CHAPTER 1: INDEX AND LOGARITHMS

1.1 LAWS OF INDEX

1.1.1 Define Index

Index are shorthand for repeated multiplication of the same thing by itself. The Index of a number
says how many times to use that number in a multiplication. It is written as a small number to the
right and above the base number.

In this example: 82 = 8 × 8 = 64

# In words: 82 could be called "8 to the second power", "8 to the power 2" or simply "8 squared"
Other names for Index are index or power.

1.1.2 Index Law

If a, b, m and n are real numbers, then;

Name Of The Law The Index Law

i. ( a m ) n = a mn
ii. (ab)n = an b n
 a n an
1. Index iii.    ;b0
b bn
iv. am x an = a m+n
v. am  an = a m - n

2. Zero Index a0 = 1 ; a0

1
i. a –n = ;a0
an
3. Negative Index a m n
ii.  b ; a  0 dan b  0
b n am

an n a
m
4. Fraction Index
 (a) Positive Index

1. All non-zero numbers can be written in the index form an where a ≠ 0 and n is a
positive integer.
2. an is read as a to the power of n. its means a is multiplied by itself n times, that is

Where a is the base and n is the Index

Examples 1:

Find the value of

a. 43  1 3
3 d.  
b.  3 6
4
c. 7 e. 0.3 4

Solution

Question Solution

a. 43 4  4  4  64
b.  3  333 27
3

c. 74 7 7 7 7  2401

 1 3
1 1 1 1
d.     
 6 6 6 6 216
e. 0.3 4 0.30.30.30.3  0.0081

(b) Zero Index

Any non-zero number with zero Index is equal to 1, that is

a 01
Where a ≠ 0

Examples 2
 Find the value of:
3) 0
(a) 20 (b) ( (c) 100
0

Solution

Question Solution

2 0 1
a. 20

b. (3) 0
(3) 0  1

c. 100 0
100 0  1

(c) Negative Index

a0
By the law of indices, n  a
0n
Hence,
a
1
a n  n
a

Examples 3:

Find the value of

a. 61 b. 63 c. 0.33
 Solution

a. Question Solution

6 1 61  1  6  1  0.1667
b. 6
6 3 6 3  1  (6  6  6)  1  4.63 10 3
c.
0.3 (6  6  6)
 1  0.3  0.3 0.3  37.037
3 3
0.3

(d) Scientific Notation

By using Index, we can reformat numbers. For very large or very small numbers, it is
sometimes simpler to use "scientific notation"

Examples 4 :

Write in scientific notation:

a. 300 b. 7201 c. 0.000256

Solution

Question Solution

3. 0 0 3.0 10 2

a. 300
21

7. 2 0 1  7.20110 3

b. 7201
321
4
0.0 0 0 2 56 = 2.56 10
c. 0.000256
1 234

(e) Fraction Index

 1
 a 2 is a positive nth root of a, that is
a 1n  n a

Where a≠ 0
m

 a n is the mth power of n a or the nth root of am , that

am  a   a
m m
n n n

Where a≠ 0

Examples 5

Find the value of:

1 5 1 1 5 1
a. 323 4 3 8 b. 5 2  5 4  5 8

1 1 c.
42  4 4

2
43

Solution

Question Solution

1 5 1
a. 32  34  3 8 1 5 1  5
   1
32 4  8 3 8

1 5 1
1 5  1 
5 5 5
5
2 4 8   1
5 2 4  8 5


b. 8

1 1
424 4 1 1 2 1
  
c.
2 4 2 4 3 4 12

43

Examples 6

Simplify the following expressions using the laws of Index.

a. 34 x 33 b. 85  82
c. (58 )3 d. ( 24 ) -3
0
e. 8
2
f. 27 3

Solution

Question The Index Law Solution

 a. 34 x 3 3 am x an = a m + n 34 + 3 = 3 7

b. 85  8 2 a m  an = a m – n 85 – 2 = 8 3

c. ( 58 )3 ( a m ) n = a mn 524

( 24 ) -3 i. (ab)n = an b n
2 –12 = 1
d. 1
ii. a –n = ;a0 2 12
an

e. 80 a0 = 1 ;a0 1


2 m 2
f. 27 3 a n n am 27 3  3 27 2  9

Examples 7
Simplify each of the following below

3n 3 n1 3 2n
1n 2n1 2n
a. b. 2 8 16
2 n2  8 n
c. 3n1  272n3 9n d.
4 2n
Solution

Question Solution

a. 3n 3n1 32n  3nn12n

 34n1
2  2   2 
b. 1n 2n1 2n 1n 3 2n1 4 2n
2 8 16 2
 2  2
1n 3 2n1 42n 

 2 1n6n38n
 2413n

 272n3 9n  3n1  33 2n3  32 n

n1
c.3
3  3   3 

n1 32n3 2n

 3 n16n92n
 39n10
 2  2 
d. 2 n28 n n2 3 n

42n  2
2

2n

 2 n2  2 3n  2 4n

 2 n23n4n
 22 4

EXERCISE 1 A

1. Find the value of

a. 63 2
b. 0.3
 1 3 28
c.   d. 2
2 4

2. Simplify each of the following below

a. a5 x a 6 b. 3 x 3 8 x 3-4 c. z 2 y5 x y –2

d. 4n x 16 2n x 32 –2n x 8 -n 12
e. m  m
3
f. 2 8 2 4

–2n
g. z 7 x z 6 z 5 n
h. 25  5 x 125 2n

3. Simplify

3 5 4 2
a. ( x ) b. ( 3x ) c. ( 2x2 y 3 z )5

3 4 2 –4
d. ( 10 ) e. 3 ( ab ) f. ( 2m 2 )  ( 4n )3

4. Simplify each of the following below

2
8 3  32 5
4
32n3  27  9n2 1 1
a. b.
c. 3 2 n1  27 3
n
 9n
2 2n3  4 2 n  2 n2 b n1
d. e. f. b 2n1  b 34n
81n 2 2n3

Answer

1. a. 216 b. 0.09
 1 d. 8
c.
8

2. a. a11 b. 35 c. z2 y 3

d. 2 –3n e. m 9 f. 24

g. z 8 h. 5 10n

3.

8
a. x 15 b. 9x c. 32 x 10 y 15 z 5

d. 10000 1 m2
e. f.
81a 4 b 8 32n 3

4.

11
1 b. 81 n2
a. 2
4 c. 3
d. 2 5n2 e. 32
f. b 3n1