INDICES

2x2x2x2x2
3
2x2x2 = 2
Simplify 2 5 2 3 = 2 (5 - 3) = 2 2

25

Indices Form:
When a number is multiplied by itself a certain notation
of times, it can be expressed in index notation as
a x ~ where x is know as index and a is know as base.
Example:
1
2 3 , (-5) 4 , ( 2 ) 6
Law of Indices 1
2 2 x 2 3 = ( 2 x 2)(2 x 2 x2) = 2 5
Simplify 2 2 x 2 3 = 2 2 + 3 = 2 5

23

LAW 2: am an = a (m - n)

Example 2
(a) 3 -4 3 5
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1
1
(b) ( 2 ) 3 ( 2 ) -4 =
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(c) 2 4 2 3 =
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(d) a 5 a 6 =
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(e) 2x 2 6 x 3 =
.....................................................................
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LAW 1: am x an = a (m + n)

Example 1
(a) 3 -4 x 3 5
.....................................................................
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1
1
(b) ( 2 ) 3 x ( 2 ) -4 =
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(c) 2 x 2 4 x 2 3 x 3 2 x 3 4 x 3 -1 =
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(d) a 5 x a 6 =
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(e) 2x 2 x 6 x 3 =
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(f) 3a 2 x 4a 3 x 5a 7 =
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.
(f)

4a 2 2a 3 =
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Exercise:
(a) p 2 p -3 =
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(b) a 7 a 6 =
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(c) 3x 2 6x 2 =
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(d) -3x 2 12x 2 =
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(e) 2a 2 ( -6a -5 ) =
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(f) 7 y 6 y 3 =
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.....................................................................

Exercise:
(a) p 2 x p -3 =
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(b) a 7 x a 6 =
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(c) 3x 2 x 6x 2 x 5x =
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(d) -3x 2 x 2x 2 x 4x 4 =
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(e) 2a 2 x 3 a 4 x -6a -5 =

-2a 3 2a -3 =
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Law Of Indices 3
(2 2 ) 3 = ( 2 x 2)(2 x 2)(2 x2) = 2 6

(g)

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Law Of Indices 2
1

Simplify ( 2 2 ) 3 = 2 2 x 3 = 2 6
Example 5
(a) (t 3 ) 0 =
(b) (3 -2 x2 0 ) 2 =
.....................................................................
(c) (3 -3 x 2 2 ) 0 =

LAW 3: (am )n = a mn

Example 3
(a) (t 3 ) 5 =
.....................................................................
(b) (2 -4 ) 2 =
.....................................................................
(c)

.....................................................................
(d) (2a 2 b 0 c 4 ) 2 =
.....................................................................

(3 -3 ) -3 =
.....................................................................

Exercise 5
(a) (2a 0 ) -2 =
.....................................................................
(b) (3b -2 ) 0 =
.....................................................................
(c) (2 0 x 4 2 ) 3 =
.....................................................................
1
(d) ( ( 2 a 2 y 3 ) 0 =
.....................................................................

Exercise 3
(a) (a 3 ) -2 =
.....................................................................
(b) (b -2 ) -4 =
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(c) (2 3 ) 3 =
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Law Of Indices 4
(2 2 x 3 3 ) 2 = ( 2 x 2x 3x 3x3 )x(( 2 x
3x 3x3 ) = 2 4 x 3 6
Simplify ( 2 2 x 3 3 ) 2
=22x2x33x2 = 24 x36

Law Of Indices 6
4 = 4 1/2 = 2
4 3/2 = (4 1/2 ) 3 = 2 3 = 8
8 2/3 =

2x

LAW 6:

LAW 4: (am x b c )n = a mn x b cn

(i) a 1/n =

(ii) a m/n = (

Example 4
(a) (2t 3 ) 5 =
.....................................................................
(b) (3 -2 x2 -4 ) 2 =
.....................................................................
(c) (3 -3 x 2 2 ) -3 =

a
n

a )m

Example 6
(a) 16 1/4 =
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(b) 125 2/3 =
.....................................................................
(c)

.....................................................................
(d) (2a 2 b 3 c 4 ) 2 =
.....................................................................

.....................................................................
.....................................................................

Exercise 4
(a) (2a 3 ) -2 =
.....................................................................
(b) (3b -2 ) -4 =
.....................................................................
(c) (2 3 x 4 2 ) 3 =
.....................................................................
1
(d) ( ( 2 a 2 y 3 ) 4 =
.....................................................................

(d)
.....................................................................
.....................................................................
(e)

Example:
(a) 16 -2 x 16 3 x 16 1/4 =
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(b) (81 21/44 ) 1 4/7 =
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Law Of Indices 5
LAW 5: a 0 = 1
2

.....................................................................
(c)

Exercise:
1 (p 4 s) 4 x p =
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2 (2 x -2 ) 0 (x 5 ) =
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3 a 3 = 27 , then a =
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1
4 ( 10 ) n = 100, then n =
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5 p -4 ( p -3/2 x p 1/2 ) =
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6 If 4 x = 8 x - 2 , then x =
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7 (-0.008) 2/3 =
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1
8 2 2x - 1 = 32 , then x =
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9 5 x - 2 = 625, then x =
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10 p -5 x p -1 x p 0 =

.....................................................................
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(d)
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Law Of Indices 7
LAW 7:
1
(i) a -1 = a
1
(ii) a -n = n
a
Example 7
(a) a -4 =
.....................................................................
1
=
(b)
2-5
.....................................................................
(c) 2x -7 =
.....................................................................
Law Of Indices 8
LAW 8:
(i) a 3 = 3 3 , then a =3
(ii) 3 m = 3 -4 , then m = -4
Example 8
(a) 2 n = 32, then n =
.....................................................................
1
(b) m -2 = 9 , then m =
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(c) x 3 = 125, then x =
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(d) x 2 = 9, then x =
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(e) (3 3 ) 2 = 3 n , then n =
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27x3
11 ( 6 ) =
8y
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12 (p -3 ) 2 x (p 2 ) -1 =
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1
13 (p ) -2 x p -1 =
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14 (p -3 q) 2 (pq) -1 =

Exercise:
1
(a) n = 8, then n =
2
.....................................................................
(b) 2x 2 = 18, then x =
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(c) ( 5 4 ) n = 1 , then n =
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(d) 25 18 2 n = 25 6 , then n =
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15 27 4/3 =
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16 9 1/3 9 -1/6 =
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3

17 (x 2 ) 3 x -2 =
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18 (16 -4 ) -3/8 =
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19 (5 0 ) 2 (5 -3 ) 4 =

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PMR 1996 (PAPER 1)
9 Given that r = -1 and s = 4, then
(r 3 - 1)s 2 =
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10 (pm -2 ) 3 x m 7 =
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20 (k 2 s ) 3 x s 0 k -6 =
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NOTES
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PAS YEAR QUESTIONS

PMR 1991.
1 Which of the following does NOT have a value of
3?
A
9 1/2
B
27 1/3
C
3 2 x 3 -1
D
30 x3
3
E
3-1
2

1
( 4 x)(2x 3 ) 2 =
.....................................................................
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PMR 1992
3 p6r3 p2r=
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PMR 1993
4 Given that y 2 = 27 -4/3 x 16 1/2 ,
Find the value of y
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5 (m k ) 2 = m 16 , then k =
.....................................................................
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PMR 1994
3r
=
6
2
(r m)3
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PMR 1995 (PAPER 1)
7 (m 3 ) 2 m 4 =
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8 27 2/3 x 2 -1 =
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4