Chapter 1: Numbers

• Notation and definition of real number system.

• Open and closed intervals. Positive and negative rational indices.
• Surd. Logarithm. Laws of indices, exponent, logarithm. Change of base.
Exponential functions is used to solve real-life problems such as modelling the concentration of a drug in the bloodstream. Logarithmic
functions is used in modelling scientific observations such as the modelling of human memory.

Natural Numbers: counting numbers (also called positive integers), =  1,2 , 3 , 4 , ... .

Integers: consist of the natural numbers together with their negatives and zero.
= ..., −4, −3, −2, −1, 0,1,2 , 3 , 4 , ... . Positive integers are defined with the symbol +

−
where negative integers with the symbol .
Rational Numbers are ratios of integers. Any rational number can be expressed as
m +
= . where m and n are integers and n  0. is the symbol for positive rational
n
numbers and − is the symbol for negative rational numbers. Decimal representations
are repeating or terminating.
3 1 2
Eg: 3 = , = 0.5 , 3.67, -0.333…., 5.272727…, (see chap 3), 0, -4, etc.
1 2 5

Irrational Numbers, :
1. cannot be expressed in ratio of integers.
2. can be represented as non-repeating and non-terminating decimal numbers.
Eg : the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter  =3.141592653…, Euler's
number e=2.71828182…, the golden ratio Φ=1.6180339…, and the square root of two
√2=1.41421356…, 7 , 5 2 etc.
Real Numbers ( ): contain of rational and irrational numbers.
-3 -2 − 2 -1 0 1 2

Real number line

1
Remark: is contained in is contained in is contained in .

2
Surds
Surds are irrational. Expression like 2 and 3 9 are called surds.

Laws of surds

a
1. a  b = ab 2. a  b = 3. (a + b )(a − b ) = a 2 − b
b

x 1 x
= x, =
4. x and its reciprocal x x

Definition of nth Root: If n is any positive, then the principal nth root of a is defined as
follows
n
a = b  bn = a

Eg:
4
16 = 2 because 24= 16 and 2  0
3
− 8 = −2 because (-2)3 = -8

but − 8 , 4 − 8 and 6 − 8 are not defined. (Because the square of every real number is
nonnegative). Odd roots are unique, but even roots are not.

Rationalizing the denominator:

To remove the surd from denominator, we multiply both the numerator and the
denominator by the conjugate radical of a + b , which is a − b .

3
 1 1 1− 2
Eg: = 
1+ 2 1+ 2 1− 2

1− 2
=
1 − ( 2)2
2

1− 2 1− 2
= = = 2 −1
1− 2 −1

Eg: Rationalize the denominator and simplify.

2
a)
12 − 11

Sol:
2 2( 12 + 11)
=
12 − 11 ( 12 − 11)( 12 + 11)

2( 12 + 11) 2( 12 + 11)
= = = 2( 12 + 11)
12 − 11 1

1 1
b) +
5 + 11 5 − 11

Sol:

1 1 5 − 11 + 5 + 11 10 5
+ = = =
5 + 11 5 − 11 (5 + 11)(5 − 11) 25 − 11 7

4
 4−3 2
c) 5 − 3 2

5+ 3 3− 5
Eg: Simplify the expression − .
5− 3 3+ 5

5
 2 2
   
Eg: Simplify  2 + 1 −  2 − 1
 2 − 1  2 + 1 .

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Laws of indices

1. a m  a n = a m+n 2. a m a n = a m−n 3. a −m =
1
am
4. (a ) = a
m n mn
5. a m =ma

m 1

7. (ab ) = a b
 am 
m
8.   =  m 
m
6. an = (a n ) m = (n a ) m m m a
9. a 0 = 1
b b 

Eg:
1. Solve 5 −2  5 2 Sol: 5 −2  5 2 = 5−2+2 = 50 = 1

2. Evaluate 2 3  2 4  2 2 Sol: 2 3  2 4  2 2 = 23+4+2 = 29 = 512

1 1
2 −2
(1 + x 2) 2
− x (1 + x )
2

3. Simplify
1+ x2
−1
(1 + x 2
) 2 [(1 + x2 ) − x2 ]
Sol: Step 1: see if you can factorise it.
1+ x2

Step 2: use the laws of exponents where necessary

−1 −3
−1
(1 + x 2
)2 1  = (1 + x 2
)2

27  9 x −1
4. Simplify the following :
81

7
 Sol: Step1: notice that 27 = 33 , 9 =32 and 81 = 34 , therefore we get;

33  (3 2 ) x −1
34

Step2: Using the appropriate laws, simplify the equation.

33+ 2 x −2
4
= 33+ 2 x −2−4 = 3 2 x −3
3

Eg: Simplify the following expressions and give your answer in

positive indices and without brackets. Assume all variables represent positive
real numbers.

x y
−
y x
a)
1 1
−
x2 y2

6
 1 1  1 1 3 
4

b)  2 x 2 y 3    x 4 y 4 
  2 

(2 x ) ( )
1 1
− −
c). 2
y −1 4  8 x −1 y 2 2

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Logarithms
Given any two positive numbers a and b, there exists a third number such as that a c = b .
The number c is said to be the logarithm of b to the base a and we write loga b = c .

Thus a c = b  loga b = c

Common logarithm
The logarithm with base 10 is called common logarithm and is denoted by omitting the
base: log x = log10 x

Natural logarithm
The logarithm with base e is called natural logarithm or also known as Naperian
logarithms, and is denoted by ln.
ln x = loge x

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Remark: y = e x  x = ln y ln e = 1 ln e x = x ln e = x

Laws of logarithms
1. loga ( xy) = log a x + log a y

2. log a  x  = log a x − log a y

 y

3. loga x n = n loga x

4. loga a = 1

Note : log a x 2 = 2 log a x  (log a x )2 = (log a x )  (log a x )

Eg: Find x if log x 125 = 3

Sol: Using the basic definition, we get x 3 = 125

x 3 = 53

x=5

Eg: Solve log x+1 81 = 2

Sol: Using the basic definition, we get ( x + 1) 2 = 81

x + 1 =  81 = 9 = 9

x =8

−9 is rejected since the base of a logarithm is defined only when it is positive.

Eg: Evaluate log3 81 = x

Sol:

10
 3 x = 81
3 x = 34 , x = 4

Eg: Evaluate log4 2 + log4 32

Sol: Using the law of logarithm, we get log 4 [(2)(32)]

= log 4 64
= log 4 4 3
= 3 log 4 4
=3

Eg: Solve log2 x 4 + log2 4 x = 12 .

Eg: Evaluate ln e8

ln e 8
= 8 ln e
Sol: Using the law of logarithm,
= 8 log e e
=8

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 1
Eg: Evaluate ln  2
e 

Sol:
1
ln( 2
) = ln 1 − ln e 2
e
=0 − 2 ln e
= −2

Change of base
It is possible to express the logarithm of a to the base b in terms of logarithms to some
other base c.
y = logb a
a = by
Suppose:
logc a = logc b y

= y logc b

logc a
y=
logc b

Eg: Use the change of base formula and common or natural logarithm to evaluate each
logarithm, correct to four decimal places
a.

12
 log10 5
log 8 5 =
log10 8
0.69897
=
0.90309
= 0.77398

Eg: Solve the following equations:

a) log5 x + log x 25 = 3 .

b) 3 log8 x = 2 log x 8 + 5 .

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Eg: Find the solution of the equation 3x + 2 = 7 , correct to five decimal places.

Sol: Step1: Remember we are looking for x and to find that we have to bring x + 2 (the
exponent) below. How do we do that? We have to put log both side of the equations and
then look at the laws of logarithm and see if there’s any law that you can use
log 3 x+ 2 = log 7

Step 2: Using law 3, we get

( x + 2) log 3 = log 7

Step 3: simplify the equation.

log 7
( x + 2) =
log 3
log 7
x= −2
log 3
x = − 0.22876

Eg: Solve the equation 2  4 x = 5  3x −1 .

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Eg: Solve the equation e3− 2 x = 4

Sol: Since the base is in terms of exponential, then we use ln instead of log
Step 1: ln e 3−2 x = ln 4
Step2: (3 − 2 x) ln e = ln 4

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 ln 4
Step3: (3 − 2 x) =
ln e

(3 − 2 x) = ln 4
− 2x = ln 4 − 3
ln 4 − 3
x =
−2
= 0.80685

Eg: Solve the equation e2 x − e x − 6 = 0 .

Sol: Step1: Notice that the equation is in power two , see if can factorize it.
Substitute e x as u .
Step2: Then, we get u 2 − u − 6 = 0 , which can factorized as
(u + 2)(u − 3) = 0
u = −2 and u = 3

Step 3: e x = −2 and ex = 3
x ln e = ln(−2) x ln e = ln 3

ln or log non-positive not defined x = ln 3

Eg: Solve the equation log( x + 2) + log( x − 1) = 1 .

Sol: Step1: since the base is the same, we can use the law 1
log[( x + 2)( x − 1)] = 1

Step2: Eliminate the log

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 ( x + 2)( x − 1) = 101
x 2 + x − 2 − 10 = 0
x 2 + x − 12 = 0
( x − 3)( x + 4) = 0
x = 3 , x = −4(rejected )

Check: If x = −4 the equation becomes log(−4 + 2) + log(−4 − 1) = 1 , which is not

defined.

Eg: Solve 4 x − 6(2 x ) − 7 = 0 .

1 3
Eg:Solve the simultaneous equations: log2 x + log 2 y 2 = 2 log4 3 and x log8 32 − y log 4 2 = .
2 2
1
Sol: From log2 x + log 2 y 2 = 2 log4 3 , we have log 2 x + log 2 y = log 4 9
2

log 2 ( xy ) = log 4 9

log 2 9
=
2

17
 ( xy ) = 9
2
xy = 3 = 3 (since log -ve undefined)

3
 y = . ………(1)
x

3  5log 2   log 2  3
From x log8 32 − y log 4 2 = , we have x  − y =
2 2

2  3log 2 2   2log 2 2  2
5x y 3
− = ………….(2)
3 2 2

3
5 x  x  3
Sub (1) in (2): − =
3 2 2

10 x 2 − 9 x − 9 = 0

3 3
x = , x = − (rejected ) (since log -ve undefined)
2 5

3
y = = 2.
3
 
2

Eg: Solve the simultaneous equation:

2 x  47 y = 8 and log3 x − log3 5 = log3 ( y + 1) + log3 2

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 xy
Eg: Given that 2x = 3y = 6z , show that z = .
x+ y

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