ADDMATH (F4)

Chapter 5 : Indices &

Logarithms
Indices and Law of Indices :
1. Basic ideas on indices :
a. an = a x a x x a (n
times)
b. a0 = 1
c. a-n = 1/an
d.

1
n

a = a

e. am/n =

n a

2. Law of Indices :
a. am x an = am+n
b. am an = am-n
c. (am)n = amn
d. am x bm = (ab)m
e. am bm = (a/b)m
Logarithms and Laws of
Logarithms
1. If ab = c, then loga c = b.
Conversely, if loga c = b, then
ab = c.

2. a0 = 1 loga 1 = 0
a1 = a loga a = 1
3. Laws of logarithms :
a. loga XY = loga X + loga
Y
b. loga X/Y = loga X loga
Y
c. loga Xb = b loga X
Change of Base of Logarithms
1. loga b = logc b/logc a
2. loga b = 1/logb a
Equation Involving Indices and
Logarithms
1. Equation involving indices
can be solved by two
general methods i.e.
comparison and using
logarithms
2. Equation involving
logarithms can be solved by
changing the base of all the
logarithms and changing
both sides of equation into
single logarithms by using
the laws of logarithms.