Lecture 1

Operations on Rational Numbers

Examples
1 1
Example 1. Evaluate (−5)2 × (− )3− 23 ÷ (− )2 −(−1)1999.
5 2

Example 2. There are five operational expressions below:

1 1 1 1
i. (2 × 3 × 5 × 7) ( + + + ) ;
2 3 5 7
ii. (−0.125)7∙ 88;
iii. (−11) + (−33) − (−55) − (−66) − (−77) − (−88);
75 37
iv. (− )2 + ( )2;
13 13
6 4 4 16 246
v. [(− )7 + (− ) × (− ) × ] × (9 − 0.666).
7 5 9 81 247
Then the expression with the maximal value is
(A) (i), (B) (iii), (C) (iv), (D) (v).

Example 3. 123456789 × 999999999 = ______________.

13579
Example 4. The value of is
(−13579)2 + (−13578)(13580)

833 + 173
Example 5. = ________.
83 × 66 + 172

Example 6. Evaluate
(4 × 7 + 2)(6 × 9 + 2)(8 × 11 + 2)∙∙∙∙∙(100 × 103 + 2)
(5 × 8 + 2)(7 × 10 + 2)(9 × 12 + 2)∙∙∙∙∙(99 × 102 + 2)

200920082
Example 7. = _________.
200920072 + 200920092 − 2

1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Example 8. 3 − − − − − − − =________.
2 6 12 20 30 42 56

1 1 1 1 1 1
Example 9. Evaluate + + + + + .
3 15 35 63 99 143

Example 10. If 𝑎𝑏 < 0, then the relation in sizes of (𝑎 − 𝑏)2 and (𝑎 + 𝑏)2 is
a) (𝑎 − 𝑏)2 < (𝑎 + 𝑏)2;
b) (𝑎 − 𝑏)2 = (𝑎 + 𝑏)2
c) (𝑎 − 𝑏)2> (𝑎 + 𝑏)2
d) not determined.

1 1
Example 11. If −1 < 𝑎 < 0, then the relation in sizes of 𝑎3, −𝑎3, 𝑎4, −𝑎 4, , − is
𝑎 𝑎
1 1
a) < −𝑎4 < 𝑎3 < −𝑎3 < 𝑎4 < − ;
𝑎 𝑎
1 1
b) 𝑎 < < −𝑎4 < 𝑎4 < − < −𝑎3 ;
𝑎 𝑎
1 1
c) < 𝑎3 < −𝑎4 < 𝑎4 < −𝑎3 < − ;
𝑎 𝑎
1 1
d) < 𝑎3 < 𝑎4 < −𝑎4 < −𝑎3 < − .
1

𝑎 𝑎
Page
 Testing Questions (A)
1. Evaluate −1 − (−1)1 − (−1)2 − (−1)3 − ∙∙∙ − (−1)99 − (−1)100.

2. Evaluate 2008 × 20092009 − 2009 × 20082008.

1 1
3. From 2009 subtract half of it at first, then subtract of the remaining number, next subtract
3 4
1
of the remaining number, and so on, until of the remaining number is subtracted. What is
2009
the final remaining number?

1 1 1 1 1
4. Find the sum + + + + .
5×7 7×9 9 × 11 11 × 13 13 × 15

1 1 1 1 1
5. Find the sum + + + + .
10 40 88 154 238

6. Evaluate
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
( + +∙ ∙∙ + ) (1 + + ∙∙∙ + )− (1 + + +∙∙∙ + )( + +∙∙∙ + ).
3 4 2009 2 2008 3 4 2009 2 3 2008

1 1 1
7. Find the sum + +∙∙∙ + .
1+2 1+2+3 1 + 2 + ∙∙∙ + 51

8. Let 𝑛 be a positive integer, find the value of

1 2 1 1 2 3 2 1 1 2 𝑛 𝑛−1 1
1 + + + + + + + + + ∙∙∙ + + + ∙∙∙ + + + ∙∙∙ + .
2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 𝑛 𝑛 𝑛 𝑛 𝑛

9. Evaluate 12 − 22 + 32 − 42+ ∙∙∙ − 20082 + 20092 .

10. Find the sum 11 + 192 + 1993 + 19994 + 199995 + 1999996 + 19999997 +
1999999998 + 199999999.

Testing Questions (B)

32 + 1 52 + 1 72 + 1 992 + 1
1. Calculate + + +∙∙∙ + .
32 −1 52 −1 72 −1 992 − 1

2. After simplification, the value of

2 3 4 100
1 − 1∙(1 + 2) − (1 + 2)(1 + 2 + 3) − (1 + 2 + 3)(1 + 2 + 3 + 4) − ⋯ − (1 + 2 + ∙∙∙ + 99)(1 + 2 + ∙∙∙ + 100) is
a proper fraction in its lowest form. Find the difference of its denominator and numerator.

1 1 1
3. Evaluate + + ∙∙∙ + .
1×2×3 2×3×4 100 × 101 × 102

4. Find the sum

1 2 3 50
+ + +∙∙∙ + .
1 + 12 + 14 1 + 22 + 24 1 + 32 + 34 1 + 502 + 504

5. Evaluate the expression

2

12 22 92
Page

+ + ∙∙∙ + .
12 − 10+ 50 22 − 20 + 50 92 – 90 + 50