NCERT Textbook - The Junk Seller | Mathematics for Class 4: NCERT PDF Download

 Page 1


               The Junk Seller
60
Have you ever met a Kabariwali – a woman who buys and sells junk? 
This is a true story told by Kiran, who has a junk shop in Patna.
I studied in a Hindi medium school in my village. My father 
wanted girls to study like boys. I loved Hindi and Science, but I 
hated Maths! Today Maths is most useful for my work. I could 
never imagine this in school.
What about you? Do you also find Maths difficult?
What is the most difficult thing in your Maths book?_______
What do you think is the easiest lesson? ________
When I was young, my father died in an accident. So my mother 
worked as a servant in some houses. We had a difficult time.
I had to leave school after Class VIII. I wanted to study more but my 
mother got me married.
My husband's family lived in a mud house. His two brothers and his 
sister did not go to school. He had a tea stall.
6
2024-25
Page 2


               The Junk Seller
60
Have you ever met a Kabariwali – a woman who buys and sells junk? 
This is a true story told by Kiran, who has a junk shop in Patna.
I studied in a Hindi medium school in my village. My father 
wanted girls to study like boys. I loved Hindi and Science, but I 
hated Maths! Today Maths is most useful for my work. I could 
never imagine this in school.
What about you? Do you also find Maths difficult?
What is the most difficult thing in your Maths book?_______
What do you think is the easiest lesson? ________
When I was young, my father died in an accident. So my mother 
worked as a servant in some houses. We had a difficult time.
I had to leave school after Class VIII. I wanted to study more but my 
mother got me married.
My husband's family lived in a mud house. His two brothers and his 
sister did not go to school. He had a tea stall.
6
2024-25
If a person who runs a tea stall earns ` 30 in a day, 
how much will he earn in 10 days? _____________
And in a month? ________________ 
How did you get the answer? Discuss.
Find out: how much for a cup of tea?
Ask people and find out the cost of a cup of tea 
H at a tea stall ____________
H at a hotel ________________
Find out: what is a loan?
H Have you ever heard of someone taking a loan? 
For what? _________
H How much loan was taken? ____________
H How much money was paid back? ____________
Hariya and Babu want to buy a handcart for ` 300.
61
I thought of starting my own business. I thought I should open 
a bangle shop or a tailor shop. But my uncle said that we 
could earn a lot by opening a junk shop.
In 2001, my mother-in-law and I opened a junk shop. We took 
a loan of  ` 8000 for the shop.
Who has to pay back more — Hariya or Babu? ___________
Babu
Hariya
I have taken a loan of
` 300 from a bank for six 
months. I will pay ` 51 
every month to the bank.
But I have taken a 
loan of ` 300 from 
Chunnilal. After six 
months, I will pay 
back ` 360.
2024-25
Page 3


               The Junk Seller
60
Have you ever met a Kabariwali – a woman who buys and sells junk? 
This is a true story told by Kiran, who has a junk shop in Patna.
I studied in a Hindi medium school in my village. My father 
wanted girls to study like boys. I loved Hindi and Science, but I 
hated Maths! Today Maths is most useful for my work. I could 
never imagine this in school.
What about you? Do you also find Maths difficult?
What is the most difficult thing in your Maths book?_______
What do you think is the easiest lesson? ________
When I was young, my father died in an accident. So my mother 
worked as a servant in some houses. We had a difficult time.
I had to leave school after Class VIII. I wanted to study more but my 
mother got me married.
My husband's family lived in a mud house. His two brothers and his 
sister did not go to school. He had a tea stall.
6
2024-25
If a person who runs a tea stall earns ` 30 in a day, 
how much will he earn in 10 days? _____________
And in a month? ________________ 
How did you get the answer? Discuss.
Find out: how much for a cup of tea?
Ask people and find out the cost of a cup of tea 
H at a tea stall ____________
H at a hotel ________________
Find out: what is a loan?
H Have you ever heard of someone taking a loan? 
For what? _________
H How much loan was taken? ____________
H How much money was paid back? ____________
Hariya and Babu want to buy a handcart for ` 300.
61
I thought of starting my own business. I thought I should open 
a bangle shop or a tailor shop. But my uncle said that we 
could earn a lot by opening a junk shop.
In 2001, my mother-in-law and I opened a junk shop. We took 
a loan of  ` 8000 for the shop.
Who has to pay back more — Hariya or Babu? ___________
Babu
Hariya
I have taken a loan of
` 300 from a bank for six 
months. I will pay ` 51 
every month to the bank.
But I have taken a 
loan of ` 300 from 
Chunnilal. After six 
months, I will pay 
back ` 360.
2024-25
I have 9 rickshaws of my own. I give the rickshaws on rent, each 
for ` 20 a day. On Sundays I do not take any money for them.
How Much does Kiran Earn from 9 Rickshaws in a Day?
For 1 rickshaw she gets ` 20 per day.
So, for 9 rickshaws she will earn Rs __________.
How did  you do it?
Encourage children to use their own strategies to solve such problems. There should be  
discussion on how they arrived at their answers.
62
People laughed and teased us about our work. They called it 
ganda kaam or 'dirty business'. But I did not think so. I knew 
this idea would work.
Now we have a pucca house with 
electricity. We have a fridge, a TV 
and a gas stove. My husband's 
brothers, sister and also my 
daughter go to school.
But I find this easier.
For 10 rickshaws she will get 
` 20 × 10 = ` 200.
So, for 9 rickshaws, she will 
get ` 200 – ___ =___ .
Hey! I will do it like this —
9 times 2 is 18.
So, 9 times 20 is 180.
Think of some other ways to do it.
2024-25
Page 4


               The Junk Seller
60
Have you ever met a Kabariwali – a woman who buys and sells junk? 
This is a true story told by Kiran, who has a junk shop in Patna.
I studied in a Hindi medium school in my village. My father 
wanted girls to study like boys. I loved Hindi and Science, but I 
hated Maths! Today Maths is most useful for my work. I could 
never imagine this in school.
What about you? Do you also find Maths difficult?
What is the most difficult thing in your Maths book?_______
What do you think is the easiest lesson? ________
When I was young, my father died in an accident. So my mother 
worked as a servant in some houses. We had a difficult time.
I had to leave school after Class VIII. I wanted to study more but my 
mother got me married.
My husband's family lived in a mud house. His two brothers and his 
sister did not go to school. He had a tea stall.
6
2024-25
If a person who runs a tea stall earns ` 30 in a day, 
how much will he earn in 10 days? _____________
And in a month? ________________ 
How did you get the answer? Discuss.
Find out: how much for a cup of tea?
Ask people and find out the cost of a cup of tea 
H at a tea stall ____________
H at a hotel ________________
Find out: what is a loan?
H Have you ever heard of someone taking a loan? 
For what? _________
H How much loan was taken? ____________
H How much money was paid back? ____________
Hariya and Babu want to buy a handcart for ` 300.
61
I thought of starting my own business. I thought I should open 
a bangle shop or a tailor shop. But my uncle said that we 
could earn a lot by opening a junk shop.
In 2001, my mother-in-law and I opened a junk shop. We took 
a loan of  ` 8000 for the shop.
Who has to pay back more — Hariya or Babu? ___________
Babu
Hariya
I have taken a loan of
` 300 from a bank for six 
months. I will pay ` 51 
every month to the bank.
But I have taken a 
loan of ` 300 from 
Chunnilal. After six 
months, I will pay 
back ` 360.
2024-25
I have 9 rickshaws of my own. I give the rickshaws on rent, each 
for ` 20 a day. On Sundays I do not take any money for them.
How Much does Kiran Earn from 9 Rickshaws in a Day?
For 1 rickshaw she gets ` 20 per day.
So, for 9 rickshaws she will earn Rs __________.
How did  you do it?
Encourage children to use their own strategies to solve such problems. There should be  
discussion on how they arrived at their answers.
62
People laughed and teased us about our work. They called it 
ganda kaam or 'dirty business'. But I did not think so. I knew 
this idea would work.
Now we have a pucca house with 
electricity. We have a fridge, a TV 
and a gas stove. My husband's 
brothers, sister and also my 
daughter go to school.
But I find this easier.
For 10 rickshaws she will get 
` 20 × 10 = ` 200.
So, for 9 rickshaws, she will 
get ` 200 – ___ =___ .
Hey! I will do it like this —
9 times 2 is 18.
So, 9 times 20 is 180.
Think of some other ways to do it.
2024-25
4 × 81 is 4 more 
than 4 × 80.
Am I right?
]  In a week how much does Kiran earn from one rickshaw? 
] Do it mentally and write the answers.
2 × 6 = __________ 4 × 80 =  __________ 
  20 × 6 = __________ 4 × 81 = __________
  2 × 60 = __________ 9 × 25 = __________
3 × 42 = __________ 31 × 9 =  __________
1 kg newspaper costs ` 5.
30 kg cost ` 5 × 30 = ` 150. 
So for 31 kg she pays
` _______.
This exercise encourages children to use different strategies (other than the standard 
algorithm) for doing multiplication.
I have my own small junk shop. I buy junk from junk collectors. 
They go from house to house and bring junk on handcarts. I then 
sell it at the big shop.
63
How Much to Pay for this Junk?
Kiran has bought some junk from junk collectors.
Look at the next page the rate list to 
see today's rates. Help Kiran to find 
out the cost of the junk.
] How much will Kiran pay for 31 
kg newspaper?
2024-25
Page 5


               The Junk Seller
60
Have you ever met a Kabariwali – a woman who buys and sells junk? 
This is a true story told by Kiran, who has a junk shop in Patna.
I studied in a Hindi medium school in my village. My father 
wanted girls to study like boys. I loved Hindi and Science, but I 
hated Maths! Today Maths is most useful for my work. I could 
never imagine this in school.
What about you? Do you also find Maths difficult?
What is the most difficult thing in your Maths book?_______
What do you think is the easiest lesson? ________
When I was young, my father died in an accident. So my mother 
worked as a servant in some houses. We had a difficult time.
I had to leave school after Class VIII. I wanted to study more but my 
mother got me married.
My husband's family lived in a mud house. His two brothers and his 
sister did not go to school. He had a tea stall.
6
2024-25
If a person who runs a tea stall earns ` 30 in a day, 
how much will he earn in 10 days? _____________
And in a month? ________________ 
How did you get the answer? Discuss.
Find out: how much for a cup of tea?
Ask people and find out the cost of a cup of tea 
H at a tea stall ____________
H at a hotel ________________
Find out: what is a loan?
H Have you ever heard of someone taking a loan? 
For what? _________
H How much loan was taken? ____________
H How much money was paid back? ____________
Hariya and Babu want to buy a handcart for ` 300.
61
I thought of starting my own business. I thought I should open 
a bangle shop or a tailor shop. But my uncle said that we 
could earn a lot by opening a junk shop.
In 2001, my mother-in-law and I opened a junk shop. We took 
a loan of  ` 8000 for the shop.
Who has to pay back more — Hariya or Babu? ___________
Babu
Hariya
I have taken a loan of
` 300 from a bank for six 
months. I will pay ` 51 
every month to the bank.
But I have taken a 
loan of ` 300 from 
Chunnilal. After six 
months, I will pay 
back ` 360.
2024-25
I have 9 rickshaws of my own. I give the rickshaws on rent, each 
for ` 20 a day. On Sundays I do not take any money for them.
How Much does Kiran Earn from 9 Rickshaws in a Day?
For 1 rickshaw she gets ` 20 per day.
So, for 9 rickshaws she will earn Rs __________.
How did  you do it?
Encourage children to use their own strategies to solve such problems. There should be  
discussion on how they arrived at their answers.
62
People laughed and teased us about our work. They called it 
ganda kaam or 'dirty business'. But I did not think so. I knew 
this idea would work.
Now we have a pucca house with 
electricity. We have a fridge, a TV 
and a gas stove. My husband's 
brothers, sister and also my 
daughter go to school.
But I find this easier.
For 10 rickshaws she will get 
` 20 × 10 = ` 200.
So, for 9 rickshaws, she will 
get ` 200 – ___ =___ .
Hey! I will do it like this —
9 times 2 is 18.
So, 9 times 20 is 180.
Think of some other ways to do it.
2024-25
4 × 81 is 4 more 
than 4 × 80.
Am I right?
]  In a week how much does Kiran earn from one rickshaw? 
] Do it mentally and write the answers.
2 × 6 = __________ 4 × 80 =  __________ 
  20 × 6 = __________ 4 × 81 = __________
  2 × 60 = __________ 9 × 25 = __________
3 × 42 = __________ 31 × 9 =  __________
1 kg newspaper costs ` 5.
30 kg cost ` 5 × 30 = ` 150. 
So for 31 kg she pays
` _______.
This exercise encourages children to use different strategies (other than the standard 
algorithm) for doing multiplication.
I have my own small junk shop. I buy junk from junk collectors. 
They go from house to house and bring junk on handcarts. I then 
sell it at the big shop.
63
How Much to Pay for this Junk?
Kiran has bought some junk from junk collectors.
Look at the next page the rate list to 
see today's rates. Help Kiran to find 
out the cost of the junk.
] How much will Kiran pay for 31 
kg newspaper?
2024-25
Guess the total money 
Kiran will pay to the junk 
collectors. Will it be
— More than 600?
— Less than 600?
Can you do this without writing?
]  How much will Kiran pay for 
42 kg newspaper?
] Also find the cost of:
 a) 22 kg of  plastic
 b) 23 kg of  waste paper
 c) 12 kg of  iron
Smart Kiran Sells the Junk
Kiran sells her junk to a big shop. She 
checks the prices on her mobile phone and 
sells only when she  gets a good price.
64
Rate–List
Price of 1 Kg
1. Waste Paper ......  4/- `
2. Newspaper .........  5/- `
3. Iron .....................  12/- `
4. Brass ..................   170/- `
5. Plastic .................  10/- `
Kind of Junk
Today she has gone to sell plastic, newspaper, iron and brass at 
Dinu's big shop.
Dinu weighs 32 kg iron, 4 kg brass, 152 kg newspaper, 63 kg 
plastic.
2024-25