JAI VATIKA PUBLIC SCHOOL

Affiliated to CBSE, New Delhi

MATHS LAB ACTIVITIES
CLASS -10

Activities for
Class X
Geometry was always considered more as a discipline of
the mind than any other part of mathematics, for it could
boast closer relations to logic. Genuine deductivity was the
privilege of geometry, whereas the business of algebra
was substitution into and transforming formulae. On the
other hand the pragmatic point of view would require only
a few theorems and not the geometry prescribed by
Euclidean tradition. Some people are prepared to teach
more useless things in mathematics, but object to geometry
being a weak system
– H. Freudenthal.
Activity 1
OBJECTIVE MATERIAL REQUIRED
To draw the graph of a quadratic Cardboard, graph paper, ruler,
polynomial and observe: pencil, eraser, pen, adhesive.
(i) The shape of the curve when
the coefficient of x2 is positive.
(ii) The shape of the curve when
the coefficient of x2 is negative.
(iii) Its number of zeroes.

METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION
1. Take cardboard of a convenient size and paste a graph paper on it.
2. Consider a quadratic polynomial f (x) = ax2 + bx + c
3. Two cases arise:

Fig. 1

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 (i) a > 0 (ii) a < 0
4. Find the ordered pairs (x, f (x)) for different values of x.
5. Plot these ordered pairs in the cartesian plane.

Fig. 2
6. Join the plotted points by a free hand curve [Fig. 1, Fig. 2 and Fig. 3].

Fig. 3

Mathematics 99
DEMONSTRATION
1. The shape of the curve obtained in each case is a parabola.
2. Parabola opens upward when coefficient of x2 is positive [see Fig. 2 and
Fig. 3].
3. It opens downward when coefficient of x2 is negative [see Fig. 1].
4. Maximum number of zeroes which a quadratic polynomial can have is 2.

OBSERVATION
1. Parabola in Fig. 1 opens
2. Parabola in Fig. 2 opens
3. In Fig. 1, parabola intersects x-axis at point(s).
4. Number of zeroes of the given polynomial is .
5. Parabola in Fig. 2 intersects x-axis at point(s).
6. Number of zeroes of the given polynomial is .
7. Parabola in Fig.3 intersects x-axis at point(s).
8. Number of zeroes of the given polynomial is .
9. Maximum number of zeroes which a quadratic polynomial can have is
.

APPLICATION
This activity helps in
1. understanding the geometrical
representation of a quadratic NOTE
polynomial
Points on the graph paper should
2. finding the number of zeroes of a be joined by a free hand curve
quadratic polynomial. only.

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Activity 2
OBJECTIVE MATERIAL REQUIRED
To verify the conditions of Graph papers, pencil, eraser,
consistency/ inconsistency for a pair cardboard, glue.
of linear equations in two variables by
graphical method.
METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION
1. Take a pair of linear equations in two variables of the form
a1x + b1y + c1 = 0 (1)
a2x + b2y + c2 = 0, (2)
where a1, b1, a2, b2, c1 and c2 are all real numbers; a1, b1, a2 and b2 are not
simultaneously zero.
There may be three cases :

Case I : a
b1 a2
1

b2
Case II:
c
1
a1 c2
b1 a2
b2

Case a1
III: b1 a2 c
1
c2
b2

2. Obtain the ordered pairs satisfying the pair of linear equations (1) and (2)
Mathematics 101
 for each of the above cases.
3. Take a cardboard of a convenient size and paste a graph paper on it. Draw
two perpendicular lines XOX and YOY on the graph paper (see Fig. 1).
Plot the points obtained in Step 2 on different cartesian planes to obtain
different graphs [see Fig. 1, Fig. 2 and Fig.3].

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 Fig. 1

Fig. 2

Mathematics 103
 Fig. 3

DEMONSTRATION
Case I: We obtain the graph as shown in Fig. 1. The two lines are intersecting
at one point P. Co-ordinates of the point P (x,y) give the unique solution for
the pair of linear equations (1) and (2).

Therefore, the pair of linear equations with a1  is consistent and has the
b1 a2
unique solution. b2
Case II: We obtain the graph as shown in Fig. 2. The two lines are coincident.
Thus, the pair of linear equations has infinitely many solutions.

Therefore, the pair of linear equations with a1   c is also consistent as

b1 a2 1
c2
well as dependent. b2

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Case III: We obtain the graph as shown in Fig. 3. The two lines are parallel to
each other.
This pair of equations has no solution, i.e., the pair of equations with
a1
b1 a2  c is inconsistent.
1
b2 c2

OBSERVATION

1. a1 = , a2 = ,
b1 = , b2 = ,

c1 = , c2 = ,

SO, a1 b1 c1
a =.................... b2 =...................., c2 = ...................
,
2

Conclusion
a b c Number of Consistent/
Case I, II or III Type of lines
1 1 1 solution inconsistent/
a2 b c2 dependent
2

APPLICATION

Mathematics 105
Conditions of consistency help to check whether a pair of linear equations have
solution (s) or not.
In case, solutions/solution exist/exists, to find whether the solution is unique
or the solutions are infinitely many.

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Activity 3
OBJECTIVE MATERIAL REQUIRED
To verify the distance formula by Cardboard, chart paper, graph
graphical method. paper, glue, pen/pencil and ruler.

METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION
1. Paste a chart paper on a cardboard of a convenient size.
2. Paste the graph paper on the chart paper.
3. Draw the axes XOX and YOY on the graph paper [see Fig. 1].
4. Take two points A(a, b) and B(c,d) on the graph paper and join them to get
a line segment AB [see Fig. 2].

Fig. 1

Mathematics 117
 Fig. 2
DEMONSTRATIO
N
1. Calculate the distance AB using distance formula.
2. Measure the distance between the two points A and B using a ruler.
3. The distance calculated by distance formula and distance measured by the
ruler are the same.

OBSERVATION
1. Coordinates of the point A are .
Coordinates of the point B are .
2. Distance AB, using distance formula is .
3. Actual distance AB measured by ruler is .
4. The distance calculated in (2) and actual distance measured in (3) are .

APPLICATION
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The distance formula is used in proving a number of results in geometry.

Mathematics 117