CBSE · NCERT · Class 6 Maths · Chapter 10

NCERT Solutions: Class 6 Maths Chapter 10 - The Other Side of Zero

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Chapter-wise NCERT intext questions and exercise answers for The Other Side of Zero, grounded in the official textbook.

Questions are taken verbatim from the NCERT textbook; answers were grounded against the chapter's content during generation. Items needing review are marked.
Sections in this chapter
Introductory Exploration 2Section 10.1 - Addition in the Lift 3Section 10.1 - Combining Button Presses 1Section 10.1 - Inverses 1Section 10.1 - Comparing Floors 1Section 10.1 - Comparing Integers 2Section 10.1 - Subtraction as Movement 1Section 10.1 - Subtraction in the Lift 1Section 10.1 - Mineshaft 1Section 10.1 - Number Line 2Section 10.2 - Number Line Practice 4Section 10.2 - Tokens Addition 1Section 10.2 - Tokens Subtraction 2Section 10.2 - More Token Subtraction 2Section 10.3 - Bank Balance 4Section 10.3 - Credits and Debits 3Section 10.3 - Geographical Cross Sections 4Section 10.3 - Temperature 2Section 10.4 - Hollow Integer Grid 1Section 10.4 - Integer Grids 2Section 10.4 - Figure it Out 8Brahmagupta's Rules 2
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1Introductory Exploration2 questions
Q.1What do you press to go four floors up? What do you press to go three floors down?v
Solution

Going up is represented by a positive movement; going down is represented by a negative movement.

Answer:

Press $+4$ to go four floors up and $-3$ to go three floors down.

Q.2Number all the floors in the Building of Fun.v
Solution

The Welcome Hall is Floor $0$. Floors above it are positive and floors below it are negative.

Answer:

$+3$: Book Store; $+2$: Art Centre; $+1$: Food Court; $0$: Welcome Hall; $-1$: Toy Store; $-2$: Video Game.

2Section 10.1 - Addition in the Lift3 questions
Q.1You start from Floor + 2 and press – 3 in the lift. Where will you reach? Write an expression for this movement.v
Solution

Starting floor plus movement gives target floor: $(+2)+(-3)=-1$.

Answer:

You reach Floor $-1$, the Toy Store.

Q.2Evaluate these expressions (you may think of them as Starting Floor + Movement by referring to the Building of Fun). a. (+ 1) + (+ 4) = _______ b. (+ 4) + (+ 1) = _______ c. (+ 4) + (– 3) = _______ d. (– 1) + (+ 2) = _______ e. (– 1) + (+ 1) = _______ f. 0 + (+ 2) = _________ g. 0 + (– 2) = _________v
Solution

Add the signed movements directly, treating upward movement as positive and downward movement as negative.

Answer:

a. $+5$; b. $+5$; c. $+1$; d. $+1$; e. $0$; f. $+2$; g. $-2$.

Q.3Starting from different floors, find the movements required to reach Floor – 5. For example, if I start at Floor + 2, I must press – 7 to reach Floor – 5. The expression is (+ 2) + (– 7) = – 5. Find more such starting positions and the movements needed to reach Floor – 5 and write the expressions.v
Solution

For each starting floor, choose the movement that makes starting floor + movement equal $-5$.

Answer:

Examples: $(+1)+(-6)=-5$, $(-2)+(-3)=-5$, and $0+(-5)=-5$.

3Section 10.1 - Combining Button Presses1 questions
Q.1Evaluate these expressions by thinking of them as the resulting movement of combining button presses: a. (+ 1) + (+ 4) = _____________ b. (+ 4) + (+ 1) = _____________ c. (+ 4) + (– 3) + (– 2) = _______ d. (– 1) + (+ 2) + (– 3) = _______v
Solution

Combine all upward and downward movements: c. $4-3-2=-1$; d. $-1+2-3=-2$.

Answer:

a. $+5$; b. $+5$; c. $-1$; d. $-2$.

4Section 10.1 - Inverses1 questions
Q.1Write the inverses of these numbers: +4, –4, –3, 0, +2, –1.v
Solution

The inverse of a number is the number with the opposite sign. The inverse of $0$ is $0$.

Answer:

$-4,+4,+3,0,-2,+1$ respectively.

5Section 10.1 - Comparing Floors1 questions
Q.1Who is on the lowest floor? 1. Jay is in the Art Centre. So, he is on Floor +2. 2. Asin is in the Sports Centre. So, she is on Floor ___. 3. Binnu is in the Cinema Centre. So, she is on Floor ____. 4. Aman is in the Toys Shop. So, he is on Floor ____.v
Solution

The lowest floor is the smallest integer. Among $+2,+5,-3,-1$, the smallest is $-3$.

Answer:

Binnu is on the lowest floor. The floors are Jay $+2$, Asin $+5$, Binnu $-3$, and Aman $-1$.

6Section 10.1 - Comparing Integers2 questions
Q.1Compare the following numbers using the Building of Fun and fill in the boxes with < or >. a. – 2 __ +5 b. – 5 __ + 4 c. – 5 __ – 3 d. + 6 __ – 6 e. 0 __ – 4 f. 0 __ + 4v
Solution

On the number line, numbers farther right are greater. Positive numbers are greater than negative numbers, and $0$ is greater than negative numbers but less than positive numbers.

Answer:

a. $<$; b. $<$; c. $<$; d. $>$; e. $>$; f. $<$.

Q.2Imagine the Building of Fun with more floors. Compare the numbers and fill in the boxes with < or >: a. (–10) __ (–12) b. + 17 __ (–10) c. 0 __ (–20) d. + 9 __ (–9) e. (–25) __ (–7) f. + 15 __ (–17)v
Solution

For negative numbers, the number closer to zero is greater. Any positive number is greater than any negative number.

Answer:

a. $>$; b. $>$; c. $>$; d. $>$; e. $<$; f. $>$.

7Section 10.1 - Subtraction as Movement1 questions
Q.1Evaluate 15 – 5, 100 – 10 and 74 – 34 from this perspective.v
Solution

Think of subtraction as the missing movement: $5+10=15$, $10+90=100$, and $34+40=74$.

Answer:

$15-5=10$, $100-10=90$, and $74-34=40$.

8Section 10.1 - Subtraction in the Lift1 questions
Q.1Complete these expressions. You may think of them as finding the movement needed to reach the Target Floor from the Starting Floor. a. (+ 1) – (+ 4) = _______ b. (0) – (+ 2) = _________ c. (+ 4) – (+ 1) = _______ d. (0) – (– 2) = _________ e. (+ 4) – (– 3) = _______ f. (– 4) – (– 3) = ________ g. (– 1) – (+ 2) = _______ h. (– 2) – (– 2) = ________ i. (– 1) – (+1) = _______ j. (+ 3) – (– 3) = ________v
Solution

Subtract the starting floor from the target floor to find the movement needed.

Answer:

a. $-3$; b. $-2$; c. $+3$; d. $+2$; e. $+7$; f. $-1$; g. $-3$; h. $0$; i. $-2$; j. $+6$.

9Section 10.1 - Mineshaft1 questions
Q.1Complete these expressions. a. (+ 40) + ______ = + 200 b. (+ 40) + _______ = – 200 c. (– 50) + ______ = + 200 d. (– 50) + _______ = – 200 e. (– 200) – (– 40) = _______ f. (+ 200) – (+ 40) = _______ g. (– 200) – (+ 40) = _______v
Solution

Find the signed movement that makes each equation true; for subtraction, compute target minus starting value.

Answer:

a. $+160$; b. $-240$; c. $+250$; d. $-150$; e. $-160$; f. $+160$; g. $-240$.

10Section 10.1 - Number Line2 questions
Q.1In the other exercises that you did above, did you notice that subtracting a negative number was the same as adding the corresponding positive number?v
Solution

Moving from a negative starting value to a target is the same as adding the corresponding positive distance. For example, $+2000-(-200)=+2000+(+200)=+2200$.

Answer:

Yes.

Q.2Try evaluating the following expressions by similarly drawing or imagining a suitable lift: a. – 125 + (– 30) b. + 105 – (– 55) c. + 105 + (+ 55) d. + 80 – (– 150) e. + 80 + (+ 150) f. – 99 – (– 200) g. – 99 + (+ 200) h. + 1500 – (– 1500)v
Solution

Subtracting a negative number is the same as adding the corresponding positive number. Then combine signs normally.

Answer:

a. $-155$; b. $+160$; c. $+160$; d. $+230$; e. $+230$; f. $+101$; g. $+101$; h. $+3000$.

11Section 10.2 - Number Line Practice4 questions
Q.1Mark 3 positive numbers and 3 negative numbers on the number line above.v
Solution

Positive numbers are marked to the right of $0$; negative numbers are marked to the left of $0$.

Answer:

Example: mark $2,5,8$ and $-1,-3,-7$.

Q.2Write down the above 3 marked negative numbers in the following boxes:v
Solution

List the negative numbers that were marked on the number line.

Answer:

For the example above: $-7,-3,-1$.

Q.3Is 2 > – 3? Why? Is – 2 < 3? Why?v
Solution

On the number line, $2$ is to the right of $-3$, so $2>-3$. Also, $-2$ is to the left of $3$, so $-2<3$.

Answer:

Yes, $2>-3$ and $-2<3$.

Q.4What are (i) – 5 + 0 (ii) 7 + (– 7) (iii) – 10 + 20 (iv) 10 – 20 (v) 7 – (– 7) (vi) – 8 – (– 10)?v
Solution

Use signed addition/subtraction: $-5+0=-5$, $7-7=0$, $-10+20=10$, $10-20=-10$, $7-(-7)=14$, and $-8-(-10)=2$.

Answer:

i. $-5$; ii. $0$; iii. $10$; iv. $-10$; v. $14$; vi. $2$.

12Section 10.2 - Tokens Addition1 questions
Q.1Complete the additions using tokens. a. (+ 6) + (+ 4) b. (– 3) + (– 2) c. (+ 5) + (– 7) d. (– 2) + (+ 6)v
Solution

Combine positive and negative tokens, cancelling zero pairs where possible.

Answer:

a. $+10$; b. $-5$; c. $-2$; d. $+4$.

13Section 10.2 - Tokens Subtraction2 questions
Q.1Evaluate the following differences using tokens. Check that you get the same result as with other methods you now know: a. (+ 10) – (+ 7) b. (– 8) – (– 4) c. (– 9) – (– 4) d. (+ 9) – (+ 12) e. (– 5) – (– 7) f. (– 2) – (– 6)v
Solution

Subtract by taking away the requested tokens; add zero pairs when needed. The arithmetic matches ordinary integer subtraction.

Answer:

a. $+3$; b. $-4$; c. $-5$; d. $-3$; e. $+2$; f. $+4$.

Q.2Complete the subtractions: a. (– 5) – (– 7) b. (+ 10) – (+ 13) c. (– 7) – (– 9) d. (+ 3) – (+ 8) e. (– 2) – (– 7) f. (+ 3) – (+ 15)v
Solution

Compute each difference using integer subtraction rules.

Answer:

a. $+2$; b. $-3$; c. $+2$; d. $-5$; e. $+5$; f. $-12$.

14Section 10.2 - More Token Subtraction2 questions
Q.1Try to subtract: – 3 – (+ 5). How many zero pairs will you have to put in? What is the result?v
Solution

Start with $3$ negative tokens. To take away $5$ positive tokens, add $5$ zero pairs. After removing $5$ positives, $8$ negatives remain.

Answer:

Put in $5$ zero pairs; the result is $-8$.

Q.2Evaluate the following using tokens. a. (– 3) – (+ 10) b. (+ 8) – (– 7) c. (– 5) – (+ 9) d. (– 9) – (+ 10) e. (+ 6) – (– 4) f. (– 2) – (+ 7)v
Solution

Use zero pairs when needed, or compute directly: subtracting a positive moves left; subtracting a negative moves right.

Answer:

a. $-13$; b. $+15$; c. $-14$; d. $-19$; e. $+10$; f. $-9$.

15Section 10.3 - Bank Balance4 questions
Q.1Your new bank balance is _______.v
Solution

Starting balance $Rs\ 100$ plus credit $Rs\ 60$ gives $100+60=160$.

Answer:

$Rs\ 160$.

Q.2Your bank balance is now ______.v
Solution

After paying $Rs\ 30$, the balance is $160-30=130$.

Answer:

$Rs\ 130$.

Q.3What is your bank balance now? ______ Is this possible?v
Solution

After a debit of $Rs\ 150$, the balance is $130-150=-20$.

Answer:

$-Rs\ 20$; yes, some banks may temporarily allow a negative balance.

Q.4What is your balance now? ______v
Solution

A credit of $Rs\ 200$ after balance $-Rs\ 20$ gives $-20+200=180$.

Answer:

$Rs\ 180$.

16Section 10.3 - Credits and Debits3 questions
Q.1Suppose you start with ₹0 in your bank account, and then you have credits of ₹30, ₹40, and ₹50, and debits of ₹40, ₹50, and ₹60. What is your bank account balance now?v
Solution

Credits total $30+40+50=120$. Debits total $40+50+60=150$. Balance $=120-150=-30$.

Answer:

$-Rs\ 30$.

Q.2Suppose you start with ₹0 in your bank account, and then you have debits of ₹1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, and 128, and then a single credit of ₹256. What is your bank account balance now?v
Solution

Debits total $1+2+4+8+16+32+64+128=255$. Then $256-255=1$.

Answer:

$Rs\ 1$.

Q.3Why is it generally better to try and maintain a positive balance in your bank account? What are circumstances under which it may be worthwhile to temporarily have a negative balance?v
Solution

Negative balances can create extra charges, so they are usually avoided. They may be worthwhile only when the benefit of the purchase or emergency payment is greater than the temporary cost.

Answer:

A positive balance avoids fees or interest. A temporary negative balance may be useful for an urgent or strategic expense if it can be repaid soon.

17Section 10.3 - Geographical Cross Sections4 questions
Q.2Which is the highest point in this geographical cross section? Which is the lowest point?v
Solution

From the labelled heights, A has the greatest positive height and D has the lowest negative height.

Answer:

Highest point: A. Lowest point: D.

Q.3Can you write the points A, B, …, G in a sequence of decreasing order of heights? Can you write the points in a sequence of increasing order of heights?v
Solution

Order the approximate heights from greatest to least and then reverse for increasing order.

Answer:

Decreasing: A, E, C, G, F, B, D. Increasing: D, B, F, G, C, E, A.

Q.4What is the highest point above sea level on Earth? What is its height?v
Solution

Mount Everest is the highest point above sea level on Earth.

Answer:

Mount Everest, about $8848\text{ m}$ above sea level.

Q.5What is the lowest point with respect to sea level on land or on the ocean floor? What is its height? (This height should be negative).v
Solution

Depths below sea level are represented by negative numbers. Challenger Deep is about $10994\text{ m}$ below sea level.

Answer:

Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench, approximately $-10994\text{ m}$.

18Section 10.3 - Temperature2 questions
Q.1Do you know that there are some places in India where temperatures can go below 0°C? Find out the places in India where temperatures sometimes go below 0°C. What is common among these places? Why does it become colder there and not in other places?v
Solution

Temperature usually decreases with altitude, and mountainous northern regions receive colder winter conditions, so temperatures can fall below $0^\circ\text{C}$.

Answer:

Examples include Ladakh, Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and high Himalayan regions. These places are generally at high altitude or high latitude, so they can become very cold.

Q.2Leh in Ladakh gets very cold during the winter. The following is a table of temperature readings taken during different times of the day and night in Leh on a day in November. Match the temperature with the appropriate time of the day and night.v
Solution

The warmest temperature is most likely afternoon, the next warmest late morning, and the coldest temperatures occur at night or early morning.

Answer:

$14^\circ\text{C}$: 02:00 p.m.; $8^\circ\text{C}$: 11:00 a.m.; $-2^\circ\text{C}$: 11:00 p.m.; $-4^\circ\text{C}$: 02:00 a.m.

19Section 10.4 - Hollow Integer Grid1 questions
Q.1Do the calculations for the second grid above and find the border sum.v
Solution

For the second grid, each border row or column sum is $-3$, so the border sum is $-3$.

Answer:

$-3$.

20Section 10.4 - Integer Grids2 questions
Q.1Try afresh, choose different numbers this time. What sum did you get? Was it different from the first time? Try a few more times!v
Solution

Repeat the grid procedure with different choices and compare the resulting sums to detect the pattern.

Answer:

The result depends on the chosen numbers, but the grid arrangement may force the same kind of total each time.

Q.3What could be so special about these grids? Is the magic in the numbers or the way they are arranged or both? Can you make more such grids?v
Solution

The entries are arranged so that different allowed choices produce controlled sums. Similar grids can be made by arranging numbers in arithmetic patterns.

Answer:

The special feature is in both the numbers and their arrangement.

21Section 10.4 - Figure it Out8 questions
Q.1Write all the integers between the given pairs, in increasing order. a. 0 and – 7 b. – 4 and 4 c. – 8 and – 15 d. – 30 and – 23v
Solution

List only the integers strictly between each pair, from smaller to larger.

Answer:

a. $-6,-5,-4,-3,-2,-1$; b. $-3,-2,-1,0,1,2,3$; c. $-14,-13,-12,-11,-10,-9$; d. $-29,-28,-27,-26,-25,-24$.

Q.2Give three numbers such that their sum is – 8.v
Solution

$-5+7-10=-8$. Many other triples are possible.

Answer:

One example is $-5,7,-10$.

Q.3There are two dice whose faces have these numbers: – 1, 2, – 3, 4, – 5, 6. The smallest possible sum upon rolling these dice is – 10 = (– 5) + (– 5) and the largest possible sum is 12 = (6) + (6). Some numbers between (– 10) and (+ 12) are not possible to get by adding numbers on these two dice. Find those numbers.v
Solution

Form all pairwise sums from the set $\{-5,-3,-1,2,4,6\}$. The listed integers between $-10$ and $12$ do not occur among those sums.

Answer:

$-9,-7,-5,0,2,7,9,11$.

Q.4Solve these: 8 – 13 (– 8) – (13) (– 13) – (– 8) (– 13) + (– 8) 8 + (– 13) (– 8) – (– 13) (13) – 8 13 – (– 8)v
Solution

Evaluate each signed expression in order: $8-13=-5$, $-8-13=-21$, $-13-(-8)=-5$, $-13+(-8)=-21$, $8+(-13)=-5$, $-8-(-13)=5$, $13-8=5$, and $13-(-8)=21$.

Answer:

$-5,-21,-5,-21,-5,5,5,21$.

Q.5Find the years below. a. From the present year, which year was it 150 years ago? ________ b. From the present year, which year was it 2200 years ago? _______ Hint: Recall that there was no year 0. c. What will be the year 320 years after 680 BCE? ________v
Solution

a. $2026-150=1876$. b. Going back $2200$ years from $2026\text{ CE}$ crosses from $1\text{ CE}$ directly to $1\text{ BCE}$ with no year $0$, giving $175\text{ BCE}$. c. $680\text{ BCE}$ plus $320$ years is $360\text{ BCE}$.

Answer:

Using the present year $2026$: a. $1876\text{ CE}$; b. $175\text{ BCE}$; c. $360\text{ BCE}$.

Q.6Complete the following sequences: a. (–40), (–34), (–28), (–22), _____, ______, ______ b. 3, 4, 2, 5, 1, 6, 0, 7, _____, _____, _____ c. _____, ______, 12, 6, 1, (–3), (–6), _____, ______, ______v
Solution

a. Add $6$ each time. b. The pattern alternates one less on the first subsequence and one more on the second. c. The differences are $-8,-7,-6,-5,-4,-3,-2,-1,0$.

Answer:

a. $-16,-10,-4$; b. $-1,8,-2$; c. $27,19,-8,-9,-9$.

Q.7Here are six integer cards: (+1), (+7), (+18), (–5), (–2), (–9). You can pick any of these and make an expression using addition(s) and subtraction(s). Here is an expression: (+18)+(+1)–(+7) – (–2) which gives a value (+14). Now, pick cards and make an expression such that its value is closer to (– 30).v
Solution

Compute $-2-9-18-1=-30$, which is exactly $-30$.

Answer:

One expression is $(-2)+(-9)-(+18)-(+1)=-30$.

Q.8The sum of two positive integers is always positive but a (positive integer) – (positive integer) can be positive or negative. What about a. (positive) – (negative) b. (positive) + (negative) c. (negative) + (negative) d. (negative) – (negative) e. (negative) – (positive) f. (negative) + (positive)v
Solution

Subtracting a negative adds a positive, so part a is positive. Adding or subtracting mixed signs depends on magnitudes. Adding two negatives or subtracting a positive from a negative gives a negative.

Answer:

a. positive; b. can be positive or negative; c. negative; d. can be positive or negative; e. negative; f. can be positive or negative.

22Brahmagupta's Rules2 questions
Q.1Can you explain each of Brahmagupta’s rules in terms of Bela’s Building of Fun, or in terms of a number line?v
Solution

Subtracting a smaller positive from a larger positive moves right of zero; subtracting a larger positive from a smaller positive moves left of zero; subtracting a negative is moving upward/right; subtracting a number from itself returns to zero; subtracting zero leaves the position unchanged.

Answer:

Yes. Each rule describes movement on the number line or in the lift.

Q.2Give your own examples of each rule.v
Solution

Each example matches one of Brahmagupta's subtraction rules stated in the text.

Answer:

Examples: $5-3=2$; $3-5=-2$; $3-(-5)=8$; $-4-(-4)=0$; $-6-0=-6$ and $0-(-6)=6$.