1.

3 INDICES, SURDS AND LOGARITHMS

INDICES
Learning outcome :
At the end of this topic, student should be able to :

(a) State the rules of indices

If a is a real number and n is a positive
integer, then
n
a = a.a.a.a … a (n times)

base index

The number a is called the base and n is

called the index, and a n is read as
‘ a to the power of n ‘
2
 Notes

 a
m
1. a 0
 1 4. a n

n m

n 1
2. a  n
a 5. ab n
a b n n

1
an a
n
a  a
n n
3. 6.    n
b b

3
 Rules of Indices

mn
1. a  a  a
m n

mn
2. a  a  a
m n

3. ( a m
) a
n mn

where a > 0 and a ≠1

 Example 1

Evaluate each of the following without using

calculator.
2 2
-
3  8  3
(a) 8 (b)  
 27 

5
 Solution
2 2

(a) 8 3 (b)  8  3
 
2
 27 
 
 2 3 3

1
2
 2  8  3
3 
 27 
2  3
 
2
2 2
 27  3
 
4  8 
6
 2
 33  3
 3
2 
2
 3  3  3
   
  2  
 2
3 
 3  3
 
 2
2
 3 9
  
 2 4 7
 Example 2

Simplify each of the following.

3
3
(a) (y ) y
2 2
(b) ( t ) (
3 5
t ) 2

(c)
x y
2 2
x y

8
 Solution
3
2 2 -3
(a) (y ) × y
 3
2 
3
y  2
y
3
 y y
3

3  ( 3)
y
y 0

1 9
(b) ( t ) ( 3 5
t ) 2

3 2
   1 1
 t  t 
2 5

   
1 1
 3  2
t 2
t 5

3 2
 t t
2 5

3 2 19

t 2 5
t 10
10
(c)
x y
2 2
x y

xy

1 1
2
 2
x y

xy
 2
y x 2

2 2
xy
11
 xy
 2
y x 2

x2 y 2
2 2
xy
 x  y 2
y x 2
factorise

 xy2 2

 x  y  
  y  x  y  x  
2 2
xy

yx
12
SURDS
Learning outcomes :
At the end of this topic, student should be able to :

(a) Explain the meaning of a surd and its

conjugate and to carry out algebraic
operations on surds
 Surds

An irrational number and expressed in

terms of root sign

Positive Real
integer n
a number

Note: a is not a perfect square, a > 0

Let’s pronounce correctly

n
a is nth root of a

a is square root of a

3
a is cube root of a

4
a is fourth root of a

15
 Rules of surds
1
1. n
a a n

2. n
a a
n

3. n
ab  n a n b
a na
4. n n
b b
5. m n
a  mn
a

16
 Algebraic Operations on Surds

a) Multiplication

a× a =a
a× b = ab
Example 1:

a) 3 × 3  3 3 =3

b) 5 × 2  5 2 = 10
 b) Division
a
a÷ a = =1
a

a a
a÷ b = =
b b
Example 2:
2
a) 2÷ 2 = =1
2
21 21
b) 21 ÷ 5 = =
5 5
c) Addition and Subtraction

a c ± b c =  a ± b c

Example 3:

i) 4 3 + 2 3 =  4 + 2 3 =6 3

ii) 4 3 - 2 3 =  4 - 2 3 =2 3
d) Expansion of Surds

    
2
a b = a b a b

= a a a b b a b b

= a +b +2 ab

    
2
a b = a b a b

= a a a b b a b b

= a +b -2 ab
Example 4:
 2  3
2 2

 
2
i) 2+ 3 = +2 2 3 +
=2 +3+2 23
=5 +2 6
ii)  3 -2 2  3 + 2 
=  3 3  +  3 2  - 2  
2 3 - 2 2 2 
=3 + 6 -2 6 -2 2

=3- 6 - 4
= -1- 6
 The conjugate of a surd

The conjugate of a surd in the form a+ b

is a - b
Example :
Surd Conjugate

2 + 3  2- 3 
-4 - 5  -4 + 5 
 Example 5 :
Rationalise the denominators of each of
the following fractions.

8 8 2 8 2
(a) = × = =4 2
2 2 2 2
 2 +1
=
2 +1
×
 2 +1 
 2 + 1
(b)
2 -1 2 -1

 2 + 2 +
2
2 +1
=
 2 -1
2
2

2 +2 2 +1
=
2 -1
=3+2 2