CHAPTER 5 INDICES AND LOGS

1.0 INTEGER INDICES (THE ROUND POWER)

Rules:
1
1. an = (Negative Indices)
an For 1 to 6, all base (the a) need
to be same number.
2. a0 =1 (Zero indices)
For different base, see number
3.
1
a =a 7. But we save number 7 for
(Positive indices)
later.
4. ( a n am ) =an +m (Multiply)

5. ( a n am ) =a nm (Divide)
m
6. ( a n) =a nm (Bracket power)

7. ( a b )n=a n bn *Extra

1.1 Multiply
3 2
Say I have 2 2 ,

23 22=( 2 2 2 ) ( 2 2 )=8 4=32

Its 2 multiply by itself for 3 times and 2 multiply by itself for 2 times, then I
multiply both.
Or I can say that its 2 multiply by itself for 5 times. If I use calculator 2 5 is also
32.

To practise rules 1, 2 and 3, try the Iris set:

2
a) 5 =5 5=25

1 1 1
b) 52= = =
5 5 5 25
2

c) 5 2=5 5=25

d) (5 )2=(5 ) (5 )=+25

1 1 1
e) 52= = =
52 5 5 25
 1 1 1
(5 )2= = =
f) 2
(5 ) (5)(5) +25

1 1 5 2 1 25
2
1 1
() 5
= =
1 2 12
= 2 =
1 1
=25 1 2

() () =
5 2 52 25
= 2 = =25
g)
()
5 52
or 5 1 1 1

1 1 5 2 1 25 25
2
2 1
() 5
= =
2 2 22
= 2 =
2 4
=
4
2 2

() () =
5 2 52 25
= 2=
h)
()
5 5
2
or 5 2 2 4

5 2 +52 +25 25
2

i) ( ) ( )
2
5
=
2
= 2 =
2 4
=
4

5 2 52 25
2
2
j) () ()
5
=
2
= 2 =
2 4

1.2 MULTIPLY OR DIVIDE INDICES

Notice that all the bases are same number for each equation. Try the Pandora
set:

a) 52 53=5(2+3) =55

b) 52 54 =5(2+ 4) =52

9
2 1
c) 10
=29 10 =29 210
2 2

d)

7 10 10 1 10 5 15
e) 5
=7 5 =7 7 =7
7 7

What if we have indices to the power of something? Try the Nova set:

2
( 3 +3+3+ 3) 12
a)
( 3)=2 =2
4
( 23 ) =(23 )(23 )(23 )

b) Cc

What if the bases are not same? Try the Orion set
 5
a) 23 4 5=23 ( 22 ) =23 210 =213

For the above, I can find the common number. For example, in a), 4 can be
written as 22. What if the numbers have no common factor, such as 2 and 5?

Now try these:

a) ( 4 5 )3=( 4 5 ) ( 4 5 ) ( 4 5 )=4 4 4 5 5 5=4 3 53

Lets use many rules together!

2
Example: ( 32 98 )

The bases are not same, but I know that 3 2 is 9

8 2
( 32 98 ) =(3 2 ( 3 2 ) )
2

m 8
I know that ( a n) =a nm . So, ( 32 ) =( 32 8 ) =(316 )

8 2
( 32 98 ) =(3 2 ( 3 3 ) )
2 2 16 2
=( 3 3 )

I also know that ( a n am ) =an +m . So, ( 32 316 ) =32+16=3 18

8 2
( 32 98 ) =(3 2 ( 3 3 ) )
2 2 2
=( 32 316 ) =( 318 )

1.3 FRACTIONAL INDICES

1
m
a n = a n
a = am=( n a )
n
m

Try these:
1
a) 81 2

1
b) 27 3
 3
c) 16 2

2
27 3
d) 64

*FUN FACT To EXCLUDE

28 +28=2 ( 28 ) =21 . 28=29