So the key point here -- and it is one that you've used before but perhaps you weren't too clear on the why -- is that whenever we say Ic = Ie, it is because we are making the assumption that the beta is very large (and, in the limit, infinite). Since Ic = βIb and since Ie = Ic + Ib, we have:
Your answer to Q7 is correct, but sometimes it might be useful to rewrite it strictly in terms of Ic (since Ic=Ie).
The question regarding if the transistor is local to the transistor, meaning that it doesn't involve Vcc or Ic max or things like that. Basically, the transistor is active if Ic > 0 (if it ended up being greater than Ic max, it could still be active, it just means the circuit has changed) AND the Vce>0 (or, technically, greater than Vcesat, but we are assuming that Vcesat is 0V) AND that the base-emitter junction is forward biased.
Be sure to reflect on the comments I've made on your answers to the prior questions (and the stuff that MrChips has been saying). That should make things quite a bit easier.Gonna take a break, need to let this next question sink in a bit.