
moving the vertices twice or three times their distance from the origin respectively.

Term 4 Week 5 Chapter 25 Transformation geometry 333

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 333 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Note

​ 12 ​ or __
When the scale factor is a fraction, such as __ ​  14 ​, the vertices of the transformed
shape are a half or a quarter of their original distance from the origin respectively.
This results in a reduction in the size of the original shape.
zz If the scale factor is greater than 1, then the triangle becomes larger.
zz If the scale factor is a number between 0 and 1, then the triangle becomes smaller.
zz By convention we usually call the scale factor k.

Exercise 25.6

1. Study the given diagram. Consider point O as the source of a torch light, △ABC
an object held between the torch and a wall, and △A′B′C′ the shadow of the
object cast on the wall. ​ˆ
A​ = ˆ
​ ′ = 90°, OA′ = kOA, OB′ = kOB and OC′ = kOC.
A​
△A′B′C′ is said to be an enlargement of △ABC through the origin by a scale
(or constant) factor of k.
15 y

14

13

12 B′
11

10

4 B
3 A′ C′
2

1 A C
x
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
–1

a) D
 etermine, and compare, the coordinates of each of the following pairs of
points:
(i) A and A′ (ii) B and B′ (iii) C and C′
b) B
 y inspection, determine the lengths of A′B′ and AB and give the value
A′B′
of ​ ____
AB
​.
​ A′C′ ​.
c) By inspection, determine the lengths of A′C′ and AC and give the value of ____
AC
d) Use the Theorem of Pythagoras to calculate the lengths of B′C′ and BC.
​ B′C′ .​
e) Determine the value of ____
BC

334 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 334 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 f) We say that △ABC has been enlarged through the origin by a scale factor
of k to give △A′B′C′. What do you think is the value of k?
g) C
 alculate the perimeter of:
(i) △A′B′C′ (ii) △ABC.
perimeter △A′B′C′
________________
h) What is the value of ​   
   ? ​
perimeter △ABC
i) Is this ratio equal to the scale factor, k?
j) Calculate the area of:
(i) △ABC (ii) △A′B′C′.
area △A′B′C′ ​
____________
k) What is the value of ​   
   ?
area △AB′C
l) W
 hat do you think the relationship is between the ratio of the areas of the
two triangles and the scale factor, k?

Note that in the example in the previous exercise:

zz The coordinates of the vertices of △A′B′C′ are all 3 times those of the vertices
of △ABC.
zz The lengths of the sides of △A′B′C′ are all 3 times those of △ABC.
zz We deduce that the scale (or constant) factor, k, is 3.
perimeter △A′B′C′
zz The ratio ________________
​    ​is equal to 3, which is the value of the scale factor, k.
  
perimeter △ABC

zz ​ area △A′B′C′ ​is equal to 9, which is 32, and this in turn is k2.
The ratio ____________
  
area △ABC

zz The centre of enlargement is the origin, (0; 0).

​  A′B′ ​  B′C′ ​= 3
____ A′C′
zz
AB
​ = ____
​ 
AC
​ = ____
BC

zz We say that the corresponding sides of the two triangles are in proportion.

Term 4 Week 6 Chapter 25 Transformation geometry 335

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 335 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Example 1
P(12; 8), Q(16; 20) and R(24; 8) are the vertices of
△PQR. △PQR is to be reduced through the origin
22
by a scale factor of 4 to give the image △P′Q′R′. 20
y Q
18
a) C
 alculate the coordinates of the vertices 16
of △P′Q′R′. 14

b) Draw △P′Q′R′ on the given set of axes.

12 h
10

c) I f one block represents one unit, write down 8

P R
6
the lengths of PR and h, the height of △PQR. 4

d) Calculate the area of △PQR. 2

x
–2 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24
e) In the same way, calculate the area of △P′Q′R′. –2

f) Calculate the value of each of the following ratios:

​  P′R′
(i) ____PR
​
area of △P′Q′R′
_____________
(ii)      ​
​  area of △PQR
Solution
• Reducing a shape by a scale factor of 4 is the same as enlarging it by a scale
​ 14 ​.
factor of __
​ 14 ​of the coordinates of the
• The coordinates of the vertices of △ P′Q′R′ are each __
corresponding vertices of △PQR.
22
• We divide the coordinates of the vertices of 20
y Q
△PQR by 4 to calculate the coordinates 18

of the vertices of the image. 16

• P(12; 8), and therefore P′(3; 2). 14

Q(16; 20), and therefore Q′(4; 5).

12 h
10
R(24; 8), and therefore R′(6; 2). 8
P R
b) O
 ne should take care to label the vertices of 6
Q′
4
the image correctly. 2
h′
P′ R′
c) PR = 12 units and h = 12 units.
x
–2 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24
–2

​  12 ​ base × height
 __
d) Area △PQR =
​  12 ​ PR × h
= __
​  12 ​ × 12 × 12
= __
= 72 square units
e) P′R′ = 3 units and h′ = 3 units.
Area △P′Q′R′ = __​  12 ​ base × height = __
​  12 ​ P′R′ × h′ = __
​  12 ​ × 3 × 3 = _​  92 ​square units
3
f) ​ P′R′
(i) ____
PR
​ = ___
​  12 ​  14 ​
​ = __
area of △P′Q′R′
_____________
(ii)      ​ = __
​  area of △PQR
​  92 ​ ÷ 72 = ___ 1
​  16 ​
It is best to use a calculator for the calculation in ii) and to use the fraction key, ​ __​.

336 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 336 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Example 2
Consider the given diagram. 22
y
20 C′
a) Write down the coordinates of A, B and C, 18
the vertices of △ABC. 16

b) △ABC is enlarged by a scale factor of k

14

12
through the origin to give △A′B′C′, as shown. 10

8 A′ B′
Write down the coordinates of A′, B′ and C′, 6 C
the vertices of △A′B′C′. 4

2 A B
c) Give the value of the scale factor, k. x
–2 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24

d) Determine the ratio A′B′ : AB. –2

perimeter of △A′B′C′
e) Give the value of ________________
​  perimeter
     ​.
of △ABC
area of △A′B′C′
f) Give the value of ​ _____________
     ​.
area of △ABC
Solution
a) A(2; 3), B(5; 3) and C(5; 7)
b) A′(6; 9), B′(15; 9) and C′(15; 21)
c) S ince the coordinates of A′, B′ and C′ are all 3 times those of A, B and C
respectively, the scale factor, k, is 3.
​  A′B′
d) ____
AB
​=k=3
perimeter of △A′B′C′
e) ________________
​  perimeter
     ​ = k = 3
of △ABC
of △A′B′C′
f) ​  area
_____________
     ​ = k2 = 32 = 9
area of △ABC

Note
1. If two figures have the same shape and size, they are said to be congruent. The
corresponding sides of congruent triangles are equal.
2. If two figures have the same shape but are different in size, they are said to be
similar. The angles of the one figure will be equal to those of the other and the
corresponding sides of similar figures will be in proportion.
3. In the previous example, △ABC can be said to be a reduction of △ A′B′C′
through the origin by a scale factor of 3. Alternatively, we can say that △A′B′C′
has been enlarged by a scale factor of ​ __13 ​to give △ABC.
4. If a shape is enlarged by a scale factor of k to give the image, then the original
shape and its image are similar.
(i) The ratio of any two corresponding sides of similar figures is equal to k.
(ii) The ratio of the perimeters of similar figures is equal to k.
(iii) The ratio of the areas of similar figures is equal to k2.

Term 4 Week 6 Chapter 25 Transformation geometry 337

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 337 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 25.7
22
1. △XYZ is given on the grid alongside. 20
y

a) Write down the coordinates of X, Y and Z. 18

b) △XYZ is to be enlarged through the origin by a 16

scale factor of 2 to give △X′Y′Z′. Write down the 14

12
coordinates of X′, Y′ and Z′.
10
c) O n the given grid, draw △X′Y′Z′, labelling the 8
vertices correctly. 6 Z
d) If one block represents one unit on the given grid, 4

give the lengths of: 2 X Y

x
(i) X′Y′ (ii) XY. –2 2 4 6 8 10 12 14
–2

​ X′Y′
e) What is the ratio ____
XY
​?

​ Y′Z′
f) What is the ratio ____
YZ
​?
of △X′Y′Z′
g) What is the ratio ​ area
____________
      ?
area of △XYZ
​
22
2. △ABC is enlarged through the origin by a scale y
20 C′
factor of k to give △A′B′C′.
18
a) Write down the coordinates of: 16

(i) A and A′ (ii) B and B′ 14

iii) C and C′. 12

b) What is the value of k, the scale factor of 10

A′
the enlargement? 8
C B′
6
c) By investigation, determine the lengths of
4
sides A′B′ and AB. A B
2
​ A′B′
d) What is the ratio ____
AB
​? x
–2 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
perimeter of △A′B′C′
________________
e) What is the ratio ​   
   ?
perimeter of △ABC
​ –2

of △A′B′C′
f) What is the ratio ​ area
_____________
      ?
area of △ABC
​
3. L(5; 1), M(10; 3) and N(7; 6) are the vertices of △LMN. △LMN is to be enlarged
through the origin by a scale factor of 5 to give △L′M′N′.
a) Calculate the coordinates of L′, M′ and N′.
perimeter of △L′M′N′
_________________
b) What is the ratio ​   
   ?
perimeter of △LMN
​
of △L′M′N′
c) What is the ratio ​ area
_____________
      ?
area of △LMN
​

4. P(6; 9), Q(15; 12) and R(12; 21) are the vertices of △PQR. △PQR is to be enlarged
through the origin by a scale factor of ​ _13 ​to give △P′Q′R′.
a) Calculate the coordinates of P′, Q′ and R′.
perimeter of △P′Q′R′
b) What is the value of ___
​ P′R′
PR
​? c) ________________
What is the value of ​   
   ​?
perimeter of △PQR
△P′Q′R′
d) What is the value of area ​ _________
area △PQR
?​

338 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 338 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Check your skills
Exercise 25.8

D
1. Describe the translation if the black cat is
moved to the white cat on block: A

a) A
b) B
c) C
B
d) D.
C

8 y
2. A Zulu shield is shown
on the grid. Assume 7

that the back and 6

front of the shield are 5

identical. Z is a point B 4 A
F
on shield A. 3

a) G
 ive the 2
Z′ Z
coordinates of: 1
x
(i) p
 oint Z, which –9 –8 –7 –6 –5 –4 –3 –2 –1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
is on shield A –1

–2 Z′′
(ii) p
 oint Z′, which
–3
is on shield B
–4
(iii) point Z′′, C
–5
which is on
–6
shield C.
–7
b) D
 escribe the
–8
transformation
when shield A is transformed to:
(i) shield B
(ii) shield C.
c) S hield B is reflected about the x-axis so that the image of the point Z′ is Z′′′
(not shown here).
(i) Plot the point Z′′′.
(ii) Give the coordinates of Z′′′.

 Chapter 25 Transformation geometry 339

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 339 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 y
3. a) C
 onsider the Ndebele design alongside.
Is this design symmetrical about the: P′ P(3; 5)
(i) x-axis
(ii) y-axis?
b) If P(3; 5) is a point on the design x

in the first quadrant, give the

coordinates of:
(i) P′, which is in the 2nd quadrant
(ii) P′′, which is in the 3rd quadrant P′′ P′′

(iii) P′′′, which is in the 4th quadrant.

11 y

10

7 D
4. D
 escribe the transformation 6
when: 5

A
a) △
 A is transformed 4

3
to △D 2

b) △
 A is transformed 1
x
0
to △B –11 –10 –9 –8 –7 –6 –5 –4 –3 –2 –1 1
–1
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

c) △
 B is transformed –2

to △C B
–3
C
–4

d) △
 A is transformed –5

to △C. –6

–7

–8

–9

5. Triangle ABC is given on the grid below.

a) Give the coordinates of A, B and C. 15
y
14
b) △
 A′B′C′ is an enlargement of △ABC 13

through the origin by a scale factor of 12

11
2. Write down the coordinates of A′, B′ 10

and C′. 9

 n a similar grid, draw △A′B′C′.

c) O
8
7
A
​ A′B′
6
d) What is the ratio ____
AB
​? 5

perimeter of △A′B′C′
________________
4
C
e) Calculate the ratio    ​.
​    3 B
perimeter of △ABC
2
f) Do △ABC and △A′B′C′ have the same 1
x
0
–1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
(i) shape (ii) size? –1

340 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 340 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 6. Triangle ABC is given 8 y
A
alongside. 7

6
a) G
 ive the
5
coordinates of:
4
B C
(i) A 3
(ii) B 2

(iii) C. 1
x
b) △
 ABC has been –9 –8 –7 –6 –5 –4 –3 –2 –1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

transformed to △A′B′C′, –1

which is shown in the –2

–3
third quadrant but has
–4
not been labelled. Was
–5
this transformation a
–6
reflection, rotation or
–7
translation?
–8
c) L
 abel the vertices of
△A′B′C′ correctly.
d) Give the coordinates of:
(i) A′ (ii) B′ (iii) C′.
e) Are △ABC and △A′B′C′ congruent?

7. △XYZ has been enlarged through the y

Y′
origin by a scale factor of 4 to give △X′Y′Z′.
a) Give the coordinates of:
(i) X′ (ii) Y′ (iii) Z′.
b) Give the value of the following ratios:
X′ Z′
Y′Z′
(i) ​ ____
YZ
​
perimeter of △X′Y′Z′
________________ Y(1; 5)
(ii) ​    
   ​
perimeter of △XYZ
of △X′Y′Z′
(iii) ​  area
____________
   ​
  
area of △XYZ
X(1; 3) Z(5; 3)
x

(iv) Are △XYZ and △X′Y′Z′ congruent?

8. The vertices of △ABC are A(−10; 15), B(5; 35) and C(15; 5).
△ABC has been enlarged by a scale factor of k to give △A′B′C′, whose vertices
are A′(−2; 3), B′(1; 7) and C′(3; 1).
a) Give the value of k, the factor of enlargement.
b) Give the value of each of the following ratios:
B′C′
(i) ​ ___
BC
​
perimeter of △A′B′C′
________________
(ii) ​    
   ​
perimeter of △ABC
of △A′B′C′
(iii) ​  area
_____________
   ​
  
area of △ABC

Term 4 Week 5 Chapter 25 Transformation geometry 341

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 341 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

26 Geometry of
3D objects
In this chapter you will learn about:
zz Terminology regarding the geometry of 3D objects
zz Regular polygons (2D) and polyhedra (3D)
zz The five Platonic solids
zz The relationship between the faces, edges and vertices of polyhedra
zz Using nets to create models of geometric solids, including cubes, prisms and
pyramids.

Terminology regarding the geometry of 3D objects

zz A polygon is a two-dimensional (2D) closed shape created from straight line

segments.
zz A convex polygon is a polygon in which all the interior angles are less than 180o.
zz A regular polygon is a polygon in which all the sides are equal in length (equilateral)
and all angles are equal (equiangular).
Examples:
90º 108º
60º
120º

Equilateral triangle Square Regular pentagon Regular hexagon

A polyhedron (plural polyhedra or polyhedrons) is a three-dimensional (3D) solid which

is bound by polygons called faces (or sides). The line of intersection of two polygons is
called an edge and the point of intersection of three or more edges is called a vertex
(or corner).
edge

face or side

vertex or corner

342 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 342 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 A prism is a polyhedron with a pair of parallel congruent faces (called bases), while all
remaining faces are parallelograms. If the remaining faces are all rectangles the prism is
called a right prism, and all the faces are perpendicular to the bases.
A rectangular prism is a right prism whose bases are rectangles. So, a rectangular prism
has six faces (sides), all of which are rectangles.

A pyramid is a 3D solid which has a base which

is a polygon and sides which are triangles, all
meeting at a common vertex (called the apex).
Real life examples:

Cube
Rectangular prism

A net of a polyhedron is an arrangement of polygons joined together which can be

folded (along edges) to become the faces of the polyhedron.

Example

Rectangular prism Net of rectangular prism

Term 4 Week 7 Chapter 26 Geometry of 3D objects 343

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 343 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 26.1

1. Complete the table below by matching the letters of the diagrams to the names
of the polyhedra in the table.
Solid Letter A B C D
Rectangular prism
Cube
Triangular pyramid
Triangular prism
E F
Square pyramid G
Pentagonal prism
Hexagonal pyramid

2. State, with reasons, which of the solids below is not a polyhedron. Describe
each solid.
a) b)

c) d)

3. Copy each of the nets below and then describe and sketch the polyhedra which
result from them. In this exercise you may assume that sides and angles which
appear to be equal are equal. (Hint: Cut out each net and fold it to form the
polyhedron.)
a) b)

344 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 344 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 c) d)

e)

4. Complete the table below. Make a sketch of each polyhedron and its net.
Number of Number of Number of
Polyhedron faces vertices edges F+V−E
(F) (V) (E)
a) Rectangular prism
b) Triangular prism

c) Hexagonal prism
d) Pyramid on a triangular
base
e) Pyramid on a square base
f) Pyramid on a pentagonal
base

The five Platonic solids

A regular convex polyhedron is one in which all the faces are regular congruent
polygons and all the vertices point ‘outwards’. It can be shown that there are exactly five
such polyhedra, called the Platonic solids, named after the philosopher Plato (although
they were known long before his time):

Tetrahedron Hexahedron (cube) Octahedron Tetrahedron Icosahedron

Term 4 Week 7 Chapter 26 Geometry of 3D objects 345

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 345 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Nets of the five Platonic solids
The following are examples of nets of the five regular polyhedra.

Tetrahedron Hexahedron or cube Octahedron

(4 equilateral triangles) (6 squares) (8 equilateral triangles)

Dodecahedron Icosahedron
(12 regular pentagons) (20 equilateral triangles)

Exercise 26.2

You will need cardboard (or thick paper), a pair of scissors and sticky tape.
1. Draw the equilateral triangle alongside on light cardboard.
Use it as a stencil to construct the net of:
a) a tetrahedron
60º
b) an octahedron
c) an icosahedron. 30 mm
30 mm

2. Draw the square alongside on cardboard and use it as

a stencil to construct the net of a cube.

3. Draw the regular pentagon alongside on cardboard and

use it as a stencil to construct the net of a dodecahedron.

4. Fold each net along the joins to create models of the five
Platonic (regular) solids. 108º
m
m
30

346 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 346 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 26.3

1. Examine all the polyhedra that have been encountered in this chapter. What is
the minimum (least) number of faces (polygons) that meet at any vertex?

2. What is the size of each of the interior angles of the following regular polygons:
a) an equilateral triangle b) a square
c) a regular pentagon d) a regular hexagon

3. You will need cardboard and sticky tape.

a) D
 raw six copies of the equilateral triangle alongside on cardboard and cut
them out.
b) (i) C
 reate a pyramid in which three equilateral triangles are placed
together to form a vertex.
(ii) What shape is the base?
c) (i) C
 reate a pyramid in which four equilateral triangles
are placed together to form a vertex.
(ii) What shape is the base?
d) (i) C
 reate a pyramid in which five equilateral triangles are placed together
to form a vertex.
(ii) What shape is the base?
e) Can you form the vertex of a pyramid using two equilateral triangles?
Explain your answer.
f) Can you form the vertex of a pyramid using six equilateral triangles?
Explain your answer.
4. a) Complete the table below. You may use a calculator.
Regular Size of each 3 times the 4 times the 5 times the 6 times the
polygon angle angle angle angle angle
Triangle
Square
Pentagon
Hexagon

b) L
 ook at the last four columns of the table above.
Determine which products of angles are less than 360o.
This tells us the number of regular polyhedra that can be formed using a
particular polygon.
Refer to your answer to questions 3.e) and f) to explain why this is the case.

Term 4 Week 7 Chapter 26 Geometry of 3D objects 347

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 347 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 5. a) Complete the table below.
Polyhedron Number of faces (F) Number of vertices (V) Number of edges (E)

Tetrahedron

Cube

Octahedron

Dodecahedron

Icosahedron

b) Write down an equation that links the values of F, V and E.

Note
zz In order to form a polyhedron, at least three polygons must meet at a vertex and
the sum of the angles at the vertex must be less than 360º, which is why it is not
possible to create a vertex from six equilateral triangles.
This goes a long way towards explaining why there are only five Platonic solids.
zz The formula F + V − E = 2 was first established by the Swiss mathematician,
Leonard Euler, and is used in the proof that there are only five regular solids.
zz The above formula is true for all polyhedra, not just the Platonic solids.

348 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 348 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Check your skills
Exercise 26.4

1. Describe each of the solids below.

a) b) c) d) e) f)

2. Complete the table on the five regular polyhedra below.

Name of Number of Number of
Shape of faces Number of faces
Platonic solid edges vertices
Icosahedron
6
Regular
pentagon
12
4

3. Sketch each of the following solids.

a) a right triangular prism whose bases are equilateral triangles
b) a platonic solid with four faces
c) a right prism with congruent rectangular bases
d) a platonic solid with square faces
e) a pyramid with a base in the shape of a regular pentagon
f) a regular polyhedron with eight faces
4. Sketch the Platonic solids which result from the nets below (all sides and angles
are equal).
a) b)

5. a) Is every solid a polyhedron? Explain or give an example.

b) Is every polyhedron a solid? Explain or give an example.
c) Is every polyhedron a regular solid? Explain or give an example.
d) Does every solid have only one net? Explain or give an example.
e) True or false? The faces of a regular polyhedron are congruent polygons.
f) T
 rue or false? It is possible that there are more than five regular
polyhedrons.

 Chapter 26 Geometry of 3D Objects 349

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 349 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

27 Probability

In this chapter you will learn about:

zz Using terminology and calculations used in probability
zz Applying the relative frequency of actual outcomes for a series of trials
zz Using the definition of probability in relation to situations with equally likely outcomes
zz Putting numbers to the probability scale
zz Using relative frequency in relation to the probability of equally likely events
zz Predicting the probability of an event for outcomes that are not equally likely.

Exercise 27.1

1. Nolitha spins a coin 40 times and records how many times it falls with the
heads side facing up and how many times it lands with the tails side facing up.
This is called a tally. The table of outcomes is shown below.
Possible outcomes Tally Frequency
H (heads) |||| |||| |||| |
T (tails) |||| |||| |||| |||| ||||
Total
a) Copy and complete the table above.
b) Calculate the relative frequency of the following outcomes:
(i) H (ii) T
2. The spinner in the diagram was spun 400 times and
the frequencies of the outcomes were recorded in the table below.
Outcomes Frequency Relative frequency
Blue 98
Red 104
Green 96
Orange 102

350 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 350 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 a) C
 omplete the table by calculating the relative frequency for each outcome.
b) F rom the relative frequencies, what can you say about the likelihood of the
spinner stopping on red?
c) W
 hat is the relative frequency, after 400 spins, of the event ‘blue or red’
occurring?
3. The spinner in the diagram alongside was spun 200 times.
It stopped on red 108 times, on green 72 times and on blue
20 times. Red
Green

a) W
 hat is the relative frequency, after these 200 spins,
of getting: Blue

(i) red
(ii) blue?
b) Which outcome is most likely?
c) Explain your answer in b) above.
4. From the list below, choose the event that does not have a random outcome:
a) flipping a coin
b) rolling a dice
c) switching on a light
d) drawing a card from a pack

The relative frequency of a random event

In Grade 7 you would have done experiments to determine the relative frequency of
random events. In this section we are going to revise these experiments. First we need
to remember a few terms we use when talking about frequency and probability.
zz When we toss a coin, throw a dice, draw a card from a pack or flick a spinner several
times in order to count the number of times a particular outcome occurs, we call this
a trial.
zz When throwing a dice, the number on the uppermost face when the dice comes to
rest is called the outcome. For example, if you throw a three, then the outcome is 3.
When tossing a coin, the side facing up is considered to be the outcome.
zz When throwing a dice, it could land with 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 facing upwards. These are
all the possible outcomes of throwing a dice. A tossed coin could land with heads or
tails facing up. The possible outcomes of flipping a coin are therefore heads or tails.
zz An event can consist of a number of outcomes taken from the possible outcomes of a
trial. For example, when throwing a dice, the event of getting an even number includes
the outcomes 2, 4 and 6 from all the possible outcomes (1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6).

Term 4 Week 8 Chapter 27 Probability 351

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 351 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 zz The number of times a particular outcome occurs is called the frequency of that
outcome. If, when throwing a dice, the 6 is thrown eight times and the 3 is thrown
four times, then the frequency of outcome 6 is eight and the frequency of outcome 3
is four.
zz Relative frequency is the number of times a particular event occurs in relation to the
number of times the trial is carried out. This is represented as a fraction:

​  number of times the event occurs

Relative frequency = ____________________________
       ​
total number of trials

zz For example, if you throw a dice 20 times and you throw the number 6 eight times,
then the relative frequency of throwing a 6 is 8 out of 20, which we write as
8
__
​  20 ​  25 ​ = 0,4. Answers can be given as either a decimal or a common fraction.
​ = __

Exercise 27.2

1. a) T
 hrow a single dice 50 times. For each throw, record the number on the side
facing up using a tally table.
b) U
 se a copy of the table below to present the data you have collected for the
frequency of each number after 50 throws.
Frequency
1 2 3 4 5 6
50 throws
c) For each of the outcomes, write down the relative frequency of that outcome.
2. a) C
 ombine your answers for question 1 with those of five learners close to you.
Copy their results into a table like the one below.
Frequency
1 2 3 4 5 6
50 throws
100 throws
150 throws
200 throws
250 throws
b) Calculate the relative frequency of each of the possible outcomes after:
(i) 100 trials (ii) 200 trials (iii) 250 trials.
c) T
 he possible outcomes of any one roll of a dice are the numbers 1, 2, 3,
4, 5 and 6. Are these outcomes all equally likely?
Give reasons for your conclusion.
3. When flipping a coin, are the outcomes heads and tails equally likely?
Give a reason for your answer.

352 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 352 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 4. When you drop a drawing pin, it can either land with its
point showing upwards (U) or with its point resting on the
floor, pointing downwards (D). Drop a drawing pin 20 times
and record how many times it lands with its tip facing
upwards and how many times it lands with its tip facing
downwards. Join your tally with that of 5 classmates to get
results from 100 trials altogether.
a) Is there any pattern in the sequence of Us and Ds you get?
b) Can you predict whether you will get a U or a D at any one drop of the
pin? Give a reason for your answer.
c) Are you more likely to get a U or a D with any one drop of the pin?
d) What does the pattern in the relative frequencies indicate?

Note
zz The coins of many countries still carry the head of a person on one side of the coin
and some emblem on the other. In such cases it is clear which side one should call
heads – the other side will be tails.
zz In other cases, the side that has the value of the coin on it is called tails. The
coins we use in South Africa today have the country’s coat of arms on the side we
commonly call heads.
zz It’s not really important to stick to these conventions. For example, when doing an
experiment, you may want to call the side of a R2 coin with the head of a buck on
it heads and the other side tails. This is totally acceptable. Just make sure that all
people concerned agree on the definition of heads and tails before you flip the
coin.

The definition of probability

The experiments you did in Exercise 27.2 will help you to understand the definition of
probability and how it can be used.
We say that outcomes such as getting heads or tails when flipping a coin are random if
there is no pattern in the manner in which they occur.
If after many trials the relative frequencies of all the possible outcomes get close to the
same value, we say that the outcomes are equally likely.
The more trials we do, the more accurate the relative frequencies become.
zz The relative frequency of getting any one of the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 when
rolling a dice gets close to __16 after a large number of trials.
•
This is 0,16 as a decimal fraction.
zz After flipping a coin a large number of times, the relative frequency of getting a head
1
gets closer to that of getting a tail, both of which get closer to _2 .

Term 4 Week 8 Chapter 27 Probability 353

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 353 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 zz In the case of the drawing pins, the outcomes D and U are not equally likely and
​ 12 ​even though there are only
therefore their relative frequencies do not get closer to __
two possible outcomes. After a lot of trials, the relative frequency does eventually
get closer to a value which depends on the weight distribution of the pin, but it won’t
1
be ​ _2 ​.
Another way of thinking about this is to say that outcomes are equally likely if the
chance of any one outcome is the same as that for any of the other possible
outcomes.
A favourable outcome is an outcome that we consider to be a success.
For example, if we are throwing a dice and need a 3 to win, then 3 is the
favourable outcome.
We accept the following definition of probability in the case of equally
likely outcomes:

number of favourable outcomes

Probability = ________________________________________
​      
     ​
total number of possible equally likely outcomes

Example 1
The numbers from 1 to 5 are written on separate slips of paper and put into a
hat. The hat is given a good shake before a number is drawn from it.
Calculate the probability that an even number is drawn.

Solution
2 and 4 are both even numbers, which means that two of the outcomes are favourable.
There are five numbers in the hat in total, giving us five possible outcomes.
number of favourable outcomes
Probability = _____________________________________
    ​
​     
total number of possible equally likely outcomes

​  25 ​
= __
= 0,4

Example 2
A packet of wine gums contains five green, four yellow, two black and three red
sweets. What is the probability of taking a red one from a friend’s packet
without looking?

Solution
In the pack there are 14 sweets, therefore the number of possible outcomes is 14.
There are three red sweets in the pack, therefore there are three favourable
outcomes.
number of favourable outcomes
Probability = _____________________________________
    ​
​     
total number of possible equally likely outcomes
3
= ​ ___
14
​

354 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 354 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 27.3

1. What is the probability of:

a) getting heads (H) at the toss of a coin
b) getting tails (T) at the toss of a coin?
2. You throw a dice once. Calculate the probability of throwing a:
a) 5 b) 6 c) 1.
3. The spinner in the diagram is spun once. Calculate the probability of it stopping at:

A B

C D

a) B b) C.
4. A bag contains 12 green and 8 red marbles. The bag is given a good shake
before Lindi puts her hand into the bag and takes out a marble without
looking. Calculate the probability of Lindi drawing a:
a) green marble b) red marble.
5. The numbers 1 to 11 are written on separate slips of paper of equal size and put
into a hat. The hat is shaken thoroughly and a slip is drawn from it.
a) Calculate the probability of drawing the number:
(i) 1 (ii) 9 (iii) 0.
b) Calculate the probability of drawing:
(i) an even number (ii) an odd number
(iii) a prime number (iv) a number which is not a prime number.
c) Add the probabilities that you get in b) (i) and (ii).
d) Add the probabilities that you get in (iii) and (iv).
e) Explain why the answers to c) and d) are 1.

6. A pack of playing cards consists of four suits: clubs (♣), spades (♠), hearts (♥)
and diamonds (♦).
Clubs and spades are both black suits, while diamonds and hearts are both red.
Each suit consists of 13 cards: 9 numbered cards, from 2 to 10 and 4 picture
cards.
The picture cards are jack, queen, king and ace.

Term 4 Week 8 Chapter 27 Probability 355

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 355 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 The cards jack, queen and king hold the value of 11, 12 and 13 respectively.
Although the ace seldom has a picture on the card, it is still considered a picture
card and it can hold the value of 14, the highest in the pack. It can also hold
the value 1, the lowest in the pack. There are 52 cards in all (13 × 4).
When drawing a card from a thoroughly shuffled pack, calculate the
probability of it being a:
a) red card b) 10 c) picture card
d) black king e) club f) 5 of hearts.

The probability scale

There are many words that indicate how likely an event may be. In this section you will
revise this knowledge. You will also put values to the probability scale.
The scale of chance, or likelihood, starts with ‘no chance at all’ and passes through
various phases before getting to ‘certain’. Some of these phrases in-between could be
‘almost impossible’, ‘unlikely’, ‘an even chance’ or ‘highly likely’.

Never Unlikely Half-half Likely Always

Scale No chance Probably not Even chance Probably Certain
Impossible Fifty-fifty Definite
Getting a 9 Rain will fall in
Winning the Heads when The sun will rise
Events when throwing Cape Town in
Lotto flipping a coin in the east
a dice July

Try to think of some everyday events with different likelihoods.

We now need to set these probabilities to a scale. If we begin with the option of ‘no
chance’, it makes sense to consider this to have ‘no probablity’ or ‘zero chance’ and
therefore a value of zero. An event that is certain or definite has a probablity of 1.
All the likelihoods in between are therefore set between the values of 0 and 1.

0,0 0,1 0,2 0,3 0,4 0,5 0,6 0,7 0,8 0,9 1,0

No Even Certain
chance chance

Note
A probability is usually expressed as a common fraction or a decimal fraction.
It can also be expressed as a percentage.
​ 12 ​or 0,5 or 50%.
The probability of getting heads when flipping a coin is __

356 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 356 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exercise 27.4

1. Assign probability values to each of the following events:

a) a stone falling to the ground when it is dropped
b) drawing a green card from a regular pack
c) the sun setting in the east
d) tomorrow being Wednesday if today is Tuesday
e) water flowing uphill unassisted
2. Determine where on the probability scale the following events would occur:
a) snowfall in South Africa
b) S outh Africa winning the Mandela Cup which is a rugby match between
South Africa and Australia
c) the price of petrol increasing
d) the price of electricity decreasing
e) Bafana Bafana winning the Soccer World Cup
f) a flood in the Karoo

Exercise 27.5

In this exercise, you are not required to do any calculations. Rather think about
each situation carefully and develop an answer. You need only select a), b) or c).
1. Which sequence below is more likely to occur when spinning a fair coin 8 times?
a) four heads in a row, followed by four tails
b) two heads, followed by four tails and then two heads again
c) Both sequences are equally likely.

2. Choose the correct answer. When I throw a dice I am:

a) less likely to throw a 6 than a 5
b) just as likely to throw a 6 as a 5.

3. In an experiment, green counters are placed into bag number 1 and blue
counters are placed into bag number 2. Three green counters are drawn one
after the other from the one bag. The counters are replaced and the bag is
shaken. What counter do you think will be drawn first from the other bag?
a) a green counter
b) a blue counter
c) It is impossible to say.

Term 4 Week 8 Chapter 27 Probability 357

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 357 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 4. A gambler has drawn three red cards one after the other from a well shuffled
pack of 52 cards. The cards are replaced after each draw and the deck is
reshuffled. Which card do you think is more likely to be drawn next:
a) a red card
b) a black card
c) It is equally likely to draw either a red or a black card.

5. A coin is held tails up and then spun into the air. Which side is it more likely to
land on?
a) heads
b) tails
c) It makes no difference which side is facing up before it is spun.

6. Bag A contains six blue and six green counters. Bag B contains three blue and
three green counters. Your chances of winning a prize depend on your drawing
a green counter on your first draw. Choose your response:
a) It would be better to draw from Bag A.
b) It would be better to draw from Bag B.
c) It makes no difference which bag you draw from.

Note
The mathematical study of probability started as a
result of a gambling problem. A professional French
gambler posed his problem regarding a bet he was
losing to Blaise Pascal at Monte Carlo.
During 1654, Pascal and the mathematician
Pierre Fermat exchanged letters concerning
this problem. In solving it, they established the
mathematical foundations of probability.
Isaac Newton also contributed to early developments in this regard. Today,
probability theory forms the basis of the mathematical development of statistics.
Many scientific theories, such as Mendel’s laws (1865) in genetics and modern
descriptions of the behaviour of electrons in atoms, depend on probability theory.

358 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 358 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Using probability to make predictions
The bar graph below shows the shoe size of 100 thirteen year old learners at a school.

40
Number of learners

25
20

10
5

3 4 5 6 7
Shoe size
If a learner was chosen at random from this group of 100, the probability that the
25
learner would wear a size 4 shoe would be ___​ 100 ​ = 0,25 since 25 of the 100 learners wear
a size 4 shoe. The probablity that a learner chosen from this group would wear a size 5
40
shoe is ___
​ 100 ​ = 0,4.
We can also use this probability to predict how many learners have a particular shoe size
within a larger group.

Example
In the region, there are 2 535 thirteen year olds. Within this group, how many of
them would we expect to wear a size 5 shoe, based on the sample shown in the bar
graph above?

Solution
     ​
     number of favourable outcomes
Probability = ​ _________________________________________
total number of possible equally likely outcomes
40
= ​  ___
100
​
= 0,4
Therefore in a group of 2 535, we would expect 0,4 of them to wear a size 5 shoe.
∴ number expected = 0,4 × 2 535 = 1 014

Exercise 27.6
Red
1. A group of children did a survey of all the Grade 8 Blue
learners in the school to find out what their favourite
Green
colour was. They interviewed 368 learners altogether. Orange

The results of the survey are shown in the pie chart.

Yellow
a) W
 hat fraction of the learners chose red as their
favourite colour?
Term 4 Week 8 Chapter 27 Probability 359

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 359 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 b) What is the probability that a learner chosen at random would have chosen
yellow as their favourite colour?
c) 2
 00 learners are chosen at random. Of this group, approximately how
many would you expect to find with a favourite colour of:
(i) yellow (ii) green (iii) blue?
2. In a random sample of 210 people in a small town, 33 have blonde hair.
If the population in that town is 15 120 in total, about how many blonde-
haired people would you expect to find?
3. Of a population of 2 025, 305 people completed a questionnaire. Of these,
121 were over the age of 40 and none were below 15 years old. Based on the
sample, how many people over the age of 40 would you expect to find in the
population?
4. In a sample of 3 125 people, 126 were found to jog and also have a heart disease.
If the sample were taken from a population of 91 356, how many people in total
would you expect to be joggers despite having a heart disease?
5. The horizontal bar graph below gives the favourite sport of 205 Grade 8
learners at a certain high school:

Hockey

Cricket
Favourite sport

Tennis

Netball

Soccer

Athletics
5 15 25 35 45 55 65 75 85
Number of learners

a) What fraction of the learners chose athletics as their favourite sport?

b) W
 hat is the probability that cricket is the favourite sport of a randomly
chosen learner?
c) W
 hat number of learners in a group of 60, chosen at random from all the
learners in the school, would you expect to have soccer as their favourite
sport?
d) O
 f a group of 50 learners chosen at random from the school, how many
would you expect to choose netball as their favourite sport?

6. Data was collected by a group of learners doing a traffic survey at a traffic light
near their school. The school day starts at 08:00 and ends at 15:00.
They conducted the survey on a Tuesday.

360 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 360 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Time Toyota BMW Volkswagen Hyundai Mercedes Other
08:00 – 08:30 50 12 48 24 9 80
14:30 – 15:00 23 4 26 13 5 29

a) Represent your data in a compound bar graph.

b) Calculate the probability that a particular vehicle was
of the following make during the morning period:
(i) Volkswagen (ii) Mercedes.
c) E
 xpress, as a fraction of the total number of vehicles,
the cars during the afternoon period that were:
(i) Toyotas (ii) Hyundais.
d) Out of 200 cars that pass that traffic light on a Tuesday morning between 08:00
and 08:30 during term time, how many would you expect to be:
(i) BMWs (ii) Toyotas?
e) C
 ould you use the data to predict how many vehicles of a particular make
would pass the traffic light between 15:00 and 15:30 during the school
holidays? Explain.
7. The shoe size of 50 Grade 8 learners chosen at random were found to be:
4 3 7 3 5 7 4 6 4 3
6 5 7 6 6 4 4 3 7 3
4 7 5 4 5 6 5 5 5 7
4 6 6 5 7 6 6 4 4 3
4 7 5 4 5 6 5 5 6 2
a) Record the data in a tally table.
b) Use a suitable chart to represent your data.
c) If a learner is chosen at random, what is the probability of that learner
having a shoe size of:
(i) 4 (ii) 6 (iii) 2?
d) Z
 ooty’s Shoe Store is coming to sell school shoes to the Grade 8 learners. If
160 learners want to buy new shoes, about how many of the following sizes
should Mr Zooty bring along?
(i) 4 (ii) 5 (iii) 3
8. A clinic serving a community of 15 361 people has tested
156 pregnant women for HIV and AIDS over the past month.
Of these, 52 tested positive.
a)  hat is the relative frequency of HIV and AIDS among the
W
pregnant women tested?
b) (i) C
 an the relative frequency obtained in a) above be used to get
an estimate of the number of people in the community who
have HIV and AIDS?
(ii) Explain your answer.
Term 4 Week 8 Chapter 27 Probability 361

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 361 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Check your skills
Exercise 27.7

1. A bag contains six counters: three red and three blue.

a) W
 hat is the probability that a blue counter will be chosen if a counter is
selected at random from the bag?
b) Express this probability in two other ways.
2. a) (i) Give an example of a certain event.
(ii) What is the probability of such an event happening?
b) (i) Give an example of an impossible event.
(ii) What is the probability of such an event happening?
3. Using a spinner like the one in the diagram alongside,
calculate the probability of getting: 1
8 2
a) a five b) a four
c) an even number d) an odd number
3
7

e) a number less than three 6 4

5
f) a number greater than or equal to three.

4. A set of equally sized cards are marked 1 to 20. One of the

cards is drawn at random. What is the probability that this card is a multiple of
3 or 5?

5. You have a well shuffled pack of playing cards. You ask a friend to draw a card
from the pack. Find the probability that the card will be:
a) the queen of hearts b) any queen c) a red card.

6. The probability of an event happening is 0,4. What is the probability of it not

happening?

7. A bag contains five red, two blue, four yellow and three green balls. What is the
probability of drawing a:
a) green ball b) ball that is not green
c) ball that is either red or blue?

8. 100 drawing pins of the same type are dropped from a height of 1 metre onto a
flat surface. 63 of the drawing pins land ‘point up’.
a) What is the relative frequency of pins landing ‘point up’?
b) If 1 000 pins of the same type were dropped under the same conditions,
how many would you expect to land ‘point up’?
c) I s it possible to calculate the probability of pins landing ‘point up’ without
doing an experiment? Explain.

362 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 362 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Extend your skills
Exercise 27.8

In a weekly lottery, five numbers Number Frequency Number Frequency

have to be chosen from the 1 8 26 11
numbers 1 to 50. All numbers 2 12 27 7
must be correct in order to win 3 11 28 13
the jackpot. In order to decide 4 8 29 14
what the numbers for a particular 5 9 30 10
week will be, 50 numbered balls 6 12 31 8
are placed into a metal drum, 7 15 32 6
after which the drum is spun. 8 14 33 10
When the drum comes to a 9 7 34 11
rest, five people each draw one 10 11 35 10
ball from the drum through an 11 13 36 9
opening. 12 9 37 10
After two years (104 draws) the 13 12 38 15
following frequencies for each of 14 17 39 6
the numbers were shown in the 15 14 40 11
local newspaper. 16 12 41 8
1. a) Calculate the relative 17 8 42 11
frequency of each number. 18 11 43 10
19 7 44 11
b) Record the values, correct 20 14 45 9
to four decimal places, in a 21 6 46 10
table. 22 11 47 10
2. Calculate the probability with 23 6 48 14
which any number should 24 10 49 9
come up. 25 13 50 7
3. Why don’t the probabilites in
question 2 agree with the relative frequencies in question 1?
4. In a lottery, numbers that come up frequently are considered to be ‘hot’.

a) List what you feel are the ‘hot’ numbers in this lottery.

b) I n order to increase the likelihood of winning this lottery, do you think it is

better to choose:
(i) ‘hot’ numbers (ii) numbers that are not ‘hot’?
(iii) It makes no difference which numbers you choose.

c) Give reasons for your choice in question 4. b).

 Chapter 27 Probability 363

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 363 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

28 Cumulative
revision 4
Exercise 28.1

1. a) Write each of the following as the product of their prime factors:

(i) 12 (ii) 18
b) Calculate the HCF (highest common factor) of 12 and 18.

2. If 600 = 23.52.3 and 180 = 22.5.32, determine the:

a) HCF of 600 and 180 b) LCM of 600 and 180.

3. Consider the set {3; 4; 8; 9; 12; 13; 19; 20; 36}.

From this set, select and list the numbers that are:
a) prime numbers b) perfect squares
c) perfect cubes d) multiples of 4.

4. Ntokoza and Njinu share 21 chocolates in the ratio 3 : 4.

How many chocolates does each get?

5. Evaluate without using a calculator:

___ 3
__ _______
a) ​√81 ​ + 23 − √​ 8 ​ b) ​√25 − 9 ​

6. Simplify the following:

​  xx3 ​
a) __
9
b) 2a2b3 × 5a4b2 c) (a4)3 × a6

7. Write 241 000 000 in scientific notation.

8. Given the polynomial 5x3 − 2x2 + 7x + 8, write down:

a) the number of terms in the expression
b) the coefficient of x2
c) the constant term
d) the degree of the polynomial.
___ __ ___ ___
9. From the list ​√25 ​; _​  35 ​; 0,25; √
3
​ 7 ​; √
​ −9 ​; √​ −8 ​, write down all the numbers that are:
a) non-real b) rational c) irrational.

10. Arrange the following numbers in order from smallest to largest: −4; 6; −13; 0;
−1; 7; −8

11. Determine the value of the following without using a calculator:

a) −1 + 5 − 3 b) (−2)(3) − 4 c) ​  6______
− 18
4
​

364 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 364 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 12. Increase 36 in the ratio 3 : 5.

13. Solve the following equations:

3x
a) 3x − 2 = 10 b) 5x + 2 = x − 18 c) ​ __
2
​−7=x

14. Calculate the value of all angles labelled with a letter.

Give a reason for each statement.
a) b)
95º

35º x x 39º

c) d)
y
110º 36º
x 50º
y z
x
z

15. Look at the patterns below:

Pattern 1 Pattern 2 Pattern 3

a) Write down the number of blocks in the ‘S’ in patterns 1, 2 and 3.

b) H
 ow many blocks would be needed to construct the ‘S’ in patterns 4, 5 and
6?

16. Write down an algebraic expression for the following: Three more than twice
the number x.

17. Talia′s mother is p years older than Talia.

a) I f Talia is 13 years old, write down the age of Talia′s mother in terms of p.
b) W
 rite down Talia’s age in terms of p when her mother was 32 years old.

18. Simplify:
a) 3a2b + 3a2b b) 3a2b × 3a2b

19. Simplify:
a) 4m(2m − 4) − 3(2m2 + m) b) (a2b3)2 + 4a4b6

Term 4 Week 9 Chapter 28 Cumulative revision 4 365

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 365 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 20. What is 16% of R432 000?

21. Mr Twala buys a car which costs R180 000, excluding VAT.
The dealer needs to add 14% VAT. How much will the car
cost?

22. Sindiwe deposits R4 000 into a savings account. The interest

paid on the savings over the next six years is simple interest
at 7% p.a. Calculate how much money she will have in this account at the end of
six years.

23. For each of the flow diagrams below, fill in the missing value:
a) −3 ➞ x + 4 ➞ .... b) 5 ➞ 2x + 1 ➞ ....
c) .... ➞ 3x ➞ 12 d) .... ➞ x + 8 ➞ 10

24. The equilateral triangle alongside has side lengths of x.

a) W
 rite down a formula for the perimeter, P, of the
triangle in terms of x. x x

b) Calculate the perimeter of the triangle if x = 7 cm.

c) W
 hat is the length of a side of the triangle if the x
perimeter is equal to 60 cm?

25. Complete the table below for the rule y = x + 2.

x –3 –2 –1 0 1 2 3
y
(x; y)

10 y
26. Use a similar grid to the one given
alongside. 8

a) Plot the points A(8; 6) and B(−10; 8). 6

b) A is reflected in the x-axis to give A′. 4

(i) Plot A′. 2

x
(ii) Give the coordinates of A′. –10 –8 –6 –4 –2 0 2 4 6 8 10
c) B
 is reflected in the y-axis to –2
give B′. –4
(i) Plot B′. –6

(ii) Give the coordinates of B′. –8

–10

366 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 366 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Exemplar of year-end examination
Total: 140 marks Time: 2 hours

Question 1 [17]

1. a) List the factors of 48 that are perfect squares.  (3)

b) From the factors of 6, list two numbers of which the sum is a perfect cube.(1)
____
c) W
 ithout the use of a calculator, determine the value of ​√784 ​by means
of prime factorisation. (3)
d) W
 ithout the use of a calculator, give the value of the following, showing all
working where applicable:
3
___ ___ 3
__
(i) 4 × √​ 27 ​ + √​ 64 ​ ÷ √​ 8 ​ (4)
3
_____ __
(ii) √​ −27 ​÷ √
​ 9 ​ (2)
(iii) The number whose cube is 125 (1)
1 ​ + 2​ __
(iv) 5​ __ 1 ​ − 1 (3)
3 2
Question 2 [24]

2.1 If x = −2, y = 2 and z = 0, find the value of the following (if it exists):
xy 2
yz
a) x2y b) ​ ___
z ​ c) 3xy − __
​  x ​ (7)

2.2 Simplify:
a) a × 2a + 3a2 − a2 b) a × (b + 2b) + b × (3a + 5a)
144a3b10
c) ​ _______ ​ d) (2a2)3 + (−2a3)2 − 2a4 × a2 (12)
12ab
12

2.3 Write an algebraic expression for each of the following:

a) the sum of 7 and three times a number (x) (2)

b) the number of years in x months (2)

2.4 Write 1 482 000 000 in scientific notation. (1)

Term 4 Week 9 Chapter 28 Cumulative revision 4 367

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 367 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Question 3 [29]

3.1 Solve for x in each of the following equations:

a) 5x + 7 = 22 b) 3 + 6x = −2x + 27
c) 2x(x − 2) − x(2x + 5 ) = 27 (9)

3.2 Excavation for a swimming pool is being done in your backyard.

The pool should measure 10,5 m × 7,25 m × 2 m.
a) W
 hat is the volume of soil that is to be removed?
Give your answer in cubic metres. (1)

b) The soil will be taken away in a van that can carry 4,25 m3.
How many van loads of soil will be taken away? (2)

3.3 A parent donated fudge for your class fundraiser. 20 kg of chocolate fudge
was sold at R21,50 per kg while vanilla fudge was sold at R19,10 per kg.
Altogether, your class made R640,10 from the sale of the fudge.
How many kilograms of vanilla fudge were sold? (4)

3.4 Share 27 mini chocolate bars between Daniel, Tshepo and Lamees in the
ratio 2 : 3 : 4. How many chocolate bars will each get? (3)

3.5 Increase R720 by 23%. (2)

3.6
YOUR DREAM BIKE!

CASH PRICE: R28 000

or easy terms of: 14% deposit plus

R690 a month over 5 years

a) Calculate the value of the deposit indicated in the above advert. (2)
b) W
 hat is the total value that will be paid for the bike over 5 years if the
‘easy terms’ option is taken?  (2)
c) I f the deposit is paid and a hire purchase loan is taken to cover the
remaining cost of the bike, what is the annual interest that is being charged
(correct to one decimal place)? (4)

368 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 368 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Question 4 [27]

4.1 Find the values of x, y and z, giving reasons for your statements.
A

85°

z
E
D x

y
C
32°
B

(3)
4.2
A
P 4 1 Q
3 2

4 3
R S
1 2
B

In the given diagram, PQ and RS are cut by a transversal at A and B.

a) If Â1 = 4x + 40o and Â2 = 2x + 20o, show that x = 20o. (3)

b) Given that ​ˆ
B​4 = 60o, is PQ  RS? Explain your answer. (3)

4.3 Refer to the diagram alongside. A

a) Calculate the length of BC.  44 cm

55 cm (1)

b) Determine whether △BED is a B C

right-angled triangle or not. (4)
16 cm
56 cm

E x

63 cm D
x
x

x
4.4 Consider the shape alongside. All angles are right angles. x

a) Calculate the area in terms of x.         (3)

x

b) I f it is given that the area is 726 cm , 2

find the value of x.                 (2)

Term 4 Week 9 Chapter 28 Cumulative revision 4 369

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 369 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 4.5 △ABC is given in the diagram alongside. 7
6
y
A
B
5
a) △
 ABC is reflected in the x-axis to give △A'B'C'. 4
Draw △A'B'C' on the grid provided, labelling the 3
2
triangle correctly. (2) 1
C
x

b) △
 ABC is reflected in the y-axis to give △A''B''C''. −5 −4 −3 −2 −1 1 2 3 4 5
Draw △A''B''C'' on the grid provided, labelling −2
−3
the triangle correctly.  (3) −4
−5
c) △
 ABC is rotated anti-clockwise about the −6
−7
origin through 180o to give A'''B'''C'''. Draw
A'''B'''C''' on the grid procided, labelling the triangle correctly.   (3)

5. A
 local school has a Fun Day in order to raise funds for the sports fields.
It costs R20 per person to enter the grounds and R5 to participate at each
of the stalls.

a) Copy and complete the table below in your answer script:

x, the number of stalls visited 1 2 3 4
t, the total cost 25
Ordered pair (x; t)
(2)
b) Plot these points on the grid on the diagram sheet and join them to
form a straight line. Extend this straight line to the edge of your grid. (2)
c) U
 se your graph to determine the following, and show where your readings
have been taken:
(i) the value of t if 8 stalls were visited (2)
(ii) the number of stalls visited if the total cost is R85 (2)
d) Is the graph increasing or decreasing? (1)
e) Y
 ou have been instructed to draw a continuous line, but actually the graph
should be discrete. Why is this? (2)
f) W
 rite the equation in terms of x and t which defines the relationship
between the number of stalls visited and the total cost. (3)
[14]

370 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 370 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Question 6 [16]

6.1 T
 welve pupils in a class drew a circle with a radius of 4 cm. They measured the
circumference of the circle with a piece of thread. Their results,
in centimetres, are as follows:
24,8    24,9    25    25,5    25,6    24,9
25,1    25     
24,8    25,4    24,9    25,3
a) Find the mean, median and mode for the above data. (5)
b) C
 alculate the actual circumference of a circle with a radius of 4 cm correct
to one decimal place. (2)
c) Which of the averages in a) gives the most accurate result? (1)

6.2 The pie chart below indicates the favourite movie venue amongst 180
Grade 8 learners from a school nearby. The ratio of learners choosing Blue
Route as opposed to Canal Walk is 1 : 7.

Blue Route

Tyger Valley

10%
Cavendish
128˚
Canal Walk

50 learners

Waterfront

a) How many learners chose Cavendish Square?  (2)

b) How many learners chose Tyger Valley? (2)
c) D
 etermine the number of learners who chose Blue Route. Show all your
working. (4)

Term 4 Week 9 Chapter 28 Cumulative revision 4 371

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 371 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Question 7 [12]

7.1 The diameter of the circle below is 26 cm and the length of AB is 24 cm.
Find the area of the shaded region.


A
B

(5)

7.2 A box is formed from 2 equilateral triangles of which each side measures
2,6 cm, the height of each triangle being 2,2 cm. The distance between these
two triangle is 13 cm.

h ocs
Tric

a) Calculate the area of the base of this prism correct to two decimal places.(2)
b) C
 alculate the volume of air inside the box if the chocolate has a volume
of 25,18 cm3. (2)
7.3 Tumi has a packet of wine gums in which there are 7 yellow,
5 green, 6 red, 7 orange and 5 black gums.
Tumi’s favourite colour gums are black and red.
Tumi puts her hand into the packet and selects one gum at random.
What is the probability that she will take either a red or a black gum?
Give this answer as a percentage. (3)

372 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 372 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Glossary
Acute angle An angle that is bigger than 0° and smaller than 90°.
Additive inverse Two numbers are additive inverses of each other if their sum is 0.
Angle Two lines with the same endpoint or vertex.
Area The amount of space inside the boundaries of a flat object.
Axis One of the reference lines in a coordinate system.
Bar graph A graph that makes use of bars in order to give a visual
representation that can be used to compare data.
Billion A thousand million.
Bisect To divide a segment or angle in two parts.
BODMAS Order of operations:
Brackets - Of - Division and Multiplication - Addition and Subtraction.
Capacity The amount a container will hold when full.
Circumference The perimeter or distance around a circle.
Commission The amount of the total money paid for a service.
Common denominator The common multiple of one or two denominators.
Cone A three-dimensional object with a
circular-based plane connected to
a point called the vertex.
Conversion The action of changing a unit to a different unit of measurement.
Conversion factor A number you multiply by to change a number to another unit of
measurement.
Congruent If you can place a shape exactly on top of another, then they are said
to be congruent. They have the same size.
Cube A prism with six square sides.
Currency Money.
Cylinder A three-dimensional object with two congruent
circular bases that are parallel.
Data Items of information that have been observed and collected.
Decimal places The positions to the right of the decimal point or comma.
Decimal number All numbers in the base 10 number system that have one or more
numbers in the decimal places.
Decrease To make an amount smaller.
Degree A measure of angles.
Denominator In a fraction, it is the number below the fraction bar.
Dependant variable The output variable, which depends on the input variable.

Glossary 373

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 373 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Descending Arrange from the largest value to the smallest value.
Diameter The distance across a circle through the centre.
Diameter


Difference The answer to a subtraction problem.
Digit Any of the following symbols: 0; 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 8; 9
Dimensions The length, width or height of a shape.
Direct proportion When one quantity changes, the related quantity changes with a
constant ratio.
Discount A reduction made from the regular price.
Discrete Not continuous.
Discrete data Data which is collected through counting. It takes the values of the
counting numbers: 0; 1; 2; 3; 4; ....
Dividend The number being divided.
Divisible Able to be divided evenly.
Equation Two mathematical expressions that are separated by an equal sign.
Equilateral triangle A triangle that has three equal sides.
60°

60° 60°

Equivalent fractions Fractions that are equal in value but have different numerators and
denominators.
Estimate An approximation for the real value.
Exponent The number that tells us how many times the base is multiplied by
itself.
Exchange rate The price of the currency of one country in terms of another.
Even number A number that has no remainder when divided by 2.
Face Any of the plane surfaces of a solid.
Factor A number that is being multiplied in a multiplication problem.
Fibonacci numbers A sequence in which, except for the first and second number, each
number is the sum of the two preceding numbers:
1; 1; 2; 3; 5; 8; 13; ....
Formula A mathematical equation that states a general fact, principle or rule.
Fraction A part of a whole number.
Frequency How many times something happens.
GCF An abbreviation for ‘greatest common factor’.
Greater than Bigger or larger than.
Grid A pattern of lines usually drawn at right angles to each other.

374 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 374 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Greatest common factor The largest factor of two or more numbers. Abbreviation: HCF.
Height The distance from bottom to top.
Hemisphere Half of a sphere.

Heptagon A polygon that has seven sides.
Hexagon A polygon with six angles and six sides.
Histogram A histogram is a graphical way of displaying information or data
using bars.
Hypotenuse The longest side in a right triangle. The longest side is the one
opposite to the right angle.
Improper fraction A fraction of which the numerator is bigger than the denominator.
Inverse proportion When one quantity increases, the related quantity decreases so that
the product stays the same.
Integers The set of all whole numbers and their opposites.
Intersecting lines Lines that meet or cross in the same plane.
Isosceles triangle A triangle that has two equal sides.

C
Kite A quadrilateral with two pairs of adjacent sides
being equal.

D
B


A
Lowest common The smallest denominator that is a multiple of two or more
denominator denominators.
Lowest common multiple The smallest number into which two or more numbers will divide.
Less than Smaller than.
Linear Lying along a straight line.
Linear equation An equation whose graph is a straight line.
Line graph A graph consisting of line segments that have been joined.
Line segment Part of a line with two end points.
Litre A measure of capacity.
Mass The quantity of matter in an object.
Mean Also known as average, it is calculated by adding all numbers in a set
and dividing this answer by the total number of items in the set.
Mixed number A number that is written as a combination of a fraction and a whole
number.
Mode In a set of data, it is the item that appears most often.
Multiple The product of a number by a whole number.

Glossary 375

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 375 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Multiplicative inverse The multiplicative inverse of a number is the reciprocal of the
number.
Natural numbers The number 1 and any other number obtained by adding 1
repeatedly.
Negative integer A whole number less than 0.
Number line A line of which all points consist of real numbers.
Numerator The number above the fraction bar.
Obtuse angle An angle whose measure is bigger than 90 degrees.
Obtuse triangle A triangle with one obtuse angle.
Octagon A polygon with eight sides and eight angles.


Ordered pair The x and y values that give the location of a point in a coordinate
system.
Origin The point where the x-axis and the y-axis intersect, with
coordinates (0; 0).
Quadrilateral A polygon that has four sides.
Quadruple To make four times as big.
Quotient The answer to a division problem.
Parallel lines Lines that never intersect or cross one another on a plane.
Parallelogram A quadrilateral with two pairs of equal and parallel sides.
Pentagon A polygon with five sides.


Per cent Parts per one hundred.

Perimeter The distance around the outside of a shape.

Perpendicular Two or more lines which meet at right angles.
Perpendicular lines Lines that form four right angles when they intersect each other.
Pi (π) The ratio of the perimeter of a circle to the diameter.
Pictograph A graph that makes use of pictures to display information.
Place value The value of the place of a digit in a number.
Polygon A closed geometric shape with at least three sides.
Positive integer A whole number bigger than 0.
Prime number A number than can be divided evenly only by one and the
number itself.
Product The answer to a multiplication problem.

376 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 376 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Proper fraction A fraction of which the numerator is smaller than the denominator.
Proportion Ratio.
Protractor A geometric instrument used to measure or
draw angles.

Pyramid A three-dimensional object that has triangular sides

and a base that is a polygon.

Radius The distance from the centre of a circle to the edge of the circle.
Rate Per cent.
Ratio The comparison of two numbers using division.
Real distance The actual distance between two places.
Rectangle A two-dimensional shape with four right angles.
Rectangular prism A prism that has rectangular faces.
Reflex angle An angle whose measure is bigger than 180o, but less than 360o.
Remainder The amount that is left when a number does not divide into another
number exactly.
Repeating decimal A decimal where the same series of digits repeat themselves.
Right angle An angle whose measure is 90°.
Right triangle A triangle with one right angle.

Rhombus A shape with four equal sides and two pairs

of parallel sides.

Scale The ratio of the actual size to the size on a map.

Scalene triangle A triangle with no equal sides.

Sector A part of a circle bounded by two radii.

Segment A line with a starting point and an end point.
Sphere A three-dimensional object that has a curved surface,
like a soccer ball, in which all points on the surface are
at the same distance from the centre.

Glossary 377

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 377 2014/07/11 11:16 AM

 Square A rectangle with four equal sides.


Straight angle An angle that measures 180o. A straight angle looks like a straight line.
Sum The answer to an addition problem.
Variable A symbol that can take on various values.
VAT Value-added tax. In South Africa, VAT is 14% of the price.
Volume A measure of the space taken up by a 3D object.
Whole numbers Numbers that include the natural numbers and 0:
0; 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; ....

378 Classroom Mathematics Grade 8

9780796248350_crs_mat_g08_lb_eng_za.indb 378 2014/07/11 11:16 AM