This lesson is

being
recorded
Starter: Matching pairs game for
indicies!
Each power matches up to its whole number answer, see if you can get them all.
 Learn 1
Indices positive and negative powers
Learning Objectives

Use and apply the laws of indices including powers that are
negative numbers

Extending to fractional powers

Making it easy to write with Index
Notation

16 = 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 = 24

32 x 32 x 32 = 36
Using your Calculator for Indices and
Roots
The shift or second function key accesses
the function listed above the button

This button does squaring only –

remember to put it in brackets of you want
to square a negative number

This button does square rooting

(remember you cannot square root a
negative number).
Shift then this button does cube rooting –
you can cube root a negative number
(why?)

This button raises a number to any power

positive or negative (some say xy instead)
Shift then this button does any root –
although you could put a fraction in the
any power to do the same thing.
 Practise Powers and Roots

1. 62 2. ξ36 3. 33 4. 103 5. 122

6. 92 7. 141 8. 04 9. 17 10. 42
11. 53 12. ξ81 13. 24 14. ξ64 15. 73
16. ξ27
3
17. 83 18. 26 19. 107 20. ξ16
4

1. 62 = 36 2. ξ36 = 6 3. 33 = 27 4. 103 = 1000 5. 122 = 144

6. 92=81 7. 141 = 14 8. 04 = 0 9. 17=1 10. 42 = 16

11. 53 = 125 12. ξ81 = 9 13. 24 = 16 14. ξ64 = 8 15. 73 = 343

16. ξ27 = 3
3
17. 83 = 512 18. 26 = 64 19. 107=10000000 20. 4ξ 16=2

Actually the square roots and the 4th root should have a + or – answer – why is that?
( 3 × 3 )=9 𝑏𝑢𝑡 (−3 × −3)=9 𝑡𝑜𝑜
Even and Odd Powers

2 2 4
6 =36 (− 6 ) =36
(− 4 ) = 256 2
(− 3 ) =9
Careful if entering this in your calculator
– you need the brackets

1 −2 1 −4 1
−2
2 = (− 2) = (− 2) =
4 4 64
When we raise any real number to an even power the answer is positive
3 3 3
3
2 =8 (− 2) =−(− (− 3 ) =− 27
8 4 ) =− 64
−3 1 −3 1
2 = (− 2) =− 5
(− 1 ) =− 1
8 8
When we raise any negative real number to an odd power the answer is negative
Figuring out the Laws of Indicies

For the same base – the indices added

( 3 × 3 × 3 × 3 ) × ( 3 × 3 )=3 6

5 ×5 ×5 ×5 × 5 5 ×5 5 ×5 ×5
= =5
2 =1
5 ×5 ×5 1 5 ×5 ×5

For the same base – the indices subtracted

6
(2 × 2 × 2) × (2 × 2 × 2)=2
the indices multiplied
Index Laws

Square roots
Squares and roots are written using powers. For example 4x4 = 42 And 4x4x4 = 43
The square of any number is positive
Indices include square roots, cube roots and powers.
You can use the 3 index laws to simplify powers and roots.
Law 1: am x an = a m+n Law 2: = a m-n Law 3:
3 5
43 x 47 = 43+7 = 410 (7 ) =¿73x5 = 715
12 12 = 12
8 3 8-3
= 125
Cube roots
The cube of a positive number is always positive. The the cube of a negative number is always
4 x 4 x 4 = 64 negative.
43 = 64 -4 x -4 x -4 = -64
= 4 (-4)3 = -64
= -4
Index Laws
Powers of 0 and 1
Anything raised to the power 0 is always equal to 1. Powers have an index and a base
2 index

3
60 = 1 10 = 1 75540 = 1 (-5)0 = 1
base
Anything raised to the power 1 is always equal to its self.
81 = 8 6541 = 654 (-7)1 = -7

Indices Checklist:
The base numbers have to be the same in order to use the index laws.

Terms must be x or ÷ not + or -

If there is no index, then the number has the power 1

Be careful with negatives:

(-3)2 = 9 NOT -9!
EXAMPLE – Exam skills

a) Write 6 x 6 x 6 x 6 x 6 as
a single power of 6
6 x 6 x 6 x 6 x 6 = 65
8
3 ×3
b) Simplify 4 fully, leaving
3
your answer in index form.
8 9
3 ×3 3 5
4
= 4
=3
3 3
What do Negative Indices actually mean?

A Negative index means it

is divided by or on the
denominator of a fraction
𝑝 ×𝑝 ×𝑝 1 1 −2
= = 2 =𝑝
𝑝 × 𝑝 ×𝑝 ×𝑝 × 𝑝 𝑝 ×𝑝 𝑝 It does NOT give a
negative answer!

You try:

c8 c12 = 23 2 5 = 3-3 =

c-4 = 2-2 =
What if there are Numerical Coeffi cients?
Deal with the numbers separately – unless they are in a bracket with the power applied to them too

You try:

8c2 2c1 = (2a)3 3b5 =

4c
Exam question

( 𝑎 ) 𝑆𝑖𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑦 , 𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑎𝑛𝑠𝑤𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑥 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑚

9
2 2 6
2
𝑖𝑖𝑖 ¿ 5 ×5
0
𝑖¿ 5 𝑖𝑖 ¿ ( 7 )
2
7 12 52
24

𝑛
3 4
𝑏¿ 2 5
=3 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑑 𝑡h𝑒 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑛 . First simplify the denominator
3 ×3
𝑛
3 4
7
= 3 Now consider the indices
3

𝑇 h𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑛− 7=4
𝑇 h𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝒏=𝟏𝟏
Exam question

( 𝑎 ) 𝑊𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑒7 3 ×75 𝑎𝑠 𝑎 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 𝑝𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 7

3+5
¿7
¿ 78

( 𝑏 ) 9625=5 𝑛 × 7 × 11
𝐹𝑖𝑛𝑑 𝑡h𝑒 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑛
7 ×11=77 First multiply the whole numbers on the right
9625 ÷ 77=125
5 3=125
𝑇h𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑛=3
Exam question

𝑘
( √− 27 ) =9
3

𝑊𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑒 𝑑𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝑡h𝑒 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒𝑜𝑓 𝑘

√ −27=− 3
3
First work out the cube root of -27

𝑘
𝑇h𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒(− 3) =9
𝑘= 2
Index Laws

Negative powers
−𝑛 1
𝑎 = 𝑛 Be careful: A negative power does not mean a negative answer.
𝑎
−2 1 1
5 =¿
=¿52 25

Reciprocals
1
−1 This means that a-1 is the reciprocal of a. You can find the reciprocal of a fraction by
𝑎 = turning is upside down.
𝑎
5− 1 9
(9) =¿ 5
Powers of fractions
𝑎𝑛 𝑎 𝑛
( )
𝑏
¿
𝑏𝑛
3 2 32
( 10 ) 10 2 100
=¿ =¿
9
Your Turn
Link to more self checking questions:
Learning Objectives

Use and apply the laws of indices including powers that are
negative numbers

Extending to fractional powers

Lesson complete!
See you next lesson
This lesson is
being
recorded
Starter:

Hint:
Leave in powers and get over a common denominator
5 =
3 1
2 3
 Learn 2
Fractional Indicies
Learning Objectives

Use and apply the laws of indices including powers that are
negative numbers

Extending to fractional powers

Index Laws
Combining Fractions
You can apply the rules one at a time.

𝑎−𝑛
( )
𝑏
=¿
( ) 𝑏𝑛 𝑏 𝑛
𝑎
=¿𝑎𝑛

( 3 ) ( 2 ) 23 8
2− 3 3 3 3 3 27
=¿ =¿ =¿

Fractional powers
You can use fractional powers to represent roots.
1 1 1
=¿
𝑎 = √ 𝑎 4949=¿
2 √ 49=¿
√ 49=¿77
2 2

1 1 1
𝑎 =√
3
3 =¿
𝑎 2727=¿ √ 27=¿
√ 27=¿ ¿3¿3
3 3 3
3

1 1
1
4 16 √
=¿
𝑎 =√ 𝑎 16 =¿
4 √ 16=¿
16=¿ ¿4¿4
4 4 4 4

Check it! A whole number raised to a power less than 1 gets smaller.
Index Laws
More complicated indices
You can use the index laws to work out more complicated fractional powers.

( )
𝑚 1 𝑚
𝑛 𝑛
𝑎 = 𝑎
Do these calculations one step at a time.

( )
2 1 −2
−
3
27 =¿ 27 3

−2
¿ ( √ 27 )
3

−2
¿3
1
¿ 2
3
1
¿
9
Example – Building exam skills

You will need to use problem solving skills throughout your exam – Be prepared!

a) Find the value of when

Show each step of your working clearly.
Note: 3n is not the same as 3n therefore you cannot divide by 3 to get n on its own.
You need to make the base on the right-hand side the same as the base on the left-
hand side.
Step 1: Write 9 as a power of 3. Remember to use brackets.
3 3
− −
= (3 )
2 2 2
9
Step 2: Use to write the right-hand side as a single power of 3.
3
2 ×− −3
¿3 2 3
=¿
Step 3: Compare both sides and write down the value of n.
−3
𝑆𝑜 , 3 𝑛=3
𝑇h𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑛=−3
Exam question

7h h− 𝑘
=7
7𝑘

= 72h

h+ 2 𝑘
= = 7
Exam question

3
−
𝐺𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑛 𝑡h𝑎𝑡 81 4
=3 𝑛 , find the value of n .

( )
3 1 −3
− Step 1: Work out
4 4
81 = 81
−3
¿ ( √ 81 )
4

−3
¿3 Step 2: Equate both sides and compare the indices.

−3
¿3 =3 𝑛

𝑇 h𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑛=− 3
Exam question

√49
𝑊𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑒 3 𝑎𝑠𝑎𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒𝑝𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟𝑜𝑓 7. 𝑆h𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑝𝑜𝑓 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑐𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑙𝑦.
7

√
Step 1: Write 49 as a power of 7
2
7
¿ 3
7
Step 2: Use the law of indices for dividing powers of the same base
¿√7 2 −3 (remember to subtract the powers).

¿√−7 1
Step
1 3: The square root is the same as raising to the power of one half.
¿ (7 )
−1 2

Step 4: Finally multiply the powers to simplify fully.

1
−1 ×
2
¿ 7
1
−
2
¿ 7
Plenary - Algebra and Indices

1. (7c3)2 = 7 x c x c x c x 7 x c x c x c
=7x7xcxcxcxcxcxc
= 49c6
8 3
2. (4j ) = 64j24

-3 4
3. (5k ) = 625k-12
625
How else could you write this? 12
𝑘
Index Laws – Extension Questions

1 Write as a single power of : 4 [Edexcel GCSE(9-1) June 2017 2H Q18]

a ? Work out the exact value of .
b ?
c ? ?
d ? 5
[Edexcel IGCSE Jan2017-4H Q16d]
e ? Work out the exact value of .
f ?
can be written in the form
g Express in terms of?and . Solve ?
2 Solve for :

3 ?
a ?
b
?
c ? ?
d ?
e
?
Link to more self checking questions:
Practice on key skills needed for next
week
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Learning Objectives

Use and apply the laws of indices including powers that are
negative numbers

Extending to fractional powers

Lesson complete!
See you next lesson