Worksheet 6.

1
(Refer to Book 4B Ch6 p. 6.6 – 6.16)
Name: _________________________ Class: ___________

Key Points
1. Radicals 3. Laws of rational indices
For any positive integer n, if x  a , n If a, b are positive numbers, and p, q are

then x is an nth root of a. rational numbers, then

Law (1): a p  a q  a p  q
We use the radical n
a to denote an nth root of
ap
a. Law (2): a p  a q   a p q
aq
2. Rational Indices
Law (3): (a p ) q  a pq
For integer m and positive integer n:
1 Law (4): (ab) p  a p b p
a  a
n n
and
p
a ap
m Law (5):    p
a n
 (n a ) m  n a m b b

1
Note: a 0  1 and a  p 
ap

1. Find the values of the following radicals without using a calculator.

1 16
(a) 3
27 (b) 3  (c) 4
8 625
Solution Solution Solution
∵ ( ) 3  27

∴ 3
27 

2. Use a calculator to find the values of the following radicals, correct to 3 significant figures.

11
(a) 6
42 (b) 7
 3.5 (c) 9 
7
____________ ____________ ____________
(cor. to 3 sig. fig.) (cor. to 3 sig. fig.) (cor. to 3 sig. fig.)

3. Simplify the following expressions and express your answers with positive indices.
1 1
(a) x x5 2
(b) y y 3 4 (c) ( x 2 y) 3
Solution Solution Solution
4. Express each of the following in the form x p, where p is a rational number.

(a) 6
x5 __________________ (b) (5 x ) 6 __________________
1 1
(c) __________________ (d) __________________
7
x3 ( x ) 9

5. Find the values of the following without using a calculator.

1 1 1

(a) 8 3
(b) 16 4
(c) 32 5

Solution Solution Solution

1

8 3 8
3

3 ( )3

6. Find the values of the following without using a calculator.

2 3 2

(a) 64 3
(b) 25 2
(c) 216 3

Solution Solution Solution

2 2
64  [( 3
) ]3 3

2
3
( ) 3

7. Use a calculator to find the values of the following, correct to 3 significant figures.
2
3 
8
1
 7
(a) 24 4
(b) 0 .7 5
(c)  
9
____________ ____________ ____________
(cor. to 3 sig. fig.) (cor. to 3 sig. fig.) (cor. to 3 sig. fig.)

8. Simplify the following expressions and express your answers with positive indices.
5
 3

8 2  1 
(a) a 4  (b) ( a 9 ) 3
(c)  
   1 
   a2 
Solution Solution Solution
9. Simplify the following expressions and express your answers with positive indices.
4
a
(a) a6 a (b)
8
a3
Solution Solution

8a  43 a 2 a 2  a3
3
(c) 3
(d)
Solution Solution

10. Simplify the following expressions and express your answers with positive indices.
3

b 4  3 a 2  a 2  4
(a) (b)  
1  b 4 
(a b ) 6 3 3  

Solution Solution

11. Solve the following equations for x > 0.

1 1

(a) x3  4 (b) x 5
2
Solution Solution
1
x 4
3

3
 13 
 x   4( )
 
 
x
12. Solve the following equations for x > 0.
2 3
 1
(a) x  36
3
(b) x 2

27
Solution Solution

Enhanced
Worksheet 6.1 Laws of Rational Indices NF

(Refer to Book 4B Ch6 p. 6.6 – 6.16)

Name: _________________________ Class: ___________

Key Points
1. Radicals 3. Laws of rational indices
For any positive integer n, if x  a , n If a, b are positive numbers, and p, q are

then x is an nth root of a. rational numbers, then

Law (1): a p  a q  a p  q
We use the radical n
a to denote an nth root of
ap
a. Law (2): a p  a q   a p q
aq
2. Rational Indices
Law (3): (a p ) q  a pq
For integer m and positive integer n:
1 Law (4): (ab) p  a p b p
a  a
n n
and
p
a ap
m Law (5):    p
a n
 (n a ) m  n a m b b

1
Note: a 0  1 and a  p 
ap

1. Find the values of the following without using a calculator.

1 3

 1 6  4  2
(a) 4
10 000 (b)   (c)  
 64   25 
Solution Solution Solution
2. Find the values of the following without using a calculator.
2 1 1 9

(a) 2 4
3 6
(b) 9 3
4 2

Solution Solution

 
2 1 2 1
2  4  2  2(
3 6 3 ) 6

3. Find the values of the following without using a calculator.

4
8
3 2 
(a) (4 5  25 ) 5
(b)  3 

 16 
Solution Solution

4. Simplify the following expressions and express your answers with positive indices.
3
3
a 2  1 
(a) (b)  a 6  a 3 
5
a 3  
Solution Solution
5. Simplify the following expressions and express your answers with positive indices.
3
 1
x 4
m4 3
(a) 3
x 
5
(b) (mn)  3 2
3

x ( n)
Solution Solution

6. Simplify the following expressions and express your answers with positive indices.
2
(3 27t ) 2
1 1
  2 13  p
(a) 3
 9t 6 (b) 2 p q   p q  
2
t   9

Solution Solution
7. Simplify the following expressions.
x
3(9 x )
(a) (5 2 ) x  8 6 (b)
27 x
Solution Solution

8. Solve the following equations for x > 0.

2

(a) 3 x  48
3
(b) 5
( x  1) 2  4  0
Solution Solution
 Basic
Worksheet 6.2 Exponential Equations NF

(Refer to Book 4B Ch6 p. 6.16 – 6.19)

Name: _________________________ Class: ___________

Key Points
Some exponential equations can be solved by expressing both sides of the equation with the same base and applying
the following property:
For a  0 and a  1 ,
if a x  a y , then x  y .

Solve the following exponential equations. (1 – 6)

1
1. 2 x3  16 2. 32 x 
81
Solution Solution
2 x 3  16
2 x 3  2 ( )

x3 

x 2
x2
3. 5  25
3 4
4. 6  36 3

Solution Solution

5. 9 x1  27 6. 8  x  32
Solution Solution
Solve the following exponential equations. (7 – 10)
7. 2 x1  2 x  6 8. 3 x  3 x1  54
Solution Solution
2 x 1  2 x  6
2(2 x )  2 x  6
( )  2x  6

9. 4(4 x )  4 x 1  60 10. 2 x 1  2 x 1  10
Solution Solution
 Enhanced
Worksheet 6.2 Exponential Equations NF

(Refer to Book 4B Ch6 p. 6.16 – 6.19)

Name: _________________________ Class: ___________

Key Points
Some exponential equations can be solved by expressing both sides of the equation with the same base and applying
the following property:
For a  0 and a  1 ,
if a x  a y , then x  y .

Solve the following exponential equations. (1 – 6)

1. ( 7 ) 3 x  49 2. 16 2 x  64 x2
Solution Solution
( 7 ) 3 x  49
7( )
 7( )

27 x
3. 125 x 2  5(25 x ) 4. 2 x 1
 81x 2
9
Solution Solution

x
1 2 1
5.    12 x 6. 1632 x ( 2 x ) 
 4 8 8x
Solution Solution
Solve the following exponential equations. (7 – 10)
7. 9 x2  32 x  82 8. 2(4 x  2 )  9(4 x )  92
Solution Solution
9 x 2  32 x  82
9 x 2  9 x  82
9 x  2  9( )
 9 x 2  82

x
1
9. 9(2 x )  4 2  10. 6 x 1  6 x  6 x 1  186
2
Solution Solution

Solve the following simultaneous equations. (11 – 12)

2 x  y  8 y
 9 y  33 x 1
11.  1  2 y 1 12.  x
   3 x 5 16  4 y  x  0
 3 
Solution Solution
 Basic
Worksheet 6.3 Exponential Functions and NF
their Graphs (Refer to Book 4B Ch6 p. 6.19 – 6.32)
Name: _________________________ Class: ___________

Key Points
Range of a a>1 0<a<1
Graph of y  a x

Common features 1. The graph cuts the y-axis at (0, 1).

2. The graph never cuts the x-axis. It lies above the x-axis.
3. The graph has neither a maximum point, a minimum point nor an axis of symmetry.
Differences 1. The value of y increases as x increases. 1. The value of y decreases as x increases.
2. The value of y gets closer and closer to 2. The value of y gets closer and closer to
zero as x decreases indefinitely. zero as x increases indefinitely.
3. As x increases, the rate of increase of y 3. As x increases, the rate of decrease of y
becomes greater. becomes smaller.

x
1
Note: The graphs of y  a x and y    show reflectional symmetry with each other about the y-axis.
a

1. Which of the following are exponential functions of real numbers x? (Put a ‘’ in the appropriate box.)
(a) f ( x)  x 4  (b) f ( x)  0.001x 

(c) f ( x)  (5) x  (d) f ( x)  4 x 

0.5 x
2. Given that f ( x)  2(3 ) and g ( x) 
x
, find the values of the following expressions.
5
(Give your answers correct to 3 significant figures if necessary.)
(a) f (1)  g (1) (b) 2 f (0)  g (1) (c) f (1.5)  3g (0.5)
Solution Solution Solution
f (1)  g (1)
0.51
 2(31 ) 
5

x
3
3. If f ( x)  a  and f (2)  9 , find the value of a.
7
Solution
  5t 
4. The growth in the hair length (L mm) of a person after t days is estimated by L  0.021.3  . Find the
 
growth in the hair length of the person after 150 days.
(Give your answer correct to 3 significant figures.)
Solution

x
3
5. The following figure shows the graphs of the exponential functions y  7 x and y    ,
2
x x
1 2
sketch the graphs of y    and y    on the same coordinate plane.
7 3
6. The following figure shows the graphs of the exponential functions y  0.2 x and y  0.5 x , sketch the graphs

of y  2 x and y  5 x on the same coordinate plane.

7. In each of the following, determine whether the graphs of two given functions have reflectional symmetry
about the y-axis, and put a ‘’ in the appropriate box.

Yes No
(a) y  0.9 x and y  0.9 x 

x x
5 7
(b) y    and y    
7 5

(c) y  8 x and y  8  x 

(d) y  0.4 x and y  2.5 x 

8. The figure shows the graph of y  3 x .
(a) Using the graph, find the values of
0.8
1
(i) 31.7 , (ii)   .
 3
(b) Solve the following equations graphically.
(i) 3 x  10 (ii) 3 x  24
Solution
0.8
1 ) 0.8
(a) (i) From the graph, (ii)    [3( ]  3( )

 3
when x = 1.7, y = ________. From the graph,
∴ 31.7  ( )

(b) (i) From the graph, (ii)

when y = 10, x = ________.
∴ The solution of 3x = 10
is x = ________.

Enhanced
Worksheet 6.3 Exponential Functions and NF
their Graphs
(Refer to Book 4B Ch6 p. 6.19 – 6.32)
Name: _________________________ Class: ___________

Key Points
Range of a a>1 0<a<1
Graph of y  a x

Common features 1. The graph cuts the y-axis at (0, 1).

2. The graph never cuts the x-axis. It lies above the x-axis.
3. The graph has neither a maximum point, a minimum point nor an axis of symmetry.
Differences 1. The value of y increases as x increases. 1. The value of y decreases as x increases.
2. The value of y gets closer and closer to 2. The value of y gets closer and closer to
zero as x decreases indefinitely. zero as x increases indefinitely.
3. As x increases, the rate of increase of y 3. As x increases, the rate of decrease of y
becomes greater. becomes smaller.

x
1
Note: The graphs of y  a x and y    show reflectional symmetry with each other about the y-axis.
a
1. It is given that f ( x)  0.25(k x ) (where k  0 ) and f (2)  25. Find the values of
100 f (0.5)
(a) k, (b) .
f (3)
(Leave your answers in surd form if necessary.)
Solution
(a) (b)

x
4
2. It is given that f ( x)  2(3 ) and g ( x)    .
x

5
(a) Find the values of the following expressions.
[ f (0.5)]2
(i) 5 f (2)  5g (2) (ii)
g (0.5)
(Leave your answers in surd form if necessary.)
(b) If 2 f (k )  g (1)  45 , find the value of k.
Solution
(a) (i) (ii)

(b)
 10
3. It is given that p ( x )  , q( x)  1.6 x and r ( x)  p( x)  q( x) .
0 .2 x
(a) Express r(x) in the form kax, where a and k are constants.
(b) Find the values of the following expressions.
1
(i) r  (ii) r (2)
3
Solution
(a)

(b) (i) (ii)

4. The population (P) of a city after t years is estimated by P  1 500 000(1.48t ).

(a) Find the estimated population of the city this year.
(b) Find the increase in the estimated population of the city in the 3rd year, correct to the
nearest thousand.
Solution
(a)

(b)
5. The total number (N) of cups of coffee sold by a coffee shop in a month is given by N  C (1.005 x )  80 ,
where C is a constant and x (in dollars) is the water bill of that month. Suppose no cups of coffee can be sold
when there is no water.
(a) Find the value of C.
(b) If the water bill of the coffee shop was $900 last month, find the number of cups of
coffee sold last month. (Give your answer correct to the nearest integer.)
Solution
(a)

(b)

6. John invests $P in a certain bond at an interest rate 6% p.a. compounded yearly. The
amount ($A) he can get after n years is given by:
A  P(1  6%)n
Suppose John can get an amount of $22 472 after 2 years.
(a) Find the value of P.
(b) (i) Could John get an amount of $2P after 10 years? Explain your answer.
(ii) If the interest rate is doubled, will the interest got by John be more than $P after
7 years? Explain your answer.
Solution
(a)
 (b) (i)

(ii)

x
 2
7. The figure shows the graph of y    .
5
(a) Using the graph, find the values of
5
0.4
2  5 2
(i)   , (ii)   .
5 2
(b) Solve the following equations graphically.
x
2
(i)   4 (ii) 0.4 x  7
5

Solution
(a) (i) (ii)

(b) (i) (ii)

8. The figure shows the graph of y  6x.
(a) Using the graph, find the values of
0.8
1
(i)   , (ii) 216 .
6
(b) Solve 6x  30  0 graphically.
(c) It is given that the graphs of y  f (x) and y  6x
have reflectional symmetry about the y-axis.
(i) Sketch the graph of y  f (x) on the given
graph paper.
(ii) Find the algebraic representation of the
function f(x).
Solution
(a) (i) (ii)

(b)

(c) (ii)