BECE 2013 Mathematics Past Questions and Answers
The BECE 2013 Mathematics paper has 40 objective and 6 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. If A = {5,10,15,20,25,125} and B = {5,10,15,20,25,625}, list the elements of A ∪ B
- A. {5,25}
- B. {10,20,125,625}
- C. {5,15,25,125,625}
- D. {5,10,15,20,25,125,625}
Answer: D. {5,10,15,20,25,125,625}
Union (∪) is the list of elements from each sets. If an element occurs more than one, it is written only once.
Union (∪) is the list of elements from each sets. If an element occurs more than one, it is written only once.
2. Express 1.25 as a percentage.
- A. 25%
- B. 75%
- C. 125%
- D. 175%
Answer: C. 125%
Changing a decimal to percentage is simply multiplying the decimal by 100
1.25 x 100 = 1.⌒2⌒5. x 100 = 125%
Changing a decimal to percentage is simply multiplying the decimal by 100
1.25 x 100 = 1.⌒2⌒5. x 100 = 125%
3. Arrange the following in ascending order of magnitude:
0.301,0.3,0.33,0.03.
0.301,0.3,0.33,0.03.
- A. 0.03,0.3,0.301,0.33
- B. 0.03,0.301,0.3,0.33
- C. 0.33,0.3,0.301,0.03
- D. 0.33,0.301,0.3,0.03
Answer: A. 0.03,0.3,0.301,0.33
Comparing/Ordering Decimals
Method I
Place the decimals in place value chart and compare them.
| Decimal | Place Value Chart | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decimal | Ones | Decimal Point | Tenths | Hundredths | Thousandths |
| 0.301 | 0 | . | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| 0.3 | 0 | . | 3 | | |
| 0.33 | 0 | . | 3 | 3 | |
| 0.03 | 0 | . | 0 | 3 | |
Examine the digit in each of the place values to order your decimals.
Ascending order
0.03,0.3,0.301,0.33
Method II
Step 1
Change the decimals to whole numbers by multiplying each decimals by 1n0s
Where n0s means number of zeros to join the 1 to obtain 10,100,1000,10000 etc.
The n0s is the highest number of digits after the decimal point of one of the decimals you are to order.
The decimal 0.301 has the highest number of digits (3) after the decimal points, hence we multiply each of the decimals by 1000
Step 2
Order the whole numbers obtained
Step 3
Replace the whole numbers by their corresponding decimal numbers.
Step 1
0.301 = 0.301 x 1000 = 0.⌒3⌒0⌒1. x 1000 = 301
0.3 = 0.3 x 1000 = 0.⌒3⌒0⌒0. x 1000 = 300
0.33 = 0.33 x 1000 = 0.⌒3⌒3⌒0. x 1000 = 330
0.03 = 0.03 x 1000 = 0.⌒0⌒3⌒0. x 1000 = 30
Step 2
Ascending order → 30,300,301,330
Step 3
0.03,0.3,0.301,0.33
Comparing/Ordering Decimals
Method I
Place the decimals in place value chart and compare them.
| Decimal | Place Value Chart | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decimal | Ones | Decimal Point | Tenths | Hundredths | Thousandths |
| 0.301 | 0 | . | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| 0.3 | 0 | . | 3 | | |
| 0.33 | 0 | . | 3 | 3 | |
| 0.03 | 0 | . | 0 | 3 | |
Examine the digit in each of the place values to order your decimals.
Ascending order
0.03,0.3,0.301,0.33
Method II
Step 1
Change the decimals to whole numbers by multiplying each decimals by 1n0s
Where n0s means number of zeros to join the 1 to obtain 10,100,1000,10000 etc.
The n0s is the highest number of digits after the decimal point of one of the decimals you are to order.
The decimal 0.301 has the highest number of digits (3) after the decimal points, hence we multiply each of the decimals by 1000
Step 2
Order the whole numbers obtained
Step 3
Replace the whole numbers by their corresponding decimal numbers.
Step 1
0.301 = 0.301 x 1000 = 0.⌒3⌒0⌒1. x 1000 = 301
0.3 = 0.3 x 1000 = 0.⌒3⌒0⌒0. x 1000 = 300
0.33 = 0.33 x 1000 = 0.⌒3⌒3⌒0. x 1000 = 330
0.03 = 0.03 x 1000 = 0.⌒0⌒3⌒0. x 1000 = 30
Step 2
Ascending order → 30,300,301,330
Step 3
0.03,0.3,0.301,0.33
4. Evaluate 53 - (-7) + (-15).
- A. 31
- B. 45
- C. 61
- D. 75
Answer: B. 45
-- = + or - (-) = +
+- = - or +(-) = - or + x - = -
53 - (-7) + (-15) = 53 + 7 - 15
53 - (-7) + (-15) = 60 - 15
53 - (-7) + (-15) = 45
-- = + or - (-) = +
+- = - or +(-) = - or + x - = -
53 - (-7) + (-15) = 53 + 7 - 15
53 - (-7) + (-15) = 60 - 15
53 - (-7) + (-15) = 45
5. Given that A = {a, e, i, o, u} and B = {r, s, t}, how many elements are in A∩B?
- A. 0
- B. 1
- C. 2
- D. 3
Answer: A. 0
Intersection (∩) is the list of elements that can be found in both sets (A and B)
A∩B = {}
There are no element in both sets, hence the intersection is an empty set. The number of elements in the intersection of A and B is therefore 0.
Intersection (∩) is the list of elements that can be found in both sets (A and B)
A∩B = {}
There are no element in both sets, hence the intersection is an empty set. The number of elements in the intersection of A and B is therefore 0.
6. Convert 2114$_{five}$ to a base ten numeral.
- A. 194
- B. 280
- C. 284
- D. 300
Answer and explanation: practise this paper on ePrep.
7. Simplify $\frac{{2}^{2}x{3}^{2}}{{4}^{2}x{3}^{3}}$.
- A. $\frac{1}{12}$
- B. $\frac{1}{6}$
- C. $\frac{1}{4}$
- D. $\frac{1}{3}$
Answer and explanation: practise this paper on ePrep.
8. A car uses 150 litres of petrol in 45 mins. How many litres of petrol will it use in 1 hour?
- A. 375 litres
- B. 230 litres
- C. 225 litres
- D. 200 litres
Answer and explanation: practise this paper on ePrep.
9. Simplify $\frac{36{a}^{3}{b}^{2}x}{27a{b}^{3}y}$.
- A. $\frac{4{a}^{2}x}{3by}$
- B. $\frac{4abx}{3y}$
- C. $\frac{4{a}^{2}bx}{3y}$
- D. $\frac{4{a}^{4}{b}^{5}x}{3y}$
Answer and explanation: practise this paper on ePrep.
10. Find the rule of the mapping:
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | x |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ↓ | ↓ | ↓ | ↓ | ↓ | ↓ |
| 5 | 8 | 11 | 14 | 17 | y |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | x |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ↓ | ↓ | ↓ | ↓ | ↓ | ↓ |
| 5 | 8 | 11 | 14 | 17 | y |
- A. x + 2
- B. x + 4
- C. 2*x* + 3
- D. 3*x* + 2
Answer and explanation: practise this paper on ePrep.
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