Indices part 1

In this chapter, you are going to

𝑎 𝑛 𝑎𝑛
 Apply the two rules: (𝑎𝑏)𝑛 = 𝑎𝑛 𝑏 𝑛 (𝑏 ) = 𝑏𝑛
 Learn about negative indices
 Learn about fractional indices
 Use fractional indices to evaluate square roots and cube roots

Recap
1. Numbers written in index form

81 = 3 × 3 × 3 × 3 = 34 Index form

Expanded form

34 is read as 3 to the power or index of 4 where 𝟑 is called the base.

2. Multiplication law

𝒂𝒎 × 𝒂𝒏 = 𝒂𝒎+𝒏

Examples:

(a) 𝒂𝟑 × 𝒂𝟐 = 𝒂𝟑+𝟐 = 𝒂𝟓
(b) 𝟒𝟓 × 𝟒𝟐 = 𝟒𝟓+𝟐 = 𝟒𝟕
(c) 𝟑𝒂𝟑 × 𝟐𝒂𝟐 = (𝟑 × 𝟐)𝒂𝟑+𝟐 = 𝟔𝒂𝟓

3. Division law

𝒎
𝒂
𝒂𝒎 ÷ 𝒂𝒏 = 𝒏 = 𝒂𝒎−𝒏 , 𝒂 ≠ 𝟎
𝒂
Examples

(a) 𝒂𝟓 ÷ 𝒂𝟐 = 𝒂𝟓−𝟐 = 𝒂𝟑
𝟑𝟕
(b) = 𝟑𝟕−𝟐 = 𝟑𝟓
𝟑𝟐
𝟏𝟐𝒎𝟓 𝟏𝟐
(c) = ( 𝟑 )𝒎𝟓−𝟒 = 𝟒𝒎𝟏 or simply 𝟒𝒎
𝟑𝒎𝟒

4. Power law

(𝑎𝑚 )𝑛 = 𝑎𝑚𝑛
Examples

(a) (𝑚2 )4 = 𝑚2×4 = 𝑚8

(b) (53 )2 = 53×2 = 56
(c) (𝑚2 )4 × (𝑚3 )5 = 𝑚8 × 𝑚15 = 𝑚23
7 3
𝑝3 × 𝑝4 𝑝21 ×𝑝12 𝑝33
(d) = = = 𝑝25
(𝑝2 )4 𝑝8 𝑝8

5. Meaning of 𝒂𝟎

Any number raised to the power of zero is 1

𝒂𝟎 = 1

Examples

(a) 𝑚0 = 1
(b) 30 = 1
(c) 3𝑚0 = 3
(d) 𝑏5 ÷ 𝑏5 = 𝑏0 = 1
So far we have done a recap of the various laws of indices you have learned in
grade 7. Now we are going to learn some more laws and rules of indices in
grade 8.

1. Consider the following

(𝒂𝒃)𝟑 = (𝒂𝒃) × (𝒂𝒃) × (𝒂𝒃)
=𝒂×𝒃×𝒂×𝒃×𝒂×𝒃
= 𝒂𝟑 𝒃𝟑
So we conclude that

(𝒂𝒃)𝟑 = 𝒂𝟑 𝒃𝟑
Similarly
𝒂 𝟐 𝒂 𝒂 𝒂 × 𝒂 𝒂𝟐
( ) =( )×( )= =
𝒃 𝒃 𝒃 𝒃 × 𝒃 𝒃𝟐
We conclude that

𝒂 𝟐 𝒂𝟐
( ) = 𝟐
𝒃 𝒃

Rule 1 :
(𝒂𝒃)𝒏 = 𝒂𝒏 𝒃𝒏
Rule 2:
𝒂 𝒏 𝒂𝒏
( ) = 𝒏
𝒃 𝒃

Examples
Simplify the following:
(a) (2𝑚)3
(b) (3𝑝)2
(c) (2𝑚)0
(d) 2(𝑚𝑛)0
2 2
(e) ( )
𝑝
2𝑚 2
(f) ( )
𝑛
Solutions:
(a) (2𝑚)3 = 23 𝑚3 = 8𝑚3 ( according to rule 1, the power 3 belongs to both 2 and 𝑚 )
(b) (3𝑝)2 = 32 𝑝2 = 9𝑝2 ( according to rule 1, the power 2 belongs to both 3 and 𝑝 )
(c) (2𝑚)0 = 20 𝑚0 = 1 × 1 = 1 since (2𝑚)0 = 1
(d) 2(𝑚𝑛)0 = 2 × 𝑚0 × 𝑛0 = 2 × 1 × 1 = 2 since 2(𝑚𝑛)0 = 2
2 2 22 4
(e) ( ) = 2 = 2 ( according to rule 2, the power 2 belongs to both 2 and 𝑝 )
𝑝 𝑝 𝑝
2𝑚 2 22 𝑚2 4𝑚2
(f) (
𝑛
) = 𝑛2
=
𝑛2
( according to rule 2, the power 2 belongs to 2 , 𝑚 and 𝑛 )

2. Negative indices

𝟏
𝒂−𝒙 = 𝒂𝒙

Examples
Evaluate the following:
(a) 5−2
(b) 2−3
(c) 4𝑦 −3
(d) 3𝑚−2
(e) 𝑎−3 × 𝑎−2
(f) (23 )−2

Solutions
1 1
(a) 5−2 = =
52 25
1 1
(b) 2−3 = =
23 8
−3 1 4
(c) 4𝑦 = 4 ( 3) = 3
𝑦 𝑦
1 3
(d) 3𝑚−2 = 3 ( ) = 𝑚2
𝑚2
1
(e) 𝑎−3 × 𝑎−2 = 𝑎−3+−2 = 𝑎−5 =
𝑎5
34 1 1
(d) = 34−7 = 3−3 = =
37 33 27
1 1
(f) (23 )−2 = 2 −6
= =
26 64
3. Power law involving fractional indices.
𝟏 𝟏
𝒙×
(𝒂𝒙 )𝒚 =𝒂 𝒚

Examples
Evaluate the following:
1
(a) (23 )3
1
(b) (54 )2
1
(c) 273
2
(d) 1253
2
(e) 80003
Solutions
1 1
(a) (23 )3 = 23×3 = 21 = 2

1 1
(b) (54 )2 = 54×2 = 52 = 25

1 1
3×
(c) 27 = 3
3 3 = 31 = 3

2 2
(d) 1253 = 53×3 = 52 = 25

2 2 2 2
(e) 80003 = (26 × 53 )3 = (26 )3 × (53 )3 = 23×2 × 52 = 16 × 25 = 400
 Exercises for practice
1. Simplify the following.

(a) 𝑦 4 × 𝑦 2 (b) 5𝑦 3 × 2𝑦 2
(c) 𝑥𝑦 3 × 𝑥 2 𝑦 (d) 5𝑎3 𝑏 5 × 2𝑎𝑏 2
(e) 𝑦 3 × 𝑥 × 𝑦 2 × 𝑥 4 (f) 3𝑚3 × 2𝑛 × 4𝑚2 𝑛2 × 𝑚4

2. Simplify the following.

(a) 𝑦 4 ÷ 𝑦 2 (b) 𝑝7 ÷ 𝑝2
𝑚4 𝑎5 𝑏6
(c) (d)
𝑚2 𝑎𝑏3
𝑥8 × 𝑥 5𝑚3 ×4𝑚3
(e) (f)
𝑥2 × 𝑥4 2𝑚2 × 𝑚4

3. Simplify the following, giving your answer as positive index.

(a) 𝑚−2 (b) 2𝑝−3

(c) 𝑦 −3 × 𝑦 2 (d) 3𝑚−2 × 𝑚−3
(e) 𝑎−3 ÷ 𝑎−2 (f) (2𝑎3 )−2

4. Simplify the following.

(a) (3𝑚)4 (b) (𝑝𝑞 4 )2
(c) (𝑎2 𝑏 5 )3 (d) (3𝑚3 )4 × (2𝑚2 )2
(e) 5(𝑝5 𝑞)3 ÷ (𝑝3 𝑞)3 (f) (𝑝3 𝑞)7 × (𝑝5 )3 × 𝑞 5
𝑚 5 5
𝑝4
(g) ( ) (h) ( 2)
𝑛 𝑞
𝑎 5 (j) 12(𝑚𝑛)7 × 3𝑚𝑛5 ÷ (3𝑚)4
(i) 15(𝑎𝑏 3 )7 × 3 ( )
𝑏

5. Evaluate the following

1 1
(a) (43 )3 (b) (34 )2
1 2
(c) (64𝑎3 )3 (d) (125𝑝3 )3
1 1
16 2 25 −2
(e) ( ) (f) ( )
81 16
Solutions
1. (a) 𝑦 6 (b) 10𝑦 5 (c) 𝑥 3 𝑦 4 (d) 10𝑎4 𝑏7 (e) 𝑥 5 𝑦 5 (f) 24 𝑚9 𝑛3

2. (a) 𝑦 2 (b) 𝑝5 (c) 𝑚2 (d) 𝑎4 𝑏 3 (e) 𝑥 3 (f) 10

1 2 1 3 1 1
3. (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f)
𝑚2 𝑝3 𝑦 𝑚5 𝑎 4𝑎6
4. (a) 81𝑚4 (b) 𝑝 𝑞 2 8
(c) 𝑎6 𝑏15 (d) 324𝑚16 (e) 5𝑝6 (f) 𝑝 𝑞36 12

𝑝20 4
(g)
𝑚5
(h) (i) 45𝑎12 𝑏16 (j) 𝑚4 𝑛12
𝑛5 𝑞 10 9
4 4
5. (a) 4 (b) 9 (c) 4𝑎 (d) 25𝑝2 (e) (f)
9 5

Links for reference

1. http://mathematics.laerd.com/maths/indices-intro.php
2. https://revisionmaths.com/advanced-level-maths-revision/pure-
maths/algebra/indices
3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v = ZFUuoTDeZhk
 Indices part (II)
Square roots and cube roots

Fractional indices
𝟏
√𝒂 = 𝒂𝟐
𝟏
𝟑
√𝒂 = 𝒂𝟑

Note
𝟏 𝟏
𝟑
√𝒂 can be written as 𝒂 𝟐 and √𝒂 can be written as 𝒂 𝟑

Examples
Evaluate the following
3 3
(a) √81 (b) √144 (c) √64 (d) √27000
Solutions
1
1
(a) √81 = (81)2 ( we first write 81 to the power )
2
1
4×
=3 2 (81 is then written as product of its prime factors in index form)
= 32 (use power law for evaluation)
=9
1
1
(b) √144 = (144)2 ( we first write 144 to the power )
2
1
= (24 × 32 ) 2 (81 is then written as product of its prime factors in index form)
1 1
4× 2×
=2 ×3
2 2 (use power law for evaluation)
2
=2 ×3
= 12
1
3 1
(c) √64 = (64)3 ( we first write 64 to the power )
3
1
6×
=2 3 ( 64 is then written as product of its prime factors in index form)
= 22 ( use power law for evaluation)
=4
 1
3 1
(d) √27000 = (27000)3 ( we first write 27000 to the power )
3
1
= (33 × 10 3 )3
(64 is then written as product of its prime factors in index form)
1 1
3× 3×
=3 × 10
3 3 (use power law for evaluation)
= 3 × 10
= 30

Standard values
√𝟏𝟎𝟎 = 𝟏𝟎
√𝟏𝟎 𝟎𝟎𝟎 = 𝟏𝟎𝟎
√𝟏 𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝟎𝟎𝟎 = 𝟏 𝟎𝟎𝟎

These standard values are used to calculate square roots of large numbers or very small
numbers.

Example

1. Evaluate the following.

(a) √400
(b) √250000
(c) √0.81
(d) √0.0000144

Solution
(a) √400 = √4 × 100 ( since √100 = 10 )
= √4 × √100
= 2 × 10
= 20
 (b) √250000 = √25 × 10 000 ( since √10 000 = 100 )
= √25 × √10 000
= 5 × 100
= 500
81
(c) √0.81 = √ ( since √100 = 10 )
100
9
=
10
= 0.9
144
(d) √0.000 0144 = √ ( since √1 000 000 = 1000 )
1 000 000
12
=
1000
= 0.012

2. Evaluate the following, given that √3 = 1.73 and √30 = 5.48

(a) √3 000
(b) √0.03
(c) √0.3

Solutions
(a) √3 000 = √3 × 1000 ( we cannot evaluate √1000, we use √100 )
= √30 × 100
= 5.48 × 10
= 54.8
3
(b) √0.03 = √
100

3
= √
100
1.73
=
10
= 0.173
 3
(c) √0.3 = √ ( we cannot evaluate √10, so we use √100 )
10

30
= √
100
5.48
=
10
= 0.548

Square roots of fractions written as mixed number

Whenever we have to evaluate square roots of fractions written as mixed numbers, we
first write the fraction as improper fraction, then we evaluate the square root

Examples
Evaluate the following
7
(a) √2
9

11
(b) √1
25
Solutions

7 25
(a) √2 = √ the fraction is written as improper fraction
9 9
5
=
3
2
=1
3
11 36
(b) √1 =√ the fraction is written as improper fraction
25 25
6
=
5
1
=1
5
 Exercises for practice
1. Evaluate the following square root using indices

(a) √196 (b) √225

3
(c) √576 (d) √125
3 3
(e) √512 (f) √8000

2. Evaluate the following

(a) √1600 (b) √360 000

(c) √9 000 000 (d) √0.04

(e) √0.64 (f) √0.0081

3. Evaluate the following, given that √5 = 2.24 and √50 = 7.07

(a) √500 (b) √5000

(c) √50 000 (d) √0.5

(e) √0.05 (f) √0.005

4. Evaluate the following, given that √7 = 2.65 and √70 = 8.37

(c) √700 (d) √7000

(c) √700 000 (d) √0.007

(e) √0.0007 (f) √0.00007

5. Evaluate the following

9 1
(a) √ (b) √2
49 4

13 4
(c) √1 (d) √5
36 9

2 46
(e) √2 (f) √2
49 49

Solutions
1. (a) 14 (b) 15 (c) 24 (d) 5 (e) 8 (f) 20

2. (a) 40 (b) 600 (c) 3 000 (d) 0.2 (e) 0.8 (f) 0.09

3. (a) 22.4 (b) 70.7 (c) 224 (d) 0.707 (e) 0.224 (f) 0. 0707

4. (a) 26.5 (b) 83.7 (c) 837 (d) 0.0837 (e) 0.0265 (f) 0.00837

3 1 1 1 3 5
5. (a) (b) 1 (c) 1 (d) 2 (e) 1 (f) 1
7 2 6 3 7 7

Links
1. http://mathematics.laerd.com/maths/indices-intro.php
2. https://revisionmaths.com/advanced-level-maths-revision/pure-
maths/algebra/indices
3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v = ZFUuoTDeZhk