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GRADE 10
MATHEMATICS
NOTES
COMPLETE FOR TERM 1, 2, AND 3
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Table of Contents
STRAND 1.0: NUMBERS AND ALGEBRA .............................................................................................. 5
SUB STRAND 1.1: REAL NUMBERS.................................................................................................... 5
Classification of Whole Numbers.......................................................................................................... 5
Classification of Real Numbers ............................................................................................................. 7
Reciprocals of Real Numbers ................................................................................................................ 8
SUB STRAND 1.2: INDICES AND LOGARITHMS ............................................................................ 12
Indices (Exponents) ............................................................................................................................. 12
Common Logarithms ........................................................................................................................... 14
Using Mathematical Tables (Log Tables) ........................................................................................... 14
SUB STRAND 1.3: QUADRATIC EXPRESSIONS AND EQUATIONS 1 ......................................... 18
Quadratic Expressions ......................................................................................................................... 18
Quadratic Identities ............................................................................................................................. 18
Forming Quadratic Equations.............................................................................................................. 20
STRAND 2.0: MEASUREMENTS AND GEOMETRY ............................................................................ 24
SUB STRAND 2.1: SIMILARITY AND ENLARGEMENT ................................................................. 24
Concept of Similarity .......................................................................................................................... 24
Enlargement......................................................................................................................................... 25
Constructing Enlargements ................................................................................................................. 26
Area and Volume Scale Factors .......................................................................................................... 27
Applications in Real Life..................................................................................................................... 28
SUB STRAND 2.2: REFLECTION AND CONGRUENCE .................................................................. 29
Reflection ............................................................................................................................................ 29
Lines of Symmetry .............................................................................................................................. 30
Reflection on the Cartesian Plane........................................................................................................ 30
Congruence.......................................................................................................................................... 31
Congruence Tests for Triangles........................................................................................................... 32
SUB STRAND 2.3: ROTATION ............................................................................................................ 34
Properties of Rotation.......................................................................................................................... 34
Performing a Rotation ......................................................................................................................... 35
Rotational Symmetry........................................................................................................................... 35
Rotation on the Cartesian Plane .......................................................................................................... 36
Finding the Centre of Rotation ............................................................................................................ 36
SUB STRAND 2.4: TRIGONOMETRY 1 ............................................................................................. 38
Trigonometric Ratios (SOHCAHTOA) ............................................................................................... 38
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Sines and Cosines of Complementary Angles ..................................................................................... 38

Relationship between Sine, Cosine, and Tangent ................................................................................ 39
Trigonometric Ratios of Special Angles ............................................................................................. 39
Applications: Angles of Elevation and Depression ............................................................................. 40
SUB STRAND 2.5: AREA OF POLYGONS ......................................................................................... 41
Area of a Triangle using Sine .............................................................................................................. 41
Heron's Formula (Hero's Formula) ...................................................................................................... 41
Area of Quadrilaterals ......................................................................................................................... 42
Area of Regular Polygons ................................................................................................................... 42
SUB STRAND 2.6: AREA OF A PART OF A CIRCLE ....................................................................... 44
Area of an Annulus ............................................................................................................................. 44
Area of a Sector ................................................................................................................................... 44
Area of a Segment ............................................................................................................................... 45
Area of Common Regions (Intersecting Circles)................................................................................. 45
SUB STRAND 2.7: SURFACE AREA AND VOLUME OF SOLIDS .................................................. 47
Prisms .................................................................................................................................................. 47
Pyramids and Cones ............................................................................................................................ 47
Spheres ................................................................................................................................................ 49
Frustums .............................................................................................................................................. 50
Composite Solids................................................................................................................................. 51
SUB STRAND 2.8: VECTORS I............................................................................................................ 52
Scalars vs. Vectors .............................................................................................................................. 52
Vector Notation ................................................................................................................................... 52
Column Vectors................................................................................................................................... 52
Magnitude of a Vector......................................................................................................................... 52
Operations on Vectors ......................................................................................................................... 53
Position Vectors .................................................................................................................................. 53
Translation ........................................................................................................................................... 53
SUB STRAND 2.9: LINEAR MOTION................................................................................................. 55
Key Concepts ...................................................................................................................................... 55
Displacement-Time Graphs ................................................................................................................. 55
Velocity-Time Graphs ......................................................................................................................... 55
Relative Speed ..................................................................................................................................... 56
Equations of Linear Motion (Kinematic Equations)............................................................................ 56
Conclusion........................................................................................................................................... 57
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STRAND 3.0: STATISTICS AND PROBABILITY .................................................................................. 58

SUB-STRAND 3.1: STATISTICS I ....................................................................................................... 58
Part A: Introduction to Data and Collection ........................................................................................ 58
Part B: Frequency Distribution Tables ................................................................................................ 60
Part C: Measures of Central Tendency ................................................................................................ 62
Part D: Representation of Data ............................................................................................................ 65
Part E: Interpretation of Data............................................................................................................... 66
Activity 3.1: The Height Survey ......................................................................................................... 67
SUB-STRAND 3.2: PROBABILITY 1................................................................................................... 68
Part A: Basic Concepts ........................................................................................................................ 68
Part B: Experimental vs. Theoretical Probability ................................................................................ 69
Part C: Probability Space & Combined Events ................................................................................... 70
Part D: Types of Events....................................................................................................................... 70
Part E: Tree Diagrams ......................................................................................................................... 71
Part F: Application in Real Life........................................................................................................... 72
Activity 3.2: The Fair Game Design ................................................................................................... 73
REVIEW: Summary of Formulas ............................................................................................................... 73
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STRAND 1.0: NUMBERS AND ALGEBRA

Introduction to the Strand

This strand lays the foundation for advanced mathematical thinking in Senior School. It builds

upon the concepts learned in Junior School, deepening the understanding of the number system,

the power of indices, the utility of logarithms in calculation, and the algebraic manipulation of

quadratic expressions. These notes are designed to be a comprehensive guide for learners and

teachers, offering detailed explanations, examples, and practical tips.

SUB STRAND 1.1: REAL NUMBERS

Overview In this sub-strand, we move beyond simple counting. We explore the nature of

numbers, how they are categorized, and how to manipulate them using the concept of

reciprocals. Understanding the "personality" of numbers is crucial for algebra and higher-level

mathematics.

Classification of Whole Numbers

Whole numbers are the set of numbers {0, 1, 2, 3, ...}. However, within this set, numbers

have different properties. We classify them into four distinct categories based on

divisibility and factors.

 Odd Numbers

o Definition: An odd number is any integer that cannot be divided exactly by 2.

When divided by 2, it leaves a remainder of 1.

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o General Form: 2n + 1 (where n is an integer).

o Examples: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 15, 101.

o Tip: To check if a massive number is odd, just look at the last digit. If it ends in 1,

3, 5, 7, or 9, the whole number is odd.

 Even Numbers

o Definition: An even number is an integer that is exactly divisible by 2 with no

remainder.

o General Form: 2n (where n is an integer).

o Examples: 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 24, 100.

o Tip: Any number ending in 0, 2, 4, 6, or 8 is even. Zero is considered an even

number because it sits between -1 (odd) and 1 (odd) and is divisible by 2 (0 ÷ 2 =

0).

 Prime Numbers

o Definition: A prime number is a whole number greater than 1 that has exactly two

factors: 1 and itself.

o Examples: 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, 23, 29.

o Important Note: The number 2 is the only even prime number. All other prime

numbers are odd (because any other even number is divisible by 2).

o The number 1 is NOT a prime number. This is a common mistake. It is not prime

because it has only one factor (itself), not two.

 Composite Numbers

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o Definition: A composite number is a positive integer that has at least one factor

other than 1 and itself. Essentially, if a number (greater than 1) is not prime, it is

composite.

o Examples: 4 (factors: 1, 2, 4), 6 (factors: 1, 2, 3, 6), 9 (factors: 1, 3, 9).

o Tip: You can think of composite numbers as "rectangles" because they can be

arranged into rectangular arrays (e.g., 6 dots can be 2 rows of 3), whereas prime

numbers are just "lines."

Classification of Real Numbers

The Real Number system includes every number you can find on a continuous number

line. We split these into Rational and Irrational numbers.

 Rational Numbers (Q)

o Definition: A rational number is any number that can be expressed as a fraction

p/q, where p and q are integers and q is not equal to zero.

o Includes:

 Integers: 5 (can be written as 5/1), -3 (-3/1).

 Terminating Decimals: 0.5 (1/2), 0.125 (1/8).

 Recurring (Repeating) Decimals: 0.333... (1/3), 0.142857... (1/7).

o Tip: If you can write it as a simple fraction, it is rational.

 Irrational Numbers (I)

o Definition: An irrational number cannot be written as a simple fraction. Its

decimal expansion goes on forever without terminating and without repeating a

pattern.
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o Examples:

 √2 (approx 1.4142...): The square root of any non-perfect square is

irrational (called a surd).

 √3, √5, √7.

 π (Pi): The ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter (approx

3.14159...).

 e (Euler's number): Approx 2.718...

o Note: While 22/7 is often used as an approximation for Pi, 22/7 is Rational, while

Pi itself is Irrational.

Reciprocals of Real Numbers

The reciprocal of a number is what you multiply the number by to get 1. It is also known as

the "multiplicative inverse."

 Definition: The reciprocal of a number 'x' is 1/x.

 Example: The reciprocal of 5 is 1/5 (or 0.2). The reciprocal of 2/3 is 3/2.

Method A: Determining Reciprocals by Division

 This is the fundamental method. You simply divide 1 by the number.

 Example: Find the reciprocal of 8.

o Calculation: 1 ÷ 8 = 0.125.

 Example: Find the reciprocal of 0.25.

o Calculation: 1 ÷ 0.25 = 1 ÷ (1/4) = 4.

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Method B: Using Mathematical Tables In examinations and classroom settings without

calculators, four-figure mathematical tables are used. This requires specific skills in reading the

table.

 Standard Form Requirement: To use reciprocal tables, it is often easier if the number is

first converted to standard form (scientific notation), though most tables list numbers

from 1.0 to 9.9.

 How to read the table for a number like 3.456:

1. Locate "3.4" in the left-hand column (x).

2. Move across to the main column headed "5". Write down this value (e.g., 0.2899).

3. Continue across to the "Mean Differences" (Add) columns and look under "6".

Note this value (e.g., 5).

4. Subtract the mean difference from the last digits of the main value. Note: Unlike

logarithms where we add, for reciprocals, we usually subtract the difference

because as a number gets bigger, its reciprocal gets smaller. Check your specific

table's instructions; most reciprocal tables require subtraction of the mean

difference.

 Handling Decimals:

o To find the reciprocal of 34.56:

o Write 34.56 as 3.456 × 10¹.

o Reciprocal = 1 / (3.456 × 10¹) = (1/3.456) × 10⁻¹.

o Find reciprocal of 3.456 from tables (0.2894).

o Result: 0.2894 × 10⁻¹ = 0.02894.

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Method C: Using Calculators

 This is the most direct method.

 Steps:

1. Type the number.

2. Press the button labeled [x⁻¹] or [1/x].

3. Press [=].

 Tip: Always check if the answer makes sense. The reciprocal of a large number should be

very small, and the reciprocal of a decimal less than 1 should be greater than 1.

4. Applications of Reciprocals in Computations Reciprocals are primarily used to simplify

division. Dividing by a number is the same as multiplying by its reciprocal.

 Example: Calculate 25 ÷ 0.125

 Instead of long division, recognize that 0.125 = 1/8.

 The reciprocal of 1/8 is 8.

 Calculation becomes: 25 × 8 = 200.

 This is very useful in physics formulas (like parallel resistors: 1/R = 1/R1 + 1/R2) and

lens equations.

Suggested Learning Activities for Sub Strand 1.1

Activity 1: The Number Sort

 Prepare cards with various numbers: 0, 1, 2, 9, 11, 15, 0.333..., √2, π, 22/7, -5.

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 Draw two large circles on the floor or whiteboard: "Rational" and "Irrational." Inside

Rational, place "Integers," and inside Integers, place "Whole Numbers."

 Have students pick a card and stand in the correct zone. Ask them to justify why they are

standing there.

Activity 2: Reciprocal Relay

 Divide the class into teams.

 Write a list of numbers on the board (e.g., 2, 4, 10, 0.5, 0.1).

 One student from each team runs to the board, writes the reciprocal in decimal form next

to the number, and runs back to tag the next student.

 Variation: Use mathematical tables vs. Calculators to see which is faster for specific

numbers.

FOR COMPLETE LESSON PLANS, NOTES ,

SCHEMES, GUIDES AND EXAM'S CONTACT
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