BECE 2001 Mathematics Past Questions and Answers
The BECE 2001 Mathematics paper has 40 objective and 5 theory questions. Here are sample objective questions with the correct answers and explanations. Sit the full paper with the real time limit on ePrep.
Sample questions with answers
1. R = {1, 3, 5, 7} and S = {2, 4, 6, 8}. Find R ∪ S.
- A. { }
- B. {1,2,3,5,6,8}
- C. {1,2,3,4,5,7,8}
- D. {1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8}
Answer: D. {1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8}
Union is simply listing each of the elements from both sets. If an element appeared in both sets, it is listed only once.
R ∪ S = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8}
Union is simply listing each of the elements from both sets. If an element appeared in both sets, it is listed only once.
R ∪ S = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8}
2. Find the missing members in the set {5, 10, 15, _ , 25, _ , _ ,40}
- A. 20 and 30
- B. 30 and 35
- C. 20 and 35
- D. 20, 30 and 35
Answer: D. 20, 30 and 35
The set is a list of multiples of 5 less than 45
The set is {5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40}
The set is a list of multiples of 5 less than 45
The set is {5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40}
3. What property of addition is defined by (a + b)+ c = a + (b + c)?
- A. Union
- B. Inverse
- C. Commutative
- D. Distributive
- E. Associative
Answer: E. Associative
The commutative property states that we can swap numbers over and still get the same answer.
Commutative Property
1. a + b = b + a
2. a x b = b x a
The associative property states that it doesn't matter how we group the numbers (i.e. which we calculate first).
Associative Property
1. (a + b) + c = a + (b + c)
2. (a x b) x b = a x (b x c)
The distributive property states that multiplying the sum of two or more addends by a number is the same as multiplying each addend individually by the number and then adding the products together.
Distributive Property
a × (b + c) = a × b + a × c
The commutative property states that we can swap numbers over and still get the same answer.
Commutative Property
1. a + b = b + a
2. a x b = b x a
The associative property states that it doesn't matter how we group the numbers (i.e. which we calculate first).
Associative Property
1. (a + b) + c = a + (b + c)
2. (a x b) x b = a x (b x c)
The distributive property states that multiplying the sum of two or more addends by a number is the same as multiplying each addend individually by the number and then adding the products together.
Distributive Property
a × (b + c) = a × b + a × c
4. Find the highest (greatest) common factor of 63 and 81.
- A. 3
- B. 7
- C. 9
- D. 21
Answer: C. 9
The easiest way of finding the Highest (Greatest) Common Factor is using the prime factors method.
Prime factors of 63
$\begin{matrix} & 63 \\ 3 & 21 \\ 3 & 7 \\ 7 & 1\end{matrix}$
Prime factors of 63 = 3 x 3 x 7
Prime factors of 63 = 3$^{2}$ x 7
Prime factors of 81
$\begin{matrix} & 81 \\ 3 & 27 \\ 3 & 9 \\ 3 & 3 \\ 3 & 1\end{matrix}$
Prime factors of 81 = 3 x 3 x 3 x 3
Prime factors of 81 = 3$^{4}$
The highest (greatest) common factor (H.C.F) is the product of the common prime factors in their lowest power.
The common prime factor is 3 and it's lowest power is 2.
H.C.F of 63 and 81 = 3$^{2}$ = 3 x 3 = 9
The easiest way of finding the Highest (Greatest) Common Factor is using the prime factors method.
Prime factors of 63
$\begin{matrix} & 63 \\ 3 & 21 \\ 3 & 7 \\ 7 & 1\end{matrix}$
Prime factors of 63 = 3 x 3 x 7
Prime factors of 63 = 3$^{2}$ x 7
Prime factors of 81
$\begin{matrix} & 81 \\ 3 & 27 \\ 3 & 9 \\ 3 & 3 \\ 3 & 1\end{matrix}$
Prime factors of 81 = 3 x 3 x 3 x 3
Prime factors of 81 = 3$^{4}$
The highest (greatest) common factor (H.C.F) is the product of the common prime factors in their lowest power.
The common prime factor is 3 and it's lowest power is 2.
H.C.F of 63 and 81 = 3$^{2}$ = 3 x 3 = 9
5. Change 124$_{five}$ to a base ten numeral.
- A. 24
- B. 35
- C. 39
- D. 42
Answer: C. 39
124$_{five}$ = 1 x 5$^{2}$ + 2 x 5$^{1}$ + 4 x 5$^{0}$
Any number raised to the power 0 is 1.
Any number raised to the power 1 is the same number.
5$^{2}$ = 5 x 5 = 25
124$_{five}$ = 1 x 25 + 2 x 5 + 4 x 1
124$_{five}$ = 25 + 10 + 4
124$_{five}$ = 39
124$_{five}$ = 1 x 5$^{2}$ + 2 x 5$^{1}$ + 4 x 5$^{0}$
Any number raised to the power 0 is 1.
Any number raised to the power 1 is the same number.
5$^{2}$ = 5 x 5 = 25
124$_{five}$ = 1 x 25 + 2 x 5 + 4 x 1
124$_{five}$ = 25 + 10 + 4
124$_{five}$ = 39
6. Kofi bought 4 books at an average price of ₵2,500.00. If the total cost of 3 of the books was ₵6,500.00, find the cost of the fourth book.
- A. ₵3,500.00
- B. ₵4,000.00
- C. ₵4,500.00
- D. ₵6,500.00
Answer and explanation: practise this paper on ePrep.
7. Find the sum of all even numbers between 70 and 80.
- A. 200
- B. 223
- C. 280
- D. 300
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8. By how much is $\frac{5}{6}$ greater than $\frac{3}{4}$?
- A. $\frac{1}{12}$
- B. $\frac{1}{6}$
- C. $\frac{5}{12}$
- D. $\frac{2}{3}$
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9. Evaluate 0.25 x 0.006, correct to three decimal places
- A. 0.001
- B. 0.002
- C. 0.015
- D. 0.075
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10. Express $\frac{5}{8}$ as a decimal fraction.
- A. 0.125
- B. 0.375
- C. 0.625
- D. 0.750
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