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WAEC SSCE - General Mathematics - 1996 (Essay)

Question 1 Report

(a) Find the number N such that when \(\frac{1}{3}\) of it is added to 8, the result is the same as when \(\frac{1}{2}\) of it is subtracted from 18.

(b) Using a ruler and a pair of compasses only, construct a trapezium ABCD, in which the parallel sides AB and DC are 4 cm apart. < DAB = 60°, /AB/ = 8 cm and /BC/ = 5 cm. Measure /DC/.

Answer Details

(a) Let the number be \(N\).

\[\frac{N}{3}+8=18-\frac{N}{2}\]

\[\frac{N}{3}+\frac{N}{2}=18-8\]

\[\frac{5N}{6}=10\]

\[5N=60\]

\[\boxed{N=12}\]


(b) Construction of trapezium \(ABCD\)

  1. Draw \(AB=8\text{ cm}\).
  2. At \(A\), construct \(\angle DAB=60^\circ\), and draw the ray \(AD\).
  3. Construct a perpendicular to \(AB\) at \(A\). Mark a point \(4\text{ cm}\) from \(A\) on this perpendicular and draw through it a line parallel to \(AB\). This line meets the \(60^\circ\) ray at \(D\).
  4. With centre \(B\) and radius \(5\text{ cm}\), draw an arc to cut the parallel line at \(C\), taking the intersection to the left of \(B\).
  5. Join \(BC\) and \(DC\).

figure
Completed ruler-and-compass construction of trapezium \(ABCD\). The dashed arc has centre \(B\) and radius \(5\text{ cm}\).

From the completed construction,

\[\boxed{DC\approx 2.7\text{ cm}}\]

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