Lecture Note: 1 of 3 Mathematics 1 SM015

Ch. 1 Number System Session 2021/2022

Topic: 1. NUMBER SYSTEM

Subtopic: 1.1 Real Numbers

Learning Outcomes: At the end of the lesson, students should be able to

(a) define natural numbers  , whole numbers W  , integers   , prime numbers, rational

numbers  and irrational numbers  .

(b) represent rational and irrational numbers in decimal form.
(c) represent the relationship of number sets in a real number system diagrammatically showing
  W     and     .
(d) represent open, closed and half-open intervals and their representations on the number line.
(e) find union  and intersection  of two or more intervals with the aid of number line.

Real Numbers

 Number systems have evolved over millennia from natural numbers to complex numbers.
 The real number system consists of two large sets of numbers that is the rational numbers
and the irrational numbers, are used virtually every day in ordinary life, business,
industrial, engineering, scientific research and many others.
 Set of Real Numbers.
Types of
Symbol Description Examples
Numbers
 Counting numbers.
Natural    1, 2,3,...
 Also called positive integers.

Prime P  The natural numbers greater than 1 that P  2, 3,5,7,11,...

can only be divided by itself and 1.

Whole W  The set of natural numbers together W  0,1, 2,3,...

with the number zero.

Integers   The whole numbers together with the    , 2, 1, 0,1, 2, 3, 
negative of natural numbers.

 Positive     1, 2, 3,...

 Negative     , 3, 2, 1

 An integer that is multiple of 2.

 Even  Can be represented in general form  , 6, 4, 2, 0, 2, 4, 6, 
2k : k   .
 An integer that is not multiple of 2.
 Odd  Can be represented in general form , 5, 3, 1,1,3,5,
2k  1 : k    .

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Lecture Note: 1 of 3 Mathematics 1 SM015
Ch. 1 Number System Session 2021/2022

19,5.0,3, 5
16, ,1.22
7

 The number that can be written in the
p 2 6
form of fraction, , where p and q are  0.4, 6   6.0 are
q 5 1
Rational  integers and q  0. terminating decimals.
 It can also be represented in decimal
1
form.  0.333   0.3,
 The decimal representation is either a 3
terminating or a repeating. 2
 0.1818   0.18 are
11
repeating decimals.

 The number that cannot be written as 2  1.4142  ,

fraction.   3.141592  ,
Irrational 
 It can be represented by a decimal that e  2.71828  ,
neither terminates nor repeats.
ln 4  1.3862 

Relationship of Number Sets

 The following Venn diagram can also represent the relationship of number sets in a real
number system.

 

W


 Notice that   W     and     .

 Real numbers can be represented by points on a real number line. Thus, real numbers are
ordered, meaning that they can be arranged in ascending or descending order.

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Lecture Note: 1 of 3 Mathematics 1 SM015
Ch. 1 Number System Session 2021/2022

An Interval of Real Number

 An interval of real number is the set of real numbers that lie between two real numbers, which are
called endpoints.
 The endpoints of an open interval on the number line are usually represented by empty circle, ,
whereas the endpoints of a closed interval are represented by dense circles, .
Type Notation Inequalities Representation on
of Interval the number line

Closed interval  a, b  axb

Open interval a, b  axb

a, b  axb
Half open interval
 a, b axb

Open interval , b xb

Half-open interval ,b  xb

Open interval a,  xa

Half-open interval  a,  xa

EXAMPLE 1

Solution set notation Interval notation Number line

x : 2  x  8 2,8

x : x  2 2, 

x : x  4 ,4

x : 5  x  2 5,2

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Union and Intersection on Intervals

 If A and B are two intervals, then
 the union of A and B, denoted by A  B, is given by A  B  x : x  A or x  B .
 the intersection of A and B, denoted by A  B, is given by
A  B  x : x  A and x  B .

EXAMPLE 2
Simplify each of the following.
(a) 3,4  0,1 (b) x : 1  x  10  x : 4  x  10

(c) ,3  3,  (d) 2,3  3, 

  \ 3  3

(e) x : x  1  x : x  1 (f) x : x  4 or x  2  x : 0  x  6



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Lecture Note: 1 of 3 Mathematics 1 SM015
Ch. 1 Number System Session 2021/2022
Topic: 1. NUMBER SYSTEM

Subtopic: 1.3 Indices, Surds and Logarithms

Learning Outcomes: At the end of the lesson, students should be able to

(a) express the rules of indices.

Indices
 If a is a real number and n is a positive integer, then an  a
 a  a  a  ...  a .
n times

 The positive integer n is called the index (or power) and the real number a is called the base.
 Rules of indices.

Rules of indices Examples

(a) am  a n  a mn 22  23  223  25

am x2
(b) n
 a mn 1
 x21  x 3
a x

 am   amn 2x   22x , 2x  22 x2  4x2

n 2 2
(c)

 The rules of indices are only applicable when the bases are the same.
 We can use these rules of indices to define zero index, negative index and rational index.

Rules of indices Examples

(a) Zero index,
2x
an 2x  2x   2xx  20  1
a 0  a nn  n 1 2 x

(b) Negative index,

1
a0 1 x2 
a m
a 0 m
 m  m x2
a a

(c) Rational index,

22   2    2
3
3

a   a  a
m 3
m
n n n m

1
1
52  5
a na
n

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Lecture Note: 1 of 3 Mathematics 1 SM015
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EXAMPLE 3
Find the value for each of the following.
2 4
(a) 643 (b) 125

3

643  43 3 125 3  53 

2 4
2

4 
3

 42  54
 16 1

625

EXAMPLE 4
Simplify each of the following expressions.
35  36 2 1
(c) 4n  8 3  16 4
n n
(a)
34

22n4  24  22n1
(b) 49x y 
1
2 4 2
(d)
10 2n 
2

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Lecture Note: 2 of 3 Mathematics 1 SM015
Ch. 1 Number System Session 2021/2022
Topic: 1. NUMBER SYSTEM

Subtopic: 1.3 Indices, Surds and Logarithms

Learning Outcomes: At the end of the lesson, students should be able to

(b) explain the meaning of a surd and its conjugate.
(c) perform algebraic operations on surds.
(d) express the laws of logarithms such as
(i) log a MN  log a M  log a N ,
M
(ii) log a  log a M  log a N ,
N
(iii) log a M N  N log a M .
log b M
(e) change the base of logarithm using log a M  .
log b a

Surds

 Some square root like 2, 3 and 5 cannot be written as a ratio of two integers.
 Any number of the form n
b , which cannot be written as fraction of two integers is called
surd.
 Note that 16 is not a surd since 16  4. It is a rational number.
 Surds are used to give exact answers in place the approximations in the form of decimal places.

The Rules of Surd

Properties of surds Examples

24  6  4  6  4  2 6,
(a) ab  a  b , a, b  0
4x  4  x  2 x
a a 49 49 7
(b)  , a  0, b  0  
b b 100 100 10
(c) a a  a 2  2  2, x  x  x
(d) a b  c d  a  c  bd 2 3  4 2  2  4 3  2  8 6
(e) a b  c b  a  c  b 2 x  4 x  2  4 x  2 x
(f) a a 2 a
2 5  5 5  2  5 5  7 5
Remark: ab  a  b

 a  b   a  2 a b   b
2 2 2
(g)
 3  5   3  2 15  5  8  2 15
2

 a  2 ab  b

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EXAMPLE 5
Simplify each of the following.

(a) 75  4 3 (b) 3 4 7  3 

 4 37   3
2

 4 21  3

  
(c) 18 10  6 7  9 10  13 7  (d)  2  12 2  3

 18 10  9 10  6 7  13 7
 18  9 10  6  13 7
 9 10  19 7

Rationalizing the Denominator

b
 Division by surds of the form can be simplified by multiplying the numerator and
a
denominator by its conjugate.
 The process of eliminating the surd in the denominator of a fraction is known as
rationalizing the denominator.

Conjugate of Surds

  a  b  is called the conjugate of  a  b  and vice versa.

 Notice that  a  b  a  b   a  b.

 This important property enables us to simplify more complex denominators that involve
surds.

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EXAMPLE 6
Rationalize the following denominator.
14 1
(a) (b)
5 2 7 2 3

1 2 1 3
(c) 
1 2 1 2

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Lecture Note: 2 of 3 Mathematics 1 SM015
Ch. 1 Number System Session 2021/2022

Logarithms
 The logarithm of b to base a, denoted log a b.
 b  a x if and only if log a b  x.
 Notice that in these two equivalent forms:
 The bases of the index form and the logarithmic form are the same.

 The number x corresponds to the index of the index form.

 If log a b  x, then b  a x  alog a b . Therefore, alog a b  b.

 The logarithms having the base 10 is known as common logarithms. Whenever the base
is not written, we shall assume the base to be 10.
 Logarithms with base e are called natural logarithms and it is denoted by “ ln ”.
For example, log e x  ln x.
 Complete the table below:
Index form Logarithm form
24  16 log 2 16  4
101  0.1 log10 0.1  1
3 3  27 log 3 27  3
20  1 log 2 1  0

 Two important results can be seen from the table:

 log a 1  0. The logarithmic of 1 to any base is “0”.
 log a a  1. The logarithmic of any quantity to the same base is “1”.
 Rules of logarithms:
Rules Examples
(a) log a mn  log a m  log a n log 2 2x  log 2 2  log 2 x  1  log 2 x
m
(b) log a    log a m  log a n
x x
 n  ln  log e  log e x  log e e  ln x  1
e e
(c) log a mn  n loga m log 2 2x  x log 2 2  x

REMEMBER THIS!
x
log a xlog a y   log a xy  log a  
log a x
log a xm  log a x
m

 y 
  
log a y

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Lecture Note: 2 of 3 Mathematics 1 SM015
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EXAMPLE 7
Find the value for of each of the following.

(b) ln 2e 
3
(a) log 7 3 343
1
log 7 3 343  log 7 3433
1
 log 7 343
3
 log 7 73 
1
3
1
   3 log 7 7
 3 
1


(c) log 3 27 729  (d) log 2
64
8
log 3 27 729   log 3 27  log 3  729 
1
 log 3 33  log 3 7292
1
 3 log 3 3  log 3 729
2
 3  log 3 36 
1
2
 1 
 3    6 log 3 3
2
6

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Lecture Note: 2 of 3 Mathematics 1 SM015
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EXAMPLE 8
Rewrite each expression as single logarithms.
1
(a) 2 log x  2 log y  log z (b) log a x2  3 log a x  2 log a 4x
2
 log a x2  log a x3  log a 4x
2

x2 x3 
 log a
16x2
x232
 log a
16
3
x
 log a
16

1 1 (d) e2 ln x  e

lnx1
(c) ln    ln  3 
 x   x 

 1 
 

 ln  x 
 1 
 x3 
 1 x3 
 ln   
 x 1 
 ln x2
 2 ln x

EXAMPLE 9
 a2b 
It is given that ln a  x and ln b  y. Express ln   in terms of x and y.
 e 

 a 2b 
ln    ln a2  ln b  ln e
 e 
 2 ln a  ln b  1
 2x  y  1

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EXAMPLE 10
Express y in terms of x for each of the following.
(a) log x  log y  log 2 (b) log 2 x  3 log 2 y  3
log xy  log 2 log 2 y 3  3  log 2 x
xy  2 log 2 y 3  log 2 8  log 2 x
y
2 8
log 2 y 3  log 2  
x  x 
8
y3 
x
2
y 3
x

Change of Base

 The change of base formula enables us to express logarithms with base a in terms of
logarithm with another base b, i.e.,
log b c
log a c  .
log b a
log b b 1
 Special case when c  b, log a b   .
log b a log b a

EXAMPLE 11
Use the change of base formula; find the values of the following to four decimal places.
(a) log3 7 (b) log e2 3 e

log e 3 e
log e2 3 e 
log e e2
1
3
log e e

2
1

6
 0.1667

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Lecture Note: 3 of 3 Mathematics 1 SM015
Ch. 1 Number System Session 2021/2022
Topic: 1. NUMBER SYSTEM

Sub-Topic: 1.2 Complex Numbers

Learning Outcomes: At the end of the lesson, students should be able to

(a) represent a complex number in Cartesian form.
(b) define the equality of two Complex Numbers.
(c) show the conjugate of a Complex Number z .

(d) determine a complex number in polar form z  r cos   i sin   , where r  0 and     .

Introduction
 A complex number is a combination of a real number and an imaginary number that
can be expressed in the form x  yi, where x and y are real numbers

 i is known as unit imaginary number, that satisfies the equation i  1 or i2  1.

 It is written as z  x  yi, known as Cartesian form, where x is the real part and y is the
imaginary part of the complex number.
 Notice that a real number is also a complex number. Therefore, the real numbers set,  is
a subset of the complex number set, ,   .
 We will use Argand Diagram to represent a complex number.
 If a  0 and b  0, then 0  bi  bi is called a pure imaginary number.
 Power of i can be simplified:
i  1
i 2    1   1
2

i3  i2i  1 i  i
i4  i2i2  11  1

 For any positive real number b, b  b  1  bi.

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EXAMPLE 12
Write in standard form.

(a) 4 (b) 4  5

4  5  4   5  1 

 4  5i

(c) 4  9 2  48
(d)
2
4  9  4   1  9  1
 2i  3i
 6i2
 6 1
 6

Operations on Complex Numbers

 Addition and subtraction of Complex number.

 Addition: a  bi  c  di  a  c   b  d  i.

 Subtraction: a  bi  c  di  a  c   b  d  i.

 Special case:
 If z  a  bi, then the sum of a complex number and its conjugate is a real

number: z  z  a  bi  a  bi  a  a  bi  bi  2a.

 If z  a  bi, then the difference between a complex number and its conjugate

is an imaginary number: z  z  a  bi  a  bi  a  a  bi  bi  2bi.

 Multiplication of Complex number: a  bic  di  ac  bd   ad  bc  i.

 Special case:
 If z  a  bi, then zz  a  bia  bi  a2  abi  abi  b2 i2  a2  b 2 .
*This important property is particularly useful for finding the reciprocal of complex number or for
simplifying the quotient of two complex numbers.

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EXAMPLE 13
Express the following in the form a  bi.
(a) 3 4  3i  5 2  5i (b)  3  i 5  3  i 5 

Equality of Two Complex Numbers

 a  bi  c  di if and only if a  c and b  d.

EXAMPLE 14
Determine the values of x and y if
(a) 2x  i  4  yi (b) x  yi  5  i3  i
By comparing,
2x  4, 1  y
x2 y  1

(c) x  y  x  y  i  6  4i (d) 3  2ix  6i  15  yi

By comparing, 3x  18i  2xi  12i2  15  yi
x  y  6  x  y  4 3x  12  18i  2xi  15  yi
x  y  4  By comparing,
 x  5, y  1 3x  12  15, 18  2x  y
x1 18  2 1  y
y  16

Conjugate of a Complex Number

 Two complex numbers, which have equal real parts but with opposite signs in the imaginary
parts are called complex conjugate.
 If z  a  bi, then its conjugate, denoted by z is written as z  a  bi.
 It is useful in simplifying expression where the denominator of a quotient is complex.

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EXAMPLE 15
Complex Number 2  3i 9i 4  5i 2i i 2 3
Conjugate 2  3i 9i 4  5i 2i i  2 3

Division of a Complex Number

 If a real number or a complex number is divided by another complex number, we have to
rationalize the denominator by multiplying the numerator and denominator of the quotient
by the complex conjugate of the denominator.

EXAMPLE 16
2  3i 3
(a) (b)
3i 1i
3 3 1i
 
1 i 1 i 1i
3  3i

1  i2
3  3i

2
3 3
  i
2 2

11  2i
(c)
2  5i

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Determine a Complex Number in Polar

 Modulus of z.
 In the Argand diagram, the point P a, b  , represents the complex number z  a  bi.

P a, b 



 From the diagram, OP  a2  b 2 . The length of OP is called the modulus of z. It’s

denoted by z and is always positive. Therefore z  a2  b2 .

 Argument of z.
 The angle , measured in radians, is the angle made by the line OP with the positive
x -axis.
b
 There are many values of  satisfying the equation tan   . However, the one value of
a
 satisfying      is called the argument of z, denoted by arg z .
 When finding the argument of z, it is important to draw an Argand diagram representing
the complex number. The quadrant in which the point lies will determine the argument
of the complex number.

   
 b
   tan1
b   tan1
a a

 

 
      
b
   tan1
 b
    tan1 
a

 a

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 The polar form of a complex number is another way to represent a complex number.

P a, b 



a b
Thus, cos   and sin  
r r
a  r cos  b  r sin 
z  a  bi
 r cos   r sin   i
 r cos   i sin  

 The expression r cos   i sin   is called the polar form of a complex number.

 If r  z and   arg z , then z  r cos   i sin  .

EXAMPLE 17
Compute the modulus and argument for the following complex numbers. State z in polar form.
(a) z  4  3i (b) z  3 3  3i

3 3   3  6
2
z 
2



3
    tan1  2.618 rad
3 3
 z  6  cos 2.618  i sin 2.618

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(c) z   3  i (d) z  2  3i

z  2  3  13
2 2



3
   tan1  0.9828 rad
2

 z  13 cos 0.9828  i sin 0.9828

EXAMPLE 18
1
If z  2  i, determine z  in the polar form.
z

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1. Find the value for each of the following:
1
 27 


(a)  

3
(b) 0.04
3 
2 (c) log 0.1 0.03 (d) log 2 4
8
(a) (b)

(c) (d)

2. Simplify each of the following expressions.

3 4 n 3  3 4 n1 10 3 2
(a) 5n1  10 n  20 2 n  23 n (b) (c) (d)  2
34n 6 1 3 2
(a) (b)

(c) (d)

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1
3. Given two complex numbers z1  2  i and z2  1  2i. Determine z12  in the form
z2
x  iy, where x and y are real numbers and z2 is the conjugate of z2 .

1 1
4. Given that z1  1  2i and z2  3  4i. Express  in the form x  yi, where x
z1 z1  2z2
and y are real numbers.

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5. Given the complex number z and its conjugate z satisfy the equation zz  2z  12  6i.
Determine the possible values of z.

6. Find the complex number of z where the imaginary part is negative and the conjugate z
satisfies z 2  5  12i.

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7. Given that 2i  a  bi, where a and b are real numbers. Find the possible values of a and b.

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10  2i
8. If z  x  yi is a non-zero complex number such that  p 1  i , where p is a real
z
number. Show that 3x  2y  0.

z1  z2
9. Given two complex numbers z1  1  3i and z2  2  i, find in the form a  bi,
z1z2

z1  z2
where a and b are real numbers. Hence, determine .
z1z2

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10. Determine each of the following in the form r cos   i sin  .

(a) 5  12i (b) 5  4i (c) 3 i (d) 3  9i
(a) (b)

(c)

(d)

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18  4i
11. Given z  , determine z in the polar form.
3i

i
12. Given a complex number z  .
i  2
(a) Determine z in the form a  bi, where a and b are real numbers.
(b) Find the modulus and argument z. Hence, state z in polar form.

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13. If z1  4  i and z2  1  2i, find the following complex numbers in polar form.
5 1
(a) z1  (b)  3z1
z2 z2

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Answers

2
1. a) b) 125 c) 1.52 d) 4
3
82
2. a) 5 b) c) 2 6  2 d) 5  2 6  2
3
16 18
3.  i
5 5
4 12
4.  i
25 25
5. z  3  3i , z  1  3i
6. z  3  2i
7. a  1 , b  1
8. DIY
1 1 26
9.  i,
2 10 10
10. a) 13 cos 1.18  i sin 1.18 b) 41  cos 2.47  i sin 2.47 

c) 2  cos 0.524  i sin 0.524 d) 3 10 cos 1.89  i sin 1.89

11. z  34  cos 0.540  i sin 0.540

1 2 5
12. a) z    i b) z  cos 2.03  i sin 2.03
5 5 5 
     
13. a) 3 2  cos    i sin   b) 146  cos 2.92  i sin 2.92
  4   4 

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