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Laws of Indices PDF

1. The laws of indices allow expressions with exponents or indices to be simplified. According to the first law, when expressions with the same base are multiplied, the indices are added. The second law states that when expressions with the same base are divided, the indices are subtracted. The third law says that when a term with an index is raised to a power, the new index is the product of the original index and power.

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2K views

Laws of Indices PDF

1. The laws of indices allow expressions with exponents or indices to be simplified. According to the first law, when expressions with the same base are multiplied, the indices are added. The second law states that when expressions with the same base are divided, the indices are subtracted. The third law says that when a term with an index is raised to a power, the new index is the product of the original index and power.

Uploaded by

aerofit
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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2.1

The laws of indices


Introduction
A power, or an index, is used to write a product of numbers very compactly. The plural of
index is indices. In this leaflet we remind you of how this is done, and state a number of rules,
or laws, which can be used to simplify expressions involving indices.

1. Powers, or indices
We write the expression
3 × 3 × 3 × 3 as 34
We read this as ‘three to the power four’.
Similarly
z × z × z = z3
We read this as ‘z to the power three’ or ‘z cubed’.
In the expression bc , the index is c and the number b is called the base. Your calculator will
probably have a button to evaluate powers of numbers. It may be marked xy . Check this, and
then use your calculator to verify that
74 = 2401 and 255 = 9765625

Exercises
1. Without using a calculator work out the value of
 2  2  3
1 1 2
a) 42 , b) 53 , c) 25 , d) 2
, e) 3
, f) 5
.
2. Write the following expressions more concisely by using an index.
     
a a a
a) a × a × a × a, b) (yz) × (yz) × (yz), c) b
× b
× b
.

Answers
1. a) 16, b) 125, c) 32, d) 41 , e) 91 , f) 8
125
.
 3
a
2. a) a4 , b) (yz)3 , c) b
.

2. The laws of indices


To manipulate expressions involving indices we use rules known as the laws of indices. The
laws should be used precisely as they are stated - do not be tempted to make up variations of
your own! The three most important laws are given here:

www.mathcentre.ac.uk 2.1.1 c Pearson Education Ltd 2000



First law
am × an = am+n

When expressions with the same base are multiplied, the indices are added.

Example
We can write
76 × 74 = 76+4 = 710
You could verify this by evaluating both sides separately.

Example

z 4 × z 3 = z 4+3 = z 7

Second Law
am
= am−n
an

When expressions with the same base are divided, the indices are subtracted.

Example
We can write
85 z7
= 85−3 = 82 and similarly = z 7−4 = z 3
8 3 z 4

Third law
(am )n = amn

Note that m and n have been multiplied to yield the new index mn.

Example

(64 )2 = 64×2 = 68 and (ex )y = exy


It will also be useful to note the following important results:

a0 = 1, a1 = a

Exercises
1. In each case choose an appropriate law to simplify the expression:
y7 x8
a) 53 × 513 , b) 813 ÷ 85 , c) x6 × x5 , d) (a3 )4 , e) y3
, f) x7
.
2. Use one of the laws to simplify, if possible, a6 × b5 .

Answers
1. a) 516 , b) 88 , c) x11 , d) a12 , e) y 4 , f) x1 = x.
2. This cannot be simplified because the bases are not the same.

www.mathcentre.ac.uk 2.1.2 c Pearson Education Ltd 2000

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