MATHSWATCH CLIP

34, 35
Index laws GRADE
2

INDICES AND LAW OF INDICES

 MATHSWATCH CLIP
INDICES 34, 35
Index laws GRADE
2

Simplify:

5 to the power of 4
5×5×5×5 = 54
54 as been written using index notation.
The number n is called
the index or power.
54
The number x is called the base.
 MATHSWATCH CLIP
INDICES 34, 35
Index laws GRADE
2

Write : 3 × 3 × 3 × 3 × 3 × 3 in index notation …

x to the power of 5
Simplify:
x × x × x × x × x = x5
x5 as been written using index notation.
The number n is called
the index or power.
xn
The number x is called the base.
 MATHSWATCH CLIP
LAW 1 OF INDICES 34, 35
Index laws GRADE
2

When we multiply two terms with the same base the

indices are added.

For example,
a4 × a2 = (a × a × a × a) × (a × a)
=a×a×a×a×a×a
= a6 = a (4 + 2)
In general,

First Rules xm × xn = x(m + n)

 MATHSWATCH CLIP
LAW 1 OF INDICES 34, 35
Index laws GRADE
2

2 5
a ×a = a×a×a×a×a×a×a
2+5
=a What
Add about but
the powers
these ? the
MULTIPLY
7
=a ‘numbers’.

2 5
3a × 4a = 3×a×a×4×a×a×a×a×a
2+5
= 12a
7
= 12a
m n m+n
 MATHSWATCH CLIP
LAW 1 OF INDICES 34, 35
Index laws GRADE
2
3 2
4a × 2a b = 4×a×a×a×2×a×a×b
3+2
= 8a b
5
= 8a b

3 2
5a b × 3ab c = 5×a×a×a×b×3×a×b×b×c
3+1 1+2
= 15a b c
4 3
= 15a b c

m n m+n
a ×a = a
 MATHSWATCH CLIP
LAW 1 OF INDICES 34, 35
Index laws GRADE
2
Examples

(a) 6 × 3x = 18x (g) 3a × 3a2 = 9a3

(b) 5y × 4 = 20y (h) 5p × 2p × p = 10p3
(c) 3x × 2x = 6x2 (i) 4y2 × 3y = 12y3
(d) x × x2 = x3 (j) -2 × 3x2 = -6x2
(e) 2a × 3b = 6ab (k) -5a × 3a = -15a2
(f) xy × 3y = 3y2x (l) -4x2y × xy2 = - 4x3y3
 MATHSWATCH CLIP
LAW 2 OF INDICES 34, 35
Index laws GRADE
2

When we divide two terms with the same base the

indices are subtracted.
For example,
a×a×a×a×a
a ÷a =
5 2
= a × a × a = a3 = a (5 – 2)
a×a
2
4×p×p×p×p×p×p
4p ÷ 2p =
6 4
= 2 × p × p = 2p2 = 2p(6 – 4)
2×p×p×p×p
In general,

xm ÷ xn = x(m – n)
 MATHSWATCH CLIP
LAW 2 OF INDICES 34, 35
Index laws GRADE
2
Examples
a6 ÷ a 2 = a4
z ÷z =z
1 must1 subtract
Clearly you 0 the
But this is pointless !
powers but DIVIDE the
8a6 ÷ 2a2 = 4 a4 numbers !
= 1
10w5y3 ÷ 5w2y 1= 2w3y2
16a b
3 2
= 8a b 2 20h3y2z = 5h2y × 1
2ab 4hyz
m n m-n
a ÷ a = a
 MATHSWATCH CLIP
LAW 2 OF INDICES 34, 35
Index laws GRADE
2
Task - Simplify
1) a7 ÷ a4 2) 9a
a 4 ÷ 3a
3
3a3

3) 12w3y2 ÷ 6wy 4)2y20h

2w
3
x ÷ 4h2x 5h

5) 16a4b3c ÷ a2b3 6) 25x

16a c 2
2
y ÷ 5x 3
y 5x-1 or 5/x

7) a3b2 8) 12x
ab
2
3
y 3xy
ab 4x2
9) 14wh3 10) 2h 18a3b2c3 2a2c-1 or 2a2/c
7wh2 9ab2c4
 MATHSWATCH CLIP
LAW 3 OF INDICES 34, 35
Index laws GRADE
2

Sometimes terms can be raised to a power and the result

raised to another power.
For example,

(y3)2 = y3 × y3 (pq2)4 = pq2 × pq2 × pq2 × pq2

= (y × y × y) × (y × y × y) = p4 × q (2 + 2 + 2 + 2)

= y6 = p 4 × q8

= p 4 q8
 MATHSWATCH CLIP
LAW 3 OF INDICES 34, 35
Index laws GRADE
2

When a term is raised to a power and the result raised

to another power, the powers are multiplied.

For example,
(a5)3 = a5 × a5 × a5
= a(5 + 5 + 5)
= a15 = a(3 × 5)
In general,

(xm)n = xmn
 MATHSWATCH CLIP
LAW 3 OF INDICES 34, 35
Index laws GRADE
2

( a 2 )3 = a 6 So you square, cube etc..

the ‘numbers’ but you
MULTIPLY THE POWERS !
( a × a )3

a × a × a × a × a × a = a6
m n mn
( 5a4 )2 = 25a8 (a ) = a
( 5 × a × a × a × a )2 m n n mn
( ba ) = b a
5×a×a×a×a×5×a×a×a×a = 25a8
 MATHSWATCH CLIP
LAW 3 OF INDICES 34, 35
Index laws GRADE
2
Examples
( a 4 )3 = a12
( 4w3 )2 = 16w6
( 5a2b1)3 = 125a6b3
( 3x3y4 )2 = 9x6y8
m n mn
(a ) = a
m n n mn
( ba ) = b a
 MATHSWATCH CLIP
LAW OF INDICES 34, 35
Index laws GRADE
2
Basic index laws - SUMMARY
Here is a summary of the index laws you have met so far:

xm × xn = x(m + n)

xm ÷ xn = x(m – n)

(xm)n = xmn