Yuhua Secondary School

Sec 3E Mathematics

CHAPTER 3:
INDICES

My Name:

My Class:
Sec 3 Express – Indices

1. Introduction
1. We have learnt that a number a when multiplied by itself n times can be represented in index
notation.

an
We read the above as “a to the power of n” or “nth power of a”.

2.
Use your calculator to evaluate the following: Fill in the blanks below:
2
2 3
b) 64 =
a) 43 =
Base : _________ Base : _________
Index : __________ Index : __________
d) 25-0.5 =
c) 213 =
Base : _________
Base : _________
Index : __________
Index : __________

e) 2-2 = f) 121 =
Base : _________ Base : _________
Index : __________ Index : __________
1
g) 9 =2
h) 2-1 =
Base : _________ Base : _________
Index : __________ Index : __________

i) 50 = j) 123451 =
Base : _________ Base : _________
Index : __________ Index : __________
1
k) 8 3 = l) 1000-1 =
Base : _________ Base : _________
Index : __________ Index : __________

Conclusion: The index can be a positive or negative value, a fraction or even zero.
When the index is 1, the index may be hidden a = a1

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Sec 3 Express – Indices

II Law of Indices
There are some laws that enable us to manipulate numbers in index notation. We will learn how to
apply these laws for calculations involving multiplication and division in index form.

A Example: 22 × 23 = _______________________

= _________

 22 × 2 3 = 22 3

= _________
Hence if the bases are the same,

Law I : am × an = am n

A1. Simplify

a) 23 × 24 1 c) 7-2 × 7-4
b) 50 × 5 2

d) x 2  x 3 e) z x  z y f) y 0  y

Recall Math Concept:

g) a x  a 2 h) b  b x 1

i) c  c
x y

Recall Math Concept:

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Sec 3 Express – Indices

A2. Simplify

a) 2x3 × 7x4 b) x−2 y × x4y−3

1 1
2 5 3 8
c) 5 x 3  9 x 2 d) y  y
3 4

1
1
e) x −2  9x 2 f) 2 xy 0  xy −2
5

Recall Math Concept

A3. True or False.

Circle True or False for the following. Give the correct answer if it is False
a) 23 × 22 = 45

TRUE / FALSE

b) 33 × 35 = 38

TRUE / FALSE

c) 55 × 54 = 2520

TRUE / FALSE

d) 710 × 74 = 714

TRUE / FALSE

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Sec 3 Express – Indices

A4. Spot the Mistakes.

Spot the Mistakes Suggested Corrections (if any)

a) 23 × 22 = 26

b) 23 × 32 = 65

c) x2 × y2 = (x + y)2

d) 73 × 74 = 497

A5. Given that Law 1 is am × an = am + n, find the equivalent expression of

a) 5x + 2 =

b) 32x + y =

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Sec 3 Express – Indices

B Example: 24 ÷ 23 = _______________________

= _________

 24 ÷ 2 3 = 24 3

= _________

Hence if the bases are the same,

Law II : am ÷ an = am n

B1. Simplify

a) 2 2  25 b) x 2  x k c) z 0  z

Recall Math Concept:

d) a x  a y 1 1
e) b  b
2 2
5 2
f)
5 −1

20 27 2 0. 5
g) h) i)
22 210 2

Recall Math Concept:

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Sec 3 Express – Indices

B2. Simplify

a) 3x7  5x2 9x5

b)
6x 2

5y8 4y3
c) d)
15 y 11 10 y − 2

5 1 2 0 1 −2
e) xy 2  6 x 2 y 2 f) y  y
5 5

Recall Math Concept

B3. Simplify

5y2  2y3 Recall Math Concept

a)
20 y 6

xy −2  4 y 5
b)
2 x −2  3 y

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Sec 3 Express – Indices

B4. True or False.

Circle True or False for the following. Give the correct answer if it is False
a) 8 6  8 2 = 83

TRUE / FALSE

1 1
−
b) 2  2 = 2
2 1 2

TRUE / FALSE

x3
c) −3 = x 0
x

TRUE / FALSE

d) 76 ÷ 74 = 72

TRUE / FALSE

B5. Spot the Mistakes.

Spot the Mistakes. Suggested Corrections (if any)

a) 65 ÷ 32 = 23

b) 58 ÷ 52 = 54

c) x2 ÷ y2 = (x - y)2

d) 76 ÷ 72 = 13

Homework: Complete ALL Questions in Section A and B.

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Sec 3 Express – Indices

C Example: 43  33 = _______________________

= _________

 43  33 = (4 3)

= _________

Hence if the powers are the same,

Law IV : am  bm = (a b)

C1. Find the equivalent expression for the following by applying Law IV

a) 26  x 6 b) 6−2  3−2 c) 3−4  y −4

d) 7 0  40 e) 9− x  6− x f) x k  y k

1 1
−
1
−
1
i) 22 x  32 x
g) 4  9
2 2
h) 5 3
 3 3

j) (−3) x  a x k) (−5x )  (−4x ) l) p8  q8

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Sec 3 Express – Indices

C2. Simplify

a) (4x )3 b) 2(ab )4

1
d) (2bd )−3
c) (3 pq) 2

C3. Simplify

(− 2)2 = − 22 =
(− 2)3 = − 23 =
(− 2)4 = − 24 =
(− 2)5 = − 25 =

(− x )100 = − x100 =
(− x )101 =
− x101 =

Complete the following sentences in your own words:

Negative numbers with even powers ………………………………………………..

Negative numbers with odd powers ………………………………………………….

C4. Simplify

a) (3x )2  (4 x) −1 Recall Math Concept

b) (3x) 2  (4 x) −1

(3 pq) 3  5 pq 3
c)
(−6 p ) 2

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Sec 3 Express – Indices

C5. True or False.

Circle True or False for the following. Give the correct answer if it is False
a) 23  33 = 66

TRUE / FALSE

b) 5− 2  2− 2 = 10− 4

TRUE / FALSE

c) 8x  5x = 40 x

TRUE / FALSE

d) x k  3k = 3x 2 k

TRUE / FALSE

e) a0  b0 = ab0

TRUE / FALSE

C6. Given that Law IV is am × bm = (a × b) m , find an equivalent expression of

a) 6𝑥 =

b) 152𝑥 =

c) 25𝑥+2 =

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Sec 3 Express – Indices

D
187
Example: 7 = _______________________
3

= _________

187
 7 =
3

= _________

Hence if the powers are the same,

Law V : am ÷ bm = (a b)
Law V can also be written as

am
Law V : b m =

D1. Find the equivalent expression for the following by applying Law V

a) 56  26 b) a11  b11 c) 22 m  72 m

1
x −2 −
2
x2 e) p 5
d) 1 5− 2 f) 2
−
2 5
y q

g)
(− 4)3 h)
110
a3 z0

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Sec 3 Express – Indices

D2. Simplify

m
3
b) (2  d )−4
a)  
n

2 3
x
−
 x
c)  
3
d)  
5
 y

D3. Simplify

 2x 
3 Recall Math Concept
a)  
 y 

−4
 y 
b)  
 3x 

1
 9x  2
c)  
 4y 

d) (2c  3d )−1

3x 2  (2 y ) 2
e)
(5 x) 3  8 y 0

−2
  2 
3

1

f)  2   
2 a a b

 3  2 
b   

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Sec 3 Express – Indices

D4. True or False.

Circle True or False for the following. Give the correct answer if it is False
a) a 0  b0 = 0

TRUE / FALSE
b) 187  37 = 67

TRUE / FALSE
c) 23  53 = (2 − 5)3

TRUE / FALSE
1
 x 4
d) (− x )  (− y )
1 1
4 4 =  
 y

TRUE / FALSE
x
63 6
e) 3 =  
x 3

TRUE / FALSE

150
f) = 3
50

TRUE / FALSE
212
g) = 7
32

TRUE / FALSE

Homework: Complete ALL Questions in Section C and D

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Sec 3 Express – Indices

Example: (5 ) = __________________
E 2 3

= _________

 (5 ) = 5
2 3 2 3

= _________
Hence for powers of power

Law III : (am)n = am n

E1. Simplify
b) (2)−1 c) (a x ) x
a) (3 2 ) 3 1

d) (2 −3 ) −4 e) (5 3 ) 0 1 4
f) (x 2 ) 3

g) (−3 3 ) 2 h) (5100 ) 0 x
1
y
i) (a )

j) (3 3 ) x +1 k) (7 −2 ) x +1 l) (11x −2 ) −1

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Sec 3 Express – Indices

E2. Simplify

a) (3 x 2 y ) Recall Math Concept

3

1
−
 82 y  3
b)  6 
 x 

1
 a3  2
c)  −3 
a 

d) (2a 2  3a −5 )
−1

3 −2
 2a   ab 
e)     
 b   2 

3 −2
 2a   ab 
f)     
 b   2 

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Sec 3 Express – Indices

E3 True or False.

Circle True or False for the following. Give the correct answer if it is False
a) (r 3 ) 2 = r 5

TRUE / FALSE

b) (t −3 ) −2 = t −6

TRUE / FALSE

c) (33 ) 2 = 9 6

TRUE / FALSE

d) (73 )2 = 495

TRUE / FALSE

1
e) (2 5 )10 = 2 2

TRUE / FALSE

f) (5 x ) 2 = 52 x

TRUE / FALSE

g) (6 2 ) x+ 2 = 6 2 x+ 2

TRUE / FALSE

E4. Given that Law III is (am)n = a m  n , find two equivalent expressions of

a) 23y = or

5
b) p z = or

c) 8−3 y = or

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Sec 3 Express – Indices

F Practice Questions.

Questions Recall Math Concept

a) Simplify 47  43 and express the answer in index notation.

b) Express 53  23 as a power of a single number.

c) Simplify 1713 ÷ 17-5 and express the answer in index notation.

d) Express 18a ÷ 3a as a power of a single number.

Simplify (114 )24 and express the answer in index form.

1
e)

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Sec 3 Express – Indices

G Further Examples.

Questions Recall Math Concept

a) Express 50𝑟 10 ÷ 5𝑟 6 .

b) Simplify (-3fg4)3.

c) Simplify (w11  w12) ÷ (w4  w7)

d) 135d 20 f 4
Simplify .
(3d f )
5 3

e) Simplify (3p2q)(4pq3)

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Sec 3 Express – Indices

H. Homework Questions for Day 3

Simplify the following: Recall Math Concept

a) (𝑥 9 )3

b) 𝑑 × (𝑑 6 )3

c) 3
𝑠7
( 10 )
7

d) (𝑧 4 )9
(𝑧 3 )5

e) (𝑣 9 × 𝑣 2 ) ÷ 𝑣 3

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Sec 3 Express – Indices

Simplify the following: Recall Math Concept

f) 117d13 ÷ 13d4

g) (r11)2 ÷ (r 3  r4)

h) 30 p 7 q 5
.
(6 p q )
2 2

i) (4g2h3)4

j) (-7d3)2(3d5)

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