INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE

Mathematics: analysis and approaches

Math AA

EXERCISES [Math-AA 2.8]

EXPONENTS
Compiled by Christos Nikolaidis

O. Practice questions

1. [Maximum mark: 15] [without GDC]

a
Find the following values in the form of an integer or a fraction of integers.
b

33 = 3 2 = 3 3 =

2 2 3
1 2 2
  =   =   =
 3 3 3
2 2 3
1 2 2
  =   =   =
 3 3 3

1 3 1

42 = 42 = 4 2 =

1
1

1
 25  2
25 2 = 25 2 =   =
 4 

2. [Maximum mark: 6] [without GDC]

a
Find the following values in the form of an integer or a fraction of integers
b

32  23 = 3 5  3 3 = 3 5  3 3 =

54  23 74  72
30  03 = = =
2 2  53 7  77

2 1
3 1  2 3 = 3  2 3 = =
3 1

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 [Math-AA 2.8] EXPONENTS

3. [Maximum mark: 9] [without GDC]

a
Find the following values in the form of an integer or a fraction of integers
b
1
30 2 15 2 12 2
= = =
15 2 30  2 3
1
2

1 3
7 0.3  7 0.7 = 72 72 = 7 2  7 =

2 3  33 4 3  33
7 2  7 1 = = =
63 63

4. [Maximum mark: 15] [without GDC]

Express the following in the form of a single power ( x y )

1
a6a 2 = a6a = (a 2 ) 6 =

a6
a  =
6 2
a  =
2 6
a2
=

a2a6 a 2b 6
a 2a3a = = =
a5 b 2 a 3 b 4
5 10
 3  3
a 5  =
 
a5  =
 
a  1  2
=
   

a n 5 a 8
a x 3 a 1 x = = =
a n3 a 10

5. [Maximum mark: 8] [without GDC]

Given that A  0 , B  0 , C  0 , simplify the expressions

A 6 B 3 C 10

C 5 A2 B

A 2 B  AB 3

AB

2 A  A( 4 B )  (2 A) 2

2A

A 4 B 3  A3 B 4

A B

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6. [Maximum mark: 5] [without GDC]

Consider the following powers of e :

1
x
A. e 2 B. e 2 C. e x D. e  x E. e 2 F. e 2 x G. e x  2

Find the equivalent expressions in the table below, by stating the corresponding letter.

1 e2 x 1 ex
e 
x 2
ex ex e2 e e2 ex

7. [Maximum mark: 8] [without GDC]

(a) The graphs of 6 functions are shown below

Match the graphs (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) and (f) to the following functions

y  2x y  5x y  ex y  2x y  5x y  e x

(b) Complete the following table (it contains the common details for all six graphs)

y – intercept

Horizontal asymptote

Domain

Range

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8. [Maximum mark: 10] [without GDC]

Let f ( x)  4 x .
The points A(-1,a), B(1,b) and C(2,c) of the graph are shown in the diagram below.

(a) Write down the coordinates of the y-intercept of the graph. [1]
(b) Write down the value of a in decimal form. [2]
(c) Write down the values of b and of c . [2]
(d) Write down the equation of the horizontal asymptote. [1]
(e) On the diagram above, sketch the graph of f . [2]
(f) Write down the domain and the range of f . [2]

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9. [Maximum mark: 6] [without GDC]

The graph of f ( x )  2 x  2 passes through the points A(1, a ), B(2, b ) and C(3, c ).
(a) Find the values of a , b and c . [2]
(b) Sketch the graph of the function. Indicate the y -intercept, the horizontal
asymptote and the points A, B, C of the graph. [4]

a  …………

b  …………

c  …………

10. [Maximum mark: 6] [without GDC]

The graph of f ( x )  2 x  2 passes through the points A(1, a ), B(2, b ) and C(3, c ).
(a) Find the values of a , b and c . [2]
(b) Sketch the graph of the function. Indicate the y -intercept, the horizontal
asymptote and the points A, B, C of the graph. [4]

a  …………

b  …………

c  …………

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11. [Maximum mark: 18] [without GDC]

Solve the equations

(a) 2 2 x  21 x [3]
1 x
(b) 2 2x
8 [3]
(c) 4 2 x  81 x [3]
(d) 8 x  3  16 x [3]
1
(e)  4 x 3 [3]
2x

(f) 2 x  41 x [3]

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 [Math-AA 2.8] EXPONENTS

12. [Maximum mark: 15] [without GDC]

Solve the equations
(a) 25 x1  53 [3]
1
(b) 25 x 1  [3]
5x

(c) 25 x 1  5 x [3]
2
(d) 25 x  125 x [3]
2
5 x
(e) 7x 1 [3]

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 [Math-AA 2.8] EXPONENTS

A. Exam style questions (SHORT)

13. [Maximum mark: 9] [with GDC]

Let f ( x )  e x  2 . The points A(1, e +2) and B(2,b) of the graph are shown in the
diagram below.

(a) Write down value of b

(i) in exact form (ii) correct to 3s.f. [2]
(b) Write down, correct to 3.s.f.,
(i) the value of f (1) (ii) the value of f 1 (6) [2]
(c) On the diagram above, sketch the graph of f . Indicate the y-intercept and the
horizontal asymptote of the graph. [3]
(d) Write down the domain and the range of f . [2]

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14. [Maximum mark: 5] [without GDC]

Find the exact solution of the equation 9

2x
 27 (1 x ) .

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15. [Maximum mark: 5] [without GDC]

2x
x 1 1
Solve the equation 9  
3

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16. [Maximum mark: 5] [without GDC]

x2
Solve the equation 25  5

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 [Math-AA 2.8] EXPONENTS

17. [Maximum mark: 5] [without GDC]

2
Solve the equation 4 x  8 x .

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18*. [Maximum mark: 5] [without GDC]

2 x 1
x2 3  1 
Solve the equation 5   .
 25 

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 [Math-AA 2.8] EXPONENTS

B. Exam style questions (LONG)

19. [Maximum mark: 12] [without GDC]

For each of the following functions sketch the graph and complete the table
(a) f ( x )  2e x  3 (the point A lies on the curve).

y - intercept:

horizontal asymptote: Exact value of b :

Domain: Range:
[6]
(b) f ( x )  2e x  3 (the point A lies on the curve).

y - intercept:

horizontal asymptote: Exact value of b :

Domain: Range:
[6]
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 [Math-AA 2.8] EXPONENTS

20*. [Maximum mark: 12] [with GDC]

Consider the function y  f ( x) with f ( x)  10e0.3 x  5
(a) Write down the domain of f . [1]
(b) Find the y-intercept of the graph. [2]
1
(c) Find (i) f (5) correct to 3sf. (ii) f (100) correct to 3sf. [3]
(d) Find the first integer value of x for which the value of y will exceed 120. [2]
(e) Find the value of f (20) and deduce the equation of the horizontal asymptote of
the graph. [2]
(f) Write down the range of f . [2]

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