In this lecture sheet, the topics covered are:

Content Page
Decimals 2
Place Value of Digits 2
Proportionality 3
Reciprocals 4
Absolute Value 4
Fractions Word Problems 5
Missing Value in Series 6
Rules of Exponents 7
Square Roots 8
Decimals

A decimal number can be defined as a number whose whole number part and the fractional part is
separated by a decimal point. The dot in a decimal number is called a decimal point. The digits
following the decimal point show a value smaller than one.

Decimals are based on the preceding powers of 10. Thus, as we move from left to right, the place
value of digits gets divided by 10, meaning the decimal place value determines the tenths, hundredths
and thousandths. A tenth means one tenth or 1/10. In decimal form, it is 0.1. Hundredth means
1/100. In decimal form, it is 0.01.

Place Value of Digits

Every digit in a number has a place value. Place value can be defined as the value represented by a
digit in a number on the basis of its position in the number. Each place has a value of 10 times the
place to its right.

In 13548, 1 is in ten thousands place and its place value is 10,000,

3 is in thousands place and its place value is 3,000,
5 is in hundreds place and its place value is 500,
4 is in tens place and its place value is 40,
8 is in ones place and its place value is 8.

Understanding the place value of digits in numbers helps in writing numbers in their expanded form.
For instance, the expanded form of the number above, 13548 is 10,000 + 3,000 + 500 + 40 + 8.

Decimal Place Values

Decimal numbers are mixed numbers with denominators of powers of ten. In a decimal number, the
digits to the left of the decimal point represent a whole number. The digits to the right of the decimal
represent the decimal parts. The place value of the digits become 10 times smaller.

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In 27.356, 27 is the whole number part,
2 is in tens place and its place value is 20,
7 is in ones place, and its place value is 7.

There are three digits to the right of the decimal point,

3 is in the tenths place, and its place value is 0.3 or 3/10,
5 is in the hundredths place, and its place value is 0.05 or 5/100,
6 is in the thousandths place, and its place value is 0.006 or 6/1000.

Difference between Place Value and Face Value

The face value of a digit is the digit itself, at whatever place it may be. It is unchangeable and definite.
But place value changes according to the digit’s place.

For example; to find face value and place value of 3572:

Face value of 2 is 2, place value of 2 is 2

Face value of 7 is 7, place value of 7 is 70
Face value of 5 is 5, place value of 5 is 500
Face value of 3 is 3, place value of 3 is 3000
The face value as well as place value of zero (0) is always (0).

Proportionality

When a number is proportional to another number, it does not mean their values are equal, just that
they change with respect to each other. The constant of proportionality serves as a multiplier. If two
amounts are proportional, they change at the same rate so that the relationship between them does
not change.

Proportionality is generally considered to be of two types –

 Direct Proportionality: If all other variables are held constant, the value of one directly
proportional variable increases if the other variable increases, and vice versa. For
example, if an object travels at a constant speed, then the distance traveled is directly
proportional to the time spent traveling, with the speed being the constant of
proportionality.
If a and b are directly proportional, it is represented as “a α b”.

 Inverse Proportionality: The concept of inverse proportionality can be contrasted with

direct proportionality. Two variables are said to be "inversely proportional" to each other,
if all other variables are held constant, the value of one inversely proportional variable
decreases if the other variable increases, and the value of one inversely proportional

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 variable increases if the other variable decreases. As for example, the time taken for a
journey is inversely proportional to the speed of travel.
If a and b are inversely proportional, it is represented as “a ”.

Reciprocals

The reciprocal of a number is 1 divided by the number. It is also known as “Multiplicative Inverse”. For
example:
 the reciprocal of 2 is 1/2 (half)
 the reciprocal of 10 is 1/10 (=0.1)

When we multiply a number by its reciprocal we get 1.

Example: 2 × 1/2 = 1
Every number has a reciprocal except 0 (1/0 is undefined). The reciprocal of a fraction is the fraction
turned upside down. For example, the reciprocal of 2/3 is 3/2.

Absolute Value

Absolute value is a term used in mathematics to indicate the distance of a point or number from the
origin (zero point) of a number line. The symbol for absolute value is a pair of vertical lines, one on
either side of the quantity whose absolute value is to be determined. The absolute value or modulus
|x| of a real number x is the non-negative value of x without regard to its sign. Namely, |x| = x for a
positive x, |-x| = x for a negative x (in which case −x is positive), and |0| = 0. For example, the absolute
value of 3 is 3, and the absolute value of −3 is also 3.

Mixed Fraction Property

When we divide 5 by 2, the answer is . The 1 in the numerator is the remainder and the 2 in the
denominator is the divisor as shown in the diagram below. We can also write as 2.5. The value
after the decimal point (which in this case is 0.5) is equal to the proper fraction part (In this case
which is ). Or we can say 0.5 is equal to the (remainder/divisor)

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This information is useful in the following type of math:

When Adree divided X Taka among Y people, he found each person should get 25.375 Taka. But he
could only pay an integer amount of money per person. So he found he had 3 Taka left after division.
What is the value of X and Y?

Solution:
Here, after dividing X by Y, Adree found 3 as remainder.
Again, X/Y = 25.375
We know, 0.375 is equal to the (remainder/divisor)
In this case, we can write 0.375 = 3/Y
So, Y = (3 ÷ 0.375) = 8
And, the value of X = (8 x 25.375) = 203

Fraction Word Problems

Fraction is an important topic in aptitude tests and can be integrated with multiple types of math. In
this section we discuss about shortcuts while doing math involving fractions.

Example 1:

Pantasia Bakery sells 1/3 of their cakes in the morning. They sell 1/5 of the remaining cakes in the
afternoon. In the evening, they sell 1/2 of what’s left and throw away the rest. What fraction of their
total cakes does Pantasia throw away?

Conventional Approach:
Let, total number of cake be 1.
In the morning, they sell 1/3 cake
So, after morning they have (1 - 1/3) = 2/3 cake left
In the afternoon, they sell (1/5 of 2/3) = 2/15 cake
So, after the sale in the afternoon, they have (2/3 - 2/15) = (10 - 2)/15 = 8/15 cake left
In the evening, they sell (1/2 of 8/15) = 8/30 = 4/15 cake
So, they throw away (8/15 - 4/15) = 4/15 cake
Answer: 4/15

Shortcut:
In math like these, we can assume a value of the total quantity/number. The total value needs to be a
common multiple of all the denominators of the fractions mentioned in the question. For ease of
calculation, we can use the LCM of the denominators of the fractions mentioned in the question. This
will help avoid simplification using fractions.
In the math above, the fractions mentioned are 1/3, 1/5 and 1/2.
Here, the LCM of the denominators (3, 5 and 2) is 30.
We assume, total number of cakes in Pantasia = 30
So, in the morning, Pantasia sells (30 ÷ 3) = 10 and now has 20 left
In the afternoon they sell (20 ÷ 5) = 4 and now has 16 left
Finally, in the evening they sell (16 ÷ 2) = 8 and thus throws away 8 cakes
So, the required fraction is 8/30 = 4/15

Example 2:

A, B and C dine in a restaurant and split their bill. A pays 3/4 as much as B and C pays 1/3 as much as
A. What fraction of the total bill does C pay?

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Shortcut Solution:
Let, B pays 4.
Then, A pays (3/4 of 4) = 3
So, C pays (1/3 of 3) = 1
So, the total bill is (4 + 3 + 1) = 8
So, C pays 1/8 of the total bill

Example 3:

Pantasia Bakery sells 1/3 of their cakes in the morning. They sell 1/5 of the remaining cakes in the
afternoon. In the evening, they sell 1/2 of what’s left and throw away 32 cakes. What is the total
number of cakes Pantasia bakes?

Solution:
If we refer to the shortcut solution of example 1, we will notice a key difference. Here, a distinct
number is stated in the question. As a result, we can no longer just assume a total value and carry on.
However, the shortcut can still be applied. An extra layer of calculation is to be added.
Following the shortcut solution to example 1, we found Pantasia throws away 8 cakes.
However, in Example 3 it is said 32 cakes are thrown away.
Through simple unitary method, we can thus find out,
8 cakes are thrown away when total number of cakes is 30
So, 32 cakes are thrown away when total number of cakes is (30 x 32) ÷ 8 = 120
Answer: The total number of cakes Pantasia bakes is 120.

The easiest way of tackling fractions is to try and avoid fractions during calculation. Through practice
it gets easy to identify which values to assume and how to approach fractions.

Missing value in Series

Finding out a missing value in a series of numbers requires identifying the pattern that the series
follows. In most cases, the series in question does not follow a simple arithmetic progression. There
may be specific patterns relating numbers in alternate position, each number being a function of the
number next to it or even geometric progressions. There are no generalized formulas to approach all
kinds of series.

Example:
What is the next number in the series 3, 6, 7, 4, 11, 2, ……. ?
Solution: Here, we can see each odd placed number keeps increasing by 4 and each even placed
number keeps decreasing by 2. Since the next number in the series is an odd placed number, the next
number in the series in (11 + 4) = 15

Exponents
The exponent of a number says how many times to use that number in a multiplication. It is written as
a small number to the right and above the base number. Another name for exponent is index or
power.

For example: 82 = 8 × 8 = 64
(The exponent "2" says to use the 8 two times in a multiplication.)

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Another example: 53 = 5 × 5 × 5 = 125
(The exponent "3" says to use the 5 three times in a multiplication.)

Rules of Exponents

Rules of 1

There are two simple "rules of 1" to remember. First, any number raised to the power of "one" equals
itself. This makes sense, because the power shows how many times the base is multiplied by itself. If
it's only multiplied one time, then it's logical that it equals itself.
Secondly, one raised to any power is one. This, too, is logical, because one times one times one, as
many times as you multiply it, is always equal to one.

Product Rule

The exponent "product rule" tells us that, when multiplying two powers that have the same base, you
can add the exponents. In this example, you can see how it works. Adding the exponents is just a
short cut!

Power Rule

The "power rule" tells us that to raise a power to a power, just multiply the exponents. Here you see
that 52 raised to the 3rd power is equal to 56.

Quotient Rule

The quotient rule tells us that we can divide two powers with the same base by subtracting the
exponents. You can see why this works if you study the example shown.

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Zero Rule

According to the "zero rule," any nonzero number raised to the power of zero equals 1.

Negative Exponents

The last rule in this lesson tells us that any nonzero number raised to a negative power equals its
reciprocal raised to the opposite positive power.

Exponent simplification

Here we basically take an exponential function, bring out its factors and get and exponential term for
each of those factors.
For example:
208 = (4 x 5)8 = 48 x 58 = (22)8 x 58= 216 x 58

Square Roots

A square root of a number is a value that can be multiplied by itself to give the original number. A
square root of 9 is 3, because when 3 is multiplied by itself we get 9.
Every non-negative real number has a unique non-negative square root. Every positive number ‘a’ has
two square roots: √a, which is positive, and −√a, which is negative.
For example, 4 and −4 are square roots of 16 because 4 2 = (−4)2 = 16.

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Class Practice

Type-1: Fractions

 If 1/y = 31/2 then 1/(y+2)?

a. 7/16 b. 2/7 c.7/9 d. 7/8 e. 16/7

 Two containers, x and y of the same capacity, are each 8/19 full of water. If 4 litres of water
from container x is added to container y, the quantity of water in the first container becomes
6/7 of the second container. What is the capacity of container x?

a. 9.5 b. 20 c. 7.5 d. 12 e. none of these

 If the value of X and Y in the fraction XZ/Y are both doubled, how does the value of the
fraction change?
a. Increases by half b. Decreases by half c. triples
d. Doubles e. Remains the same

 Which of the fractions is the largest?

a. 14/15 b. 9/17 c. 5/6 d. 17/23 e. 19/27

 A club has equal number of male and female members. On a certain day, two thirds of the
members were absent. Of the members present, one third was male. What is the ratio of male
and female who were not present on that day?
a. 1/3 b. ⅔ c. 3/5 d. 7/5 e. none of these

 What must be added to x/y to make 3y/x?

a. 3x2/y b. (xy–y2) /x c. (3y2– x2)/xy d. x/y e. none of these

 Of the animals in Dhaka Zoo, 1/7 are Zebras, 1/4 are Giraffes, 1/3 are Tigers, and the rest is
comprised of 46 Deer. How many Zebras are there in the Zoo?
a. 140 b. 180 c. 168 d. 140 e. 125

Type-2: Decimals
 Which is the least among the following?
A. 1 ÷ 0.3 B.0.3 C. 0.03 D. 0.32 E. None of these

 Which of the following is true?

a. 0<1/10 < 0.01b. 0.12<1/7< 0.15 c. 0.3<1/4<.5
d. 0.3<1/3< 0.33 e. None of these

 Which of the following is greater than 1?

a. 0.0004/0.005 b. 0.0006/0.01 c. 0.1/0.03
d. 0.0003/0.006 e. 0.001/0.01

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  2.205 divided by 0.3 gives
a. 7.35 b. 6.25 c. 8.15 d. 6.95 e. None of these

Type-3: Place Value Math

 A two-digit number has 5 in its unit digit. The sum of its digits is one fifth of the number itself.
What is the number?
a. 35 b. 45 c. 55 d. 65 e. none of these

 A cashier reversed the digits of one customer’s correct amount of change and thus gave the
customer an incorrect amount of change. If the cash register contained Taka 27 more than it
should have as a result of this error, which of the following could have been the correct
amount of change in Taka?
a. 36 b. 45 c. 65 d. 96 e. none of these

 The difference between the place value and the face value of 6 in the numeral 856973 is
a. 973 b. 6973 c. 5994 d. 994 e. none of these

Type-4: Exponents
 What is the greatest positive integer n such that 3n is a factor of 1814 ?
a. 10 b. 12 c. 16 d. 28 e. 60

 If both 72 and 32 are factors of x where x = n × 2 5 × 62 × 113, what is the smallest possible
positive value of n?
a. 25 b. 16 c. 49 d. 75 e. none of these

 What is the last digit of 6218?

a. 2 b. 4 c. 6 d. 8 e. none of these

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