Numbers are used everywhere from clocks to calendars to jerseys and even in your favourite video games. Without the existence of numbers, time would not exist, money would lose its meaning and science would come to a dead-end. Do you ever think about what it would be like if there were no numerical system, i.e., a day without numbers? These NCERT Solutions for Class 9 Mathematics Chapter 3 The World of Numbers cover various kinds of numbers (such as real numbers, rational numbers, irrational numbers, whole numbers) and how to work with them.
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Pythagoras once said that numbers rule the universe and it is true indeed. Our team of experts at Careers360 has prepared the NCERT Solutions for Class 9 Maths based on their extensive experience and knowledge in order to help students practice these types of problems on their own. These NCERT Solutions for Class 9 have been created to carefully present the core concepts of numbers in simple language and to help make learning quicker and easier.
Students can download the Class 9 Maths Chapter 3 The World of Numbers PDF by clicking the link provided below.
Below, you will find the NCERT Class 9 Maths Chapter 3 The World of Numbers question answers explained step by step.
The World of Numbers Class 9 Questions and AnswersExercise Set 3.1 |
Question 1. A merchant in the port city of Lothal is exchanging bags of spices for copper ingots. He receives 15 ingots for every 2 bags of spices. If he brings 12 bags of spices to the market, how many copper ingots will he leave with?
The merchant receives 15 ingots for every 2 bags of spices.
He has 12 bags of spices.
So, the merchant will leave with 90 copper ingots.
Question 2. Look at the sequence of numbers on one column of the Ishango bone: 11, 13, 17, 19. What do these numbers have in common? List the next three numbers that fit this pattern.
A prime number is a whole number greater than \(1\) that can only be divided evenly by \(1\) and itself.
11, 13, 17, and 19 are all prime numbers.
Next three prime numbers after 19 are: 23, 29, 31
Question 3. We know that Natural Numbers are closed under addition (the sum of any two natural numbers is always a natural number). Are they closed under subtraction? Provide a couple of examples to justify your answer.
Natural numbers are not closed under subtraction because subtracting two natural numbers does not always give another natural number.
For example, 6 and 7 are two natural numbers.
Now, 7 - 6 = 1, a natural number
6 - 7 = -1, not a natural number
Hence, subtraction is not always possible within natural numbers, which means they are not closed under subtraction.
*Question 4. Ancient Indians used the joints of their fingers to count, a practice still seen today. Each finger has 3 joints, and the thumb is used to count them. How many can you count on one hand? How does this relate to the ancient base-12 counting systems?
Given: Each finger has 3 joints, and there are 4 fingers excluding the thumb.
So, total joints counted by the thumb = 4 × 3 = 12
Hence, on one hand, we can count up to 12.
This is related to the ancient base-12 system because people could naturally count in groups of 12 using their finger joints. This is one reason why the number 12 became important in ancient counting systems, time measurement, such as 12 months, 12 hours, and trade.
The World of Numbers Class 9 Questions and AnswersExercise Set 3.2 |
Question 1. The temperature in the high-altitude desert of Ladakh is recorded as
The temperature in the high-altitude desert of Ladakh is recorded as
But at midnight, it drops by
So, the temperature at midnight =
Question 2. A spice trader takes a loan (debt) of ₹850. The next day, he makes a profit (fortune) of ₹1,200. The following week, he incurs a loss of ₹450. Write this sequence as an equation using integers and calculate his final financial standing.
A loan or loss is represented by a negative integer.
Loan = -850
Profit = +1200
Loss = -450
So, his final financial standing = -850 + 1200 - 450 = -100
This means the trader is still in debt of ₹100.
Question 3. Calculate the following using Brahmagupta's laws:
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
Using Brahmagupta’s laws, we get,
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
Question 4. Explain, using a real-world example of debt, why subtracting a negative number is the same as adding a positive number (e.g.,
Suppose you have 8 chocolates, but you owe your friend 3 chocolates.
This can be written as -3.
Now, if he says, " You don’t have to return the 3 chocolates.”
Then, it can be written as
Removing the debt gives you 3 extra chocolates, so
So, subtracting a negative number is the same as adding a positive number because removing a debt increases what you have.
The World of Numbers Class 9 Questions and AnswersExercise Set 3.3 |
Question 1. Prove that the following rational numbers are equal:
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
We can check if rational numbers are equal by multiplying or dividing the numerator and denominator by the same number.
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
Question 2. Find the sum:
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
Question 3. Find the difference:
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
Question 4. Find the product:
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
Question 5. Find the quotient:
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
Question 6. Show that:
LHS
RHS
Hence, LHS = RHS
Question 7. Simplify the following using the distributive property:
Question 8. Find the rational number
Hence, both sides are equal for every value of
So,
Question: Try and represent
So,
So,
The World of Numbers Class 9 Questions and AnswersExercise Set 3.4 |
Question 1. Represent the rational numbers
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Question 2. Find three distinct rational numbers that lie strictly between
Now, the denominator is common.
One number must be 0.
Other two numbers are:
So, three rational numbers are:
Question 3. Simplify the expression:
Question 4. A tailor has
Total silk
Silk needed for one kurta
Therefore, the number of kurtas can be made from that silk
So, the tailor can make exactly 7 kurtas from that silk.
Question 5. Find three rational numbers between 3.1415 and 3.1416.
Three rational numbers between 3.1415 and 3.1416 are:
3.14151, 3.14152, and 3.14153
Question 6. Can you think of other way(s) to find a rational number between any two rational numbers?
Another way to find a rational number between two rational numbers is by taking their average.
Suppose
Then
For example, the average of 6 and 16 is 11, which lies between them.
Question: Can
No,
So,
The World of Numbers Class 9 Questions and AnswersExercise Set 3.5 |
Question 1. Without performing long division, determine which of the following rational numbers will have terminating decimals and which will be repeating:
Then check your answers by explicitly performing the long divisions and expressing these rational numbers as decimals.
A rational number has a terminating decimal if, in simplest form, its denominator has only the prime factors 2 and/or 5.
(i)
Here,
Only 2 and 5 are present, so it is terminating.
Long division method:
(ii)
Here,
Factor 3 is present, so it is non-terminating.
Long division method:
(iii)
Here,
Only 2 and 5 are present, so it is terminating.
Long division method:
Question 2. Perform the long division for
Now compute
We can see that 076923 is repeating.
So,
We can see that 153846 is repeating.
So,
Similarly,
The digits continue to cycle in the same order.
Question 3. Classify the following numbers as rational or irrational:
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
(v)
(vi)
Find the explicit fractions in case they are rational.
(i)
9 can be represented as
So, it is rational.
(ii)
So,
(iii)
It is rational.
(iv)
The numbers 12345 repeat in the same order.
Therefore, it is rational, as we know that any repeating decimal is rational.
(v)
The zeros keep increasing, so there is no fixed repeating block.
Hence, it is irrational.
(vi)
This is a terminating decimal.
Every terminating decimal is rational.
It can be written as:
So, it is rational.
Question 4. The number
Let
After multiplying by 10, we get
Now,
But
Therefore,
It is proven.
*Question 5. We have seen that the repeating block of
Some reciprocals that produce cyclic repeating blocks are:
These repeating blocks cycle when multiplied by numbers.
The World of Numbers Class 9 Questions and AnswersEnd-of-Chapter Exercises |
Question 1. Convert the following rational numbers in the form of a terminating decimal or non-terminating and repeating decimal, whichever the case may be, by the process of long division:
(i)
(ii)
(i)
So, it is a terminating decimal.
(ii)
So, it is a non-terminating repeating decimal.
Question 2. Prove that
Let's assume that
Then it can be written in the form of
Let
Squaring both sides, we get:
So,
So
So let
Substitute into
This shows that
Therefore, q is also divisible by 5.
Thus, both
Therefore,
Question 3. Convert the following decimal numbers in the form of
(i) 12.6
(ii) 0.0120
(iii)
(iv)
(v)
(vi)
(vii)
(viii)
(ix)
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
Let
Subtracting, we get
(iv)
Let
Then,
and
Subtract equation (1) from (2), we have:
Therefore,
(v)
Let
Then,
Subtract:
So,
Therefore,
(vi)
Let
Then,
Subtract:
So,
Therefore,
(vii)
Let
Then,
Subtract:
So,
Therefore,
(viii)
Let
Then
Then,
Subtract:
So,
Therefore,
(ix)
Let
Then,
Subtract:
So,
Therefore,
Question 4. Locate the following rational numbers on the number line.
(i) 0.532
(ii)
(i)
Therefore, it is located between 0 and 1, with a value near 0.5.

(ii)
Therefore, it lies between 1.1 and 1.2, slightly after 1.15.

Question 5. Find 6 rational numbers between 3 and 4.
Six rational numbers between 3 and 4:
Question 6. Find 5 rational numbers between
So, five rational numbers between them are:
Question 7. Find 5 rational numbers between
So, five rational numbers between them are:
Question 8. If
Hence, the value of
Question 9. Let
Given
Multiplying
Since
Question 10. A rational number has a terminating decimal expansion whose last non-zero digit occurs in the 4th decimal place. Show that such a number can be written in the form
Is it necessary that the denominator of this rational number, when written in the lowest form, is divisible by
If the last non-zero digit occurs in the 4th decimal place, then the number has the form
For example,
The denominator in lowest form doesn't need to contain
For example,
Question 11. Without performing division, determine whether the decimal expansion of
In the denominator, only factor 5 occurs, so the decimal expansion terminates.
To find the number of decimal places, we have to make the denominator a power of 10.
So,
Thus, it terminates with 3 decimal places.
Therefore,
Question 12. A rational number in its lowest form has denominator
To make the denominator 40 a power of 10, we have to multiply it by 25.
So, the decimal expansion has 3 decimal places.
*Question 13. Let
Explain why the condition
Given:
Since after having the denominators are the same, the difference between between nominator is 3, which is not enough to find 5 rational numbers between them.
We have to multiply them further.
Now,
Five rational numbers are:
Condition
*Question 14. Three rational numbers
Given:
We know that,
Sum of squares is zero only when each square is zero.
Thus,
So, all the rational numbers
*Question 15. Show that the rational number
Let us assume that
We have to show that:
Since
Since
From equations 1 and 2, we get,
Therefore, the rational number
If we have taken
Question 16. Find the lengths of the hypotenuses of all the right triangles in Fig. 3.14 which is referred to as the square root spiral.

This figure is the square root spiral, also called the Spiral of Theodorus.
Each triangle is a right triangle with:
Using the Pythagorean theorem:
First triangle
Legs: 1, 1
Second triangle
Legs:
Third triangle
Legs:
Continuing similarly:
Thus, the lengths of the hypotenuses of the triangles in the square root spiral are:
Hence, in general, the hypotenuse lengths follow the pattern:
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Students will explore the following topics in NCERT Class 9 Maths Chapter 3 The World of Numbers:
Question 1:
Simplify the following expression.
25 + 12 – 2 + (4 + 2)
Given: 25 + 12 – 2 + (4 + 2)
= 25 + 12 – 2 + 6
= 41
Hence, the correct answer is 41.
Question 2:
The value of
Hence, the correct answer is 31.
Question 3:
What is the value of 0.0045 ÷ 4.5 × 100 – 45 ÷ 5?
Given:
0.0045 ÷ 4.5 × 100 – 45 ÷ 5
= 0.001 × 100 – 9
= 0.1 – 9
= – 8.9
Hence, the correct answer is – 8.9.
Question 4:
The value of
According to the question
= 16 - 11 + 23 ×13
= 16 - 11 + 299
= 5 + 299
= 304
Hence, the correct answer is 304.
Question 5:
If
Given:
⇒
⇒
⇒
⇒
⇒
⇒
⇒
Hence, the correct answer is 131.75.
We at Careers360 compiled all the NCERT Class 9 Maths solutions in one place for easy student reference. The following links will allow you to access them.
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NCERT Solutions for Class 9 Mathematics Chapter 1 Orienting Yourself: The Use of Coordinates |
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NCERT Solutions for Class 9 Mathematics Chapter 2 Introduction to Linear Polynomials |
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NCERT Solutions for Class 9 Mathematics Chapter 3 The World of Numbers |
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NCERT Solutions for Class 9 Mathematics Chapter 4 Exploring Algebraic Identities |
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NCERT Solutions for Class 9 Mathematics Chapter 5 I’m Up and Down, and Round and Round |
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NCERT Solutions for Class 9 Mathematics Chapter 6 Measuring Space: Perimeter and Area |
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NCERT Solutions for Class 9 Mathematics Chapter 7 The Mathematics of Maybe: Introduction to Probability |
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NCERT Solutions for Class 9 Mathematics Chapter 8 Predicting What Comes Next: Exploring Sequences and Progressions |
Before the start of a new academic year, students should refer to the latest syllabus to determine the chapters they’ll be studying. Below are the updated syllabus links, along with some recommended reference books.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Negative numbers help represent quantities below zero, such as debts, losses, and temperatures below 0 degrees Celsius.
The new name of the NCERT Class 9 Chapter 3 is “The World of Numbers”.
Free NCERT Solutions for Class 9 Maths Chapter 3 are available on many e-learning platforms and educational websites, such as Careers360, in both online and downloadable PDF formats.
A rational number has a terminating decimal expansion if the denominator in simplest form contains only the prime factors 2 and/or 5.
A decimal in which one digit or a group of digits repeats endlessly is called a repeating decimal.
Example: 0.123451234512345…..
Yes. Every point on the number line corresponds to a unique real number.
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