NCERT Guide: Class 4 Maths Chapter 3 - A Trip to Bhopal

Maths on the Move: The Story of the Bhopal Trip

In this chapter, we join the students of a school as they get ready for their trip to Bhopal. The excitement is high, but so are the questions! And these questions can only be answered with maths. First, the teachers need to figure out how many buses to hire. This involves counting all the students from different classes and then dividing them by the number of seats in one bus. On the way, the bus needs to stop for diesel. This brings up questions about distance and fuel. How far is Bhopal? How much will the diesel cost? Then, at the tourist spots like Bhimbetka and the lake, there are more math puzzles. How much do the boat tickets cost for everyone? If they buy snacks and share them, how much does each person pay? 'A Trip to Bhopal' teaches us that planning any fun activity requires maths to make sure everything goes smoothly.

How to Solve Problems: Calculating the Number of Buses

1. Step 1: Find the Total Number of Children — First, add the number of students from all the classes going on the trip. For example, if there are 33, 32, 42, 50, and 53 students in five classes, you add them all up: 33 + 32 + 42 + 50 + 53 = 210 children.
2. Step 2: Know the Capacity of One Bus — Look for the information in the problem that tells you how many people can sit in one bus. Let's say each bus has 50 seats.
3. Step 3: Divide to Find the Number of Full Buses — Divide the total number of children by the number of seats in one bus. So, we calculate 210 ÷ 50.
4. Step 4: Interpret the Remainder and Find the Final Answer — When you divide 210 by 50, you get 4 with a remainder of 10. This means 4 buses will be completely full, but 10 children will be left without a seat! Since we can't leave anyone behind, we need one more bus for these 10 children. So, the total number of buses needed is 4 + 1 = 5 buses.

Worked Examples: Calculating Time and Cost

• Problem (Time): The trip starts at 9:00 in the morning. If it takes 3 hours to reach Bhopal, what time will they arrive?
  Solution: You start at 9:00 AM. You need to add 3 hours.
  Hour 1: 9:00 AM -> 10:00 AM
  Hour 2: 10:00 AM -> 11:00 AM
  Hour 3: 11:00 AM -> 12:00 PM (Noon)
  Answer: They will reach Bhopal at 12:00 PM.

• Problem (Cost): An orange costs ₹3.50 and a banana costs ₹1.50. Rakesh buys one orange and one banana. How much does he pay?
  Solution: You need to add the cost of the two items.
  Cost = Cost of orange + Cost of banana
  Cost = ₹3.50 + ₹1.50 = ₹5.00
  Answer: Rakesh pays ₹5.00.

• Problem (Sharing): A group of 5 friends buys a pack of 20 biscuits. If they share them equally, how many biscuits does each friend get?
  Solution: You need to divide the total number of biscuits by the number of friends.
  Biscuits per friend = Total biscuits ÷ Number of friends
  Biscuits per friend = 20 ÷ 5 = 4
  Answer: Each friend gets 4 biscuits.

Important Points to Remember

• Read Word Problems Carefully: All the information you need is in the story. Read the question two times before you start calculating.
• Look for Keywords: Words like 'total', 'altogether', or 'in all' usually mean you need to add. 'Left', 'how many more', or 'difference' often mean subtract. 'Share equally' or 'for each' often mean divide.
• Real-World Division: When dividing people for buses or cars, if there's a remainder, you always need one more vehicle. You can't leave people behind!
• Check Your Answer: After you solve a problem, think if the answer makes sense. For example, if you calculate that one bus is needed for 200 children, you have probably made a mistake.

Practice Questions with Solutions

• Q: There are 256 students going on a trip. If one bus can hold 48 students, what is the minimum number of buses needed?
  A: Step 1: We need to find out how many groups of 48 we can make from 256 students. We do this by dividing.
  Step 2: Divide 256 by 48. 48 x 5 = 240. So, 256 ÷ 48 = 5 with a remainder of 16.
  Step 3: 5 buses will be full, but 16 students will be left. To take these 16 students, we need one more bus.
  Final answer: The minimum number of buses needed is 5 + 1 = 6 buses.

• Q: The bus journey starts at 8:30 AM. It stops for a 20-minute break at 10:00 AM. What time does the journey restart after the break?
  A: Step 1: The bus stops at 10:00 AM.
  Step 2: The break is for 20 minutes. We need to add 20 minutes to the stop time.
  Step 3: 10:00 AM + 20 minutes = 10:20 AM.
  Final answer: The journey restarts at 10:20 AM.

• Q: A ticket for the boat ride costs ₹25 per person. How much will it cost for a group of 4 children?
  A: Step 1: We know the cost for one person is ₹25.
  Step 2: We need to find the cost for 4 people. We multiply the cost per person by the number of people.
  Step 3: Total cost = ₹25 x 4 = ₹100.
  Final answer: It will cost ₹100 for the group of 4 children.

• Q: Meena has ₹100. She buys a notebook for ₹45 and a packet of crayons for ₹25. How much money is left with her?
  A: Step 1: First, find the total amount of money Meena spent. Total spent = ₹45 (notebook) + ₹25 (crayons) = ₹70.
  Step 2: Now, subtract the total amount spent from the money she initially had.
  Step 3: Money left = ₹100 - ₹70 = ₹30.
  Final answer: Meena has ₹30 left with her.

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