CBSE Class 10 Mathematics Standard sample paper 2026-27: question 26
From the official CBSE sample question paper for 2026-27, section C, question 26, for 3 marks. Try it first; the hints and our step-by-step solution are below.
Q26 · 3 marks · Short answerReal Numbers
Given that is an irrational number, prove that is an irrational number.
Source: official sample paper from cbseacademic.nic.in (PDF). See it in the full Sample paper 2026-27.
Hints
Open one hint at a time and try again before the next.
Hint 1
Use proof by contradiction: start by assuming is rational.
Hint 2
Write and rearrange to make the subject. What kind of number is the right-hand side?
Step-by-step solution
Each step shows the marks it earns, as an examiner would award them. Checked by an independent re-solve from the question paper.
- 1 mark
Suppose, on the contrary, that is rational.
Then , where are integers and .
So , which gives .
- 1 mark
Since and are integers, and are integers, with .
So is rational, and therefore would be rational.
- 1 mark
This contradicts the given fact that is irrational. So our assumption is false.
Hence is irrational.
Answer: Proved: is irrational.
Where the marks are
- Assumes the number is rational, writes it as and isolates (1 mark)
- Argues that is rational, so would be rational (1 mark)
- States the contradiction and concludes the number is irrational (1 mark)
Revise the chapter
- Chapter: Real Numbers (notes, formulas, where marks are lost and every past question)
- Topic: Proving Numbers Irrational
More questions from Real Numbers
- 2026 board paper, set 30/1/1 (Standard), Q26 · 3 marksProve that √(3) is an irrational number.
- 2026 board paper, set 30/2/1 (Standard), Q26 · 3 marksProve that √(5) is an irrational number.
- 2026 board paper, set 30/4/1 (Standard), Q20 · 1 markAssertion (A) : (√(3) + √(5)) is an irrational number. Reason (R) : Sum of the any two irrational numbers is a…
The question is transcribed from the official paper; figures are described in words. The solution, hints and chapter tag are ours. Spotted an error? Write tosupport@questionbuddy.in.