Mathematical Literacy 2
Module 1
Answers to Activities
Answers to activities Future Managers 1

Activity 1
•Do the following calculations using the M+ and MRC
keys on the calculator. Write down the complete
keystroke..
A
35965 + 2698 A A
35965 - 6428 A A
35965 x 14 A A 
35965 ÷ 5  c  c
Answers to activities Future Managers 2

Activity 2
1. A second hand car salesman adds R260,00 to the
price of each vehicle sold, to compensate for
damages suffered during a burglary. Calculate the
prices of the following cars by programming your
calculator to do a constant addition.
R60 650 60910 R25 295 25555
R39 475 39735 R125 855 126115
R28 975 29235 R49 999 50259
Answers to activities Future Managers 3

1. A bill for 6 of each of four items has to be calculated.
Work out the bill, item by item. Then write the total
for the bill. Work out the bill again, but this time use
the shortcut methods of your calculator. Then write
down the keystroke sequence that you could use with
your shortcut method.
Price of one item Price of 6 items
R125,68 R754,08
R252,75 R1516.50
R78,52 R471,12
R59,87 R359,22
Total Amount Owed R3 100.92
Keystroke R 3
Answers to activities Future Managers 4

3. Do the following calculations using the M+ and
MRC keys. Write down the complete keystroke
sequence.
8 248
Question Keystroke Answer
48 248 + 6 629 8 248 54 877
48 248 – 5 936 8 248 42 312
48 248 x 37 8 24 1 785 176
48 248 ÷ 8 8 2 6 031
Answers to activities Future Managers 5

Activity 3
1. In a small group, list any five numbers between
500 and 20 000. Let each member in the group
give a number that first comes to mind. Write
them down and do the following:
– Give the value of the first digit of every number
– Give the value of the third digit of every number
– Divide each number by 1000
– Then give the value of the 2nd digit after the comma
Answers to activities Future Managers 6

Activity 3
1. Work with a partner; calculate with calculator
and then make a conclusion of what happens
when you multiply or divide by a factor of 10.
– 2,56 x 10 = 25,6
– 2,56 x 100 =
256
– 2,56 x 1000 =
2560
– 2,56 ÷ 10 =
0,256
– 2,56 ÷ 100 = 0.0256
– 2,56 ÷ 1000= 0.00256
Answers to activities Future Managers 7

Activity 4
1. Calculate without a calculator
a 82 x 100 8 200
b 3.85 x 1 000 3 850
c 4.07 x 10 40.70
d 0.64 x 1 000 640
e 0.003 x 100 0.3
Answers to activities Future Managers 8

2. Arrange from largest to smallest
a 265; 625; 256; 526; 652; 562
652; 625; 562; 526; 265; 256
b 2904,621; 2904,216; 2904,162; 2904,126; 2904,261;
2904,612
2904,621; 2904,612; 2904,261; 2904,216;
2904,162; 2904,126
c 0,38; 3,8; 3,08; 0,83; 8,03; 8,38; 8,83
8,83; 8,38; 80,3; 3,8; 3,08; 0,3; 0,38
d 6,53; 3,56; 65,36; 563,35; 563,53; 653,63
653,63; 563,53; 563,35; 65,36; 6,53; 3,56
e 0,44; 4,4; 0,04; 0,044; 4,04; 44,4; 44,04
44,4; 44,04; 4,4; 4,04; 0,44; 0,044; 0,04
8,09; 0,89; 8,9; 80,9; 89,09; 0,98; 0,098
f 89,09; 80,9; 8,9; 8,09; 0,98; 0,89; 0,098
Answers to activities Future Managers 9

3. Write in decimal notation
a. 3/10 = 0.3
b. 4/1000 = 0.04
c. 4+73/100 = 4.73
Answers to activities Future Managers 10

Activity 5
• Work with a partner and estimate:
a. Your partner’s height, then ask what it is, or
measure him or her.
b. The breadth of the classroom, then measure it
c. The amount to be paid if you want to buy loose
cigarettes at R1,30 each for 8 friends. Calculate
your answer and compare.
Answers to activities Future Managers 11

Activity 6
• See how quickly you can guess the answers
1. Which number is the best estimate for 37x23?
a. 800 b. 8 000 c. 80 000
3. Which number is the best estimate for 283 x 49?
a. 1500 b. 15 000 c. 150 000
5. First estimate then calculate:
a. 19 x 42 b. 48 x 116 c. 0.87 x 3249
798 5 568 2 826.63
8. If a caterer knows that most people eat two bread rolls at
lunch, how many bread rolls must he supply for a lunch
organised for 140 guests?
280 bread rolls
Answers to activities Future Managers 12

Activity 7
• In a group of two or three, estimate the total
costs involved when selling 50 hotdogs at the
college during entrepreneurship day.
– List the ingredients needed
– Estimate the cost of each item and add to determine
the cost of a hotdog
– Check out the cost of the ingredients at a local shop,
list them and total the cost
– Calculate the price of a hotdog if you want to make a
50% profit
Answers to activities Future Managers 13

Activity 8
Question 1: What does -1ºC for Kimberly mean?
The temperature in Kimberly is one degree below the
freezing point of water.
Question 2: Which is the colder place, Kimberly or
Polokwane? Which is the warmer of the two?
Colder: Kimberly; Warmer: Polokwane
Question 3: Which city has the most extreme weather patterns?
What is the temperature swing in this city?
Kimberly. 19ºC.
Question 4: Which city has the mildest climate? What is the
temperature difference in this city?
Cape Town. 8ºC
Answers to activities Future Managers 14

Activity 9
1. How many students in this class are male?
How many students are there in this class?
What percentage is male?
5. Write down ways of transport for students in
this class.
Calculate the percentage of students that use
the different ways of transport e.g. what
percentage use the train?
Answers to activities Future Managers 15

Activity 10
1. Arrange each of the following from smallest to largest
(a) 1/8; ½; 1/15; 1/80; 1/3; 1/13; 1/60; 1/5
1/80; 1/60; 1/15; 1/13; 1/8; 1/5; 1/3; 1/2
(b) 3/4; 7/12; 5/6; 17/24; 7/8
7/12; 17/24; 3/4; 5/6; 7/8
(c) 0.751; 0,625; 0,589; 0,435; 0,753; 0,448; 0,598
0.435; 0.448; 0.589; 0.598; 0.625; 0.751; 0.753
(d) 49%; 0,491; 7/12; 0,55; 50%; 4/9
4/9; 49%; 0.491; 50%; 0.55; 7/12
Answers to activities Future Managers 16

Activity 10
1. Give an estimate of the John
sections of this pizza that is
to be given to four friends Andele Peter
each with a different degree
of hunger Bongani
Section of the pizza Fraction Decimal Percentage
to:
John 1/8 0.125 12.5%
Peter 1/4 0.25 25%
Bongani 5/16 0.3125 31.25%
Andele 5/16 0.3125 31.25%
Answers to activities Future Managers 17

Water
3. Give an estimate of each of
Rent Electricity
the five sections of
Ntombizodwa’s budget
Travel
Food Remain
der
Section of the budget to: Fraction Decimal Percentage
Rent 9/32 0.28125 28.125%
Water + Electricity 1/4 0.25 25%
Food 1/4 0.25 25%
Travel 1/16 0.0625 6.25%
Remainder 5/32 0.15625 15.625%
Answers to activities Future Managers 18

Activity 11
Work with a partner, review the level of dams in the
Free State and answer the questions below
1. What is the combined capacity of all the dams?
16037.1
1. Which dam is the smallest and what percentage of the
total capacity is it?
Egmont Dam; 0.058%
1. Which dam is the biggest of all the dams and what
percentage of the total capacity is it holding?
Gariep; 33.3%
Answers to activities Future Managers 19

Activity 11
1. How full is this dam as opposed to last year?
This year: 60.2%; Last year: 91.1%
1. Rank the dams from smallest to biggest. Which is no 9?
Egmont; Welbedacht; Groothoek; Armenia; Saulspoort;
Koppies; Rustfontein; Krugersdrift; Knellpoort;
Allemanskraal; Erfenis; Kalkfontein; Bloemhof; Vaal;
Sterkfontein; Vanderkloof; Gariep
No 9: Knellpoort
Answers to activities Future Managers 20

Activity 12
1. Simplify the following fractions
(a) 63 / 77 9/11 (b) 9/24 3/8
(c) 36/120 3/10 (d) 25/1500 1/60
(e) 96/132 8/11
Answers to activities Future Managers 21

2. Complete the following conversions
Fraction Decimal Percentage
7/8 0.875 87.5%
1/8 0.125 12.5%
12/20 0.6 60%
4/5 0.8 80%
9/20 0.45 45%
13/20 0.65 65%
717/2000 0.3585 35.85%
1/2 0.5 50%
1/5 0.2 0.20%
Answers to activities Future Managers 22

1. Colour the relevant sections to demonstrate the
following fractions
(a) (b) (c)
1/4 1/2 3/4
(d) (e) (f)
3/8 0,25 0,9
(g) (h) (i)
50% 60% 100%
Answers to activities Future Managers 23

Question 4 Question 5
Situation Words + - 0
Soccer gaining territory x
(a) Negative numbers
losing territory x
are usually to the
no gain x
___________ of
right
Time today x
positive numbers
tomorrow x
on a horizontal line
yesterday x (b) Positive numbers
Savings deposit x are usually
Acc
above
_______ negative
withdrawal x
numbers on a
constant amount x
vertical line
Business breakeven x
loss x
profit x
Games ahead x
behind x
even
Answers to activities x
Future Managers 24

Activity 13
Study the telephone
message and answer the
following questions:
a. Could there be a
misunderstanding of
the time Luluma has
to meet Jack?
Yes, 8 o’clock could be
in the morning or in the
evening
Answers to activities Future Managers 25

Study the telephone
message and answer the
following questions:
b. What kind of
misunderstanding is
this?
It is a misunderstanding
of the use of time
notation.
Answers to activities Future Managers 26

Study the telephone message
and answer the following
questions:
b. How could or should the
time rather be written?
It could be written in 24
hour notation as 8:00 or
20:00 or it could be written
in 12 hour notation as 8AM
or 8PM
Answers to activities Future Managers 27

Activity 14
16 x 2 = 32 52 x 5 = 260 12 – 4 = 8 44 – 6 = 38
12 x 8 = 96 88 x 3 = 264 13 – 8 = 5 47 – 23 = 24
11 x 9 = 99 42 x 7 = 294 16 – 4 = 12 49 – 22 = 27
13 x 2 = 26 67 x 6 = 402 12 – 3 = 9 56 – 15 = 41
15 x 3 = 45 99 x 2 = 198 10 – 7 = 3 59 – 18 = 41
24 x 3 = 72 33 x 4 = 132 10 – 4 = 6 66 – 38 = 28
23 x 4 = 92 44 x 5 = 220 11 – 6 = 5 67 – 18 = 49
25 x 4 = 100 77 x 4 = 308 11 – 3 = 8 71 – 18 = 53
28 x 5 = 140 35 x 3 = 105 15 – 8 = 7 79 – 15 = 64
30 x 8 = 240 43 x 8 = 344 16 – 9 = 7 82 – 18 = 64
60 x 4 = 240 37 x 4 = 148 17 – 5 = 12 85 – 17 = 68
70 x 5 = 350 93 x 2 = 186 22 – 3 = 19 89 – 73 = 16
80 x 6 = 480 84 x 5 = 420 25 – 8 = 17 93 – 57 = 36
50 x 3 = 150 72 x 6 = 432 27 – 9 = 18 95 – 47 = 48
40 x 9 = 360 68 x 8 = 544 29 – 13 = 16 97 – 48 = 49
20 x 8 = 160 49 x 3 = 147 32 – 8 = 24 96 – 69 = 27
Answers to activities Future Managers 28

Activity 15
1. 12 2. 36 3. 18 4. 22 5. 15
x 36 x 13 x 22 x 18 x 26
432
72
360
468
108
360 396 36
360 396
176
220 39090
300
432 468 396 396 390
6. 24 7. 43 8. 56 9. 64 10. 38
x 17 x 35 x 19 x 37 x 40
408
168 1505
215 1064 504 2368
448 15200
240 1290 560 1920 1520
408 1505 1064 2368 1520
11. 59 78
12. x 120 13 44 14. 57 15. 66
x 70 x 90 x 30 x 42
41300
4130
1560
1460
7800
3960
3960
0 1710
1710
0 2772
132
2640
4130 0 3960 1710 2772
16. 39 17. 27 18. 77 19. 51 20. 99
x 28 x 55 x 49 x 124 x 38
1092
312 1485
135 3773 693 122412 3762
792
780 1350 3080 0 2970
1092 1485 3773 0 3762
Answers to activities Future Managers 29

Activity 16
1. 235 2. 52 3. 428 4. 792 5. 537
+111 +12 +428 +792 +537
346 64 856 1584 1074
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
684 546 523 652 985
+795 +738 +128 +759 +999
1479 1284 651 1411 1984
11. 12. 13 14. 15.
235 1052 428 584 1999
-111 -12 -428 -321 637
124 1040 0 263 1362
16. 17. 18. 19. 20.
745 853 764 245 1842
-337 -846 -675 -157 -579
408 7 89 88 1263
Answers to activities Future Managers 30

Activity 17
1. R3,50 2. R5,80 3. R12,65 4. R 24,76 5. R 66,00
+R2,75 +R17,42 +R 8,20 +R324,50 +R128,45
R6,25 R23,22 R20,85 R349,26 R195,44
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
R 376,67 R 56,91 R27,73 R4056,00 R485,26
+R 7,35 +R38,52 +R56,39 +R 23,39 +R327,55
R384,02 R 95,43 R84,12 R4080,65 R812,81
11. 12. 13 14. 15.
R 3,50 R12,65 R376,67 R56,91 R4056,78
-R2,75 -R 8,20 -R128,45 -R38,52 +R 23,87
R0,75 R4,45 R3,46 R18,39 R4032,91
16. 17. 18. 19. 20.
R485,26 R 76,55 R 521,99 R737,48 R 66,00
+R327,55 +R22,22 +R99,36 +R648,59 +R128,45
R812,81 R54,33 R422,63 R88,89 R278,77
Answers to activities Future Managers 31

Activity 18
1. The temperature of a patient is logically only
read to the first decimal place. If the
thermometer reads 37,5625°C. What will the
nurse right on the report card?
37,6 °C
3. A urine sample of a patient – will it be measure
in millilitres or litres?
Millilitres
5. The number of TB patients seen at a clinic per
year might be 597. If you calculate the average
number seen per month, the calculation will be
597 divided by 12, which is 49,75. This is not an
appropriate answer, as you cannot deal with 0,75
of a person. What should the answer be?
Answers to activities Future Managers
50
32

Activity 19
Approx Actual Approx Approx Actual Approx
to figure to figure
1000 56 985 57 000 55 60
123 489 123 000 61 60
5 928 6 000 Whole no 498 625,467 489 625
9 135 9 000 32 453,92 32 453
100 54 391 54 400 574,5 574
629 600 62,5 63
142 850 142 900 1st decimal 489,18 489.2
1 267 1 300 64,58 64,6
10 1 482 1 480 1 784,28 1 784,3
106 789 106 790 23,43 23,4
Answers to activities Future Managers 33

Activity 20
• R100 is share between Katie and Simon. Calculate
Katie’s share if the money is divided in the ratio:
(a) 3:7 (b) 8:12 (c) 6:4
(a) 3 x 100 = R30
10
(b) 8 x 100 = R40
20
(c) 6 x 100 = R60
10
Answers to activities Future Managers 34

Activity 21
1. Express the following ratios in the simplest
form:
a. 42:49 6:7
=
b. 56:80 14:20
=
c. 36 3
60 = 5
2. Divide R120.00 between three employees. One
employee worked for two hours, the other for
three hours and the third for five hours.
2 + 3 + 5 = 10 therefore:
Employee 1 gets: 2/10 = R24
Employee 2 gets 3/8 = R36
Employee 3 gets 5/8 = R60
Answers to activities Future Managers 35

1. The workers in a clothing factory include 180
men and 120 women.
a) Give the simplified ratio of men to women
b) Give the simplified ratio of women to the total
number of workers
a) 3:2 (Divide by 60)
a) 120:300 = 2:5
Answers to activities Future Managers 36

4.Three families are sharing a house. One has three
members, the other family 4 members and the last
family 2 members. How should they divide paying
the rent of R500 for the house?
Total number of people in the house = 3 + 4 + 2 = 9
Family 1 pays 3÷9×500 = R166,67
Family 2 pays 4÷9×500 = R222,22
Family 3 pays 2÷9×500 = R111,11
Answers to activities Future Managers 37

1. A packer in the wine industry oversees a
machine that bottles 10 000 bottles per hour.
How long will it take the machine to bottle 60
000 bottles?
60 000 ÷ 10 000 = 6 hours
6. Water leaks from a tank at the rate of 5ml per
second (5 ml/s). If the tank has 950 ml of water,
how long will it take before it is empty?
950 ÷ 5 = 190 seconds = 3 min 10 sec
Answers to activities Future Managers 38

1. A train travels 144km in two hours. Find the
speed of the train in km/h.
144 ÷ 2 = 72 km/h
Answers to activities Future Managers 39

Activity 22
1kg 1000 g
1km 1000 m
1 kl 1000 l
1g 1000 mg
1m 1000 mm
1l 1000 ml
2575mm 2,757 m
3824 ml 3,824 l
8,257l 8 257 ml
450 km 450 000 m
32,8 kg 32 800 g
7495 g 7,495 Future Managers kg
Answers to activities 40

Activity 22
Complete the following:
m 0,5 2,5 2 1,75 4,25 0,4 3,5 8
cm 50 250 200 175 425 40 350 800
mm 500 2500 2000 1750 4250 400 3500 8000
cm 600000 350000 12985 275000 40000 5000 2500 845000
m 6000 3500 129,85 2750 400 50 25 8450
km 6 3,5 0,12985 2,75 0,4 0,05 0,025 8,45
Answers to activities Future Managers 41

Activity 22
kl 0,001 1 0,0005 0,5 0,2 0,2 0,003 0,85
l 1 1000 0,5 500 20 200 3 850
1000 1000 500 500000 20000 200000 3000 850000
ml
000
Answers to activities Future Managers 42

Activity 23
1. We measure all the time, sometimes without realising
it. Try to identify by making a list of instruments that
your group use on a daily basis. An alternative is to
pick an event or holiday and decide whether any
instruments of measurement are involved. Use the
table below as a guideline.
Instrument What you use it for Unit
5. What instruments of measurement will you use if you
want to mail a parcel? Use your washing powder box
as an example.
Answers to activities Future Managers 43

Activity 24
Measure the lines in millimetres with your ruler:
AB: 38mm CD: 52mm EF: 22,5mm GH: 54,5mm
Read the following measuring instruments and
give the answers with the correct abbreviations
of measuring unit:
Almost Mass: 400g
empty
Almost
full
Answers to activities Future Managers 44

Temperature:
150ºC
Speed: 55km/h
Answers to activities Future Managers 45

Question with regard to measuring unit
Can you hold a mass of 250g in one hand? Yes
Can you carry a mass of 600kg on your back in a backpack? No
Can a sparrow drink 6 litres of water at one visit to a birdbath? No
Can you paint the exterior of a house with 2000ml of paint No
Can you build a road 1 000km long for R3 000? No
Can a flight from Cape Town to London be completed in two
hours? No
Can you eat 6kg of meat at one meal? No
Is it practical to take measurements of a house with a metre long
ruler No
Is it possible to live outdoors in a temperature of minus 40
degreesAnswers to activities
Celsius No
Future Managers 46

Activity 25
• Work in a group and follow instructions.
1. Estimate the length of you desk, but do not measure
it
2. Use the table below and insert your estimation
3. Choose 4 other objects in your classroom and
estimate each object’s length. Choose items that
will require different units of measurement.
4. Include your group’s estimates in the table
5. Where there are differences within your group,
calculate the group’s average, using the average
formula
6. Measure each of the objects and write it in the
space provided
Answers to activities Future Managers 47

Activity 25
1. Calculate the differences between the estimates
and the actual lengths of the objects
2. Give yourself a mark out of 5 for accuracy, 5
being spot on and 1 being more than 20%
wrong.
Object
Est. length
Unit
Measured length
Difference
Mark
Answers to activities Future Managers 48