BASIC ALGEBRA

Bridge Course
Laws of Indices
1. an = a × a × a × a … ¬ n factors of a
2. (am)n = amn
3. am × an = am + n
4. am / an = am – n
5. (abc)n = an × bn × cn
6. (a / b)n = an / bn
7. a–n = 1 / an
8. a1/n = see radicals
Properties of Radicals
𝒏
1. a1/n = 𝒂
𝒏 𝒎
2. am/n = 𝒂𝒎 = 𝒏
𝒂
𝒏 𝒏
3. 𝒂 =a
𝒏 𝒏 𝒏
4. 𝒂 " 𝒃 = 𝒂𝒃
𝒏 𝒏
5. 𝒏
𝒂 / 𝒃 = 𝒂/𝒃
Properties of Logarithm 8. log10 x = log x
1. If y = bx , then logb y = x Common logarithm

2. logb (xy) = logb x + logb y 9. loge x = ln x

Natural logarithm
3. logb (x/y) = logb x – logb y Napierian logarithm
&
4. logb xn = n logb x 1
𝑒='
5. logb x = logb y , then x = y 𝑛−1 !
#$%
6. logb 1 = 0
7. logb b = 1
Example 1
𝒙𝟐
Solve for 𝒙 if 𝟓 = 𝟔𝟐𝟓.
A. ± 2 B. ± 3 C. ± 4 D. ± 1
Example 2
Find the value of x in (3^5)(9^6) = 3^(2x).
A. 8.5 B. 9 C. 9.5 D. 8
Example 3
If log8 x = -n, then x is equal to:
A. 8n C. 1/8n
B. 1/8–n D. 81/n
Example 4
Solve for y if y = ln (ex / ex – 2).
A. 1 B. 2 C. 3 D. 4
Example 5
If 8x = y then what is 25x – 3 equal to in terms of y?
𝟏 𝟓/𝟑 𝟏 𝟑 𝟐
A. 𝟖 𝒚 C. 𝟖 𝒚 𝒚
𝟏 𝟑
B. 𝟖
𝒚𝟓 D. All of these
Example 6
Solve for log y: log 2y^3 + log(6/y) = 6.278
A. 2.6 C. 5.8
B. 125.47 D. 397.57
Example 7
Solve for x + m + n from the following equations:
xm xn = 100,000; xmn = 1,000,000; xm / xn = 10
A. 15 B. 10 C. 20 D. 25
Example 8
Given loga 2 = x, loga 5 = y, and loga 6 = z, express
loga 0.15 in terms of x, y, and z.
A. 3z / x2 y C. z − 3x − y
B. x − 3y + z D. x2 / 3yz
Example 1
Factor the expression x3 - y3 as completely as
possible.
A. (x2 + y2)(x - xy + y) C. (x - y)(x2 + xy + y2)
B. (x + y)(x2 - xy + y2) D. (x - y)(x2 - xy - y2)
Example 2
Factor 8a3 + 27b3.
Example 3
Factor x^6 - y^6
Example 4
Simplify 3x - 3x - 1 - 3x - 2
Example 5
Which of the following is equivalent to the mth root
of the nth root of a?
A. mth root of an
B. nth root of am
C. square root of amn
D. a1/mn
Example 6
Which of the following is equivalent to 64x 4y?
A. 4x + 3y C. 256xy
B. 43xy D. 43x + y
Example 7
Solve for x: x = (1 - (1 - (1 - …)^½ )^½ )^½
A. 0.723 C. 0.852
B. 0.618 D. 0.453
Example 8
If 3x3 - 4x2y + 5xy2 + 6y3 is divided by x2 - 2xy + 3y2,
the remainder is:
A. 0 B. 2 C. 1 D. 3
Example 9
The polynomial x3 + 4x2 – 3x + 8 is divided by x – 5.
What is the remainder?
A. 281 B. 218 C. 812 D. 182
Example 9
The polynomial x3 + 4x2 – 3x + 8 is divided by x – 5.
What is the remainder?
A. 281 B. 218 C. 812 D. 182
Example 10
If 4y3 + 8y + 18y2 - 4 is divided by 2y + 3, the
remainder is:
A. 10 B. 12 C. 11 D. 13
End of Lecture
Thank You