Mathematical Must Knows

Basic Arithmetic
Types of Numbers Algebra Distribution
 Real Numbers Include
o Rational Numbers
1 Distribution Law
 E.g. 1, 2
o Integers 𝑎(𝑏 + 𝑐) = 𝑎𝑏 + 𝑎𝑐
 E.g. 1,-1,0 𝑎(𝑏 − 𝑐) = 𝑎𝑏 − 𝑎𝑐
o Irrational Numbers
 E.g. π, √2 Binomial Product
 Unreal/Imaginary
(𝑎 + 𝑏)(𝑥 + 𝑦) = 𝑎𝑥 + 𝑎𝑦 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑏𝑦
Multiplication/Division of Negatives
Difference of two Squares
𝑆𝑎𝑚𝑒 𝑆𝑖𝑔𝑛𝑠 = +
𝐷𝑖𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑆𝑖𝑔𝑛𝑠 = − (𝑎 + 𝑏)(𝑎 − 𝑏) = 𝑎2 − 𝑏 2

Powers and Roots Perfect Squares

am × an = am+n (𝑎 + 𝑏)2 = 𝑎2 − 2𝑎𝑏 + 𝑏 2

(𝑎 − 𝑏)2 = 𝑎2 − 2𝑎𝑏 + 𝑏 2
am ÷ an = am−n
Grouping In Pairs
(am )n = amn
𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑎𝑦 + 𝑏𝑦 = 𝑥(𝑎 + 𝑏) + 𝑦(𝑎 + 𝑏)
(ab)n =a bn m = (𝑎 + 𝑏)(𝑥 + 𝑦)

a n an Differences of two Cubes

( ) = n
b b

x0 = 1 𝑎3 + 𝑏 3 = (𝑎 + 𝑏)(𝑎2 − 𝑎𝑏 + 𝑏 2 )
𝑎3 − 𝑏 3 = (𝑎 − 𝑏)(𝑎2 + 𝑎𝑏 + 𝑏 2 )
1
x −n =
xn Trinomials
1
an = 𝑛√a 𝑥 2 + 𝑥(𝑎 + 𝑏) + 𝑎𝑏 = (𝑥 + 𝑎)(𝑥 + 𝑏)

1 1
𝑎 −𝑛 =
𝑛√𝑎

𝑚
𝑎 𝑛 = 𝑛√𝑎𝑚
𝑎 −𝑛 𝑏 𝑛
( ) =( )
𝑏 𝑎
Surds

√𝑎 × √𝑏 = √𝑎𝑏

𝑎√𝑏 × 𝑐√𝑑 = 𝑎𝑐√𝑏𝑑

√𝑎 𝑎
√𝑎 ÷ √𝑏 = =√
√𝑏 𝑏

2
(√𝑥) = √𝑥 2

(√𝑎)(√𝑏 + √𝑐) = √𝑎𝑏 + √𝑎𝑐

Binomial Product

(√𝑎 + √𝑏)(√𝑐 + √𝑑)

= √𝑎𝑐 + √𝑎𝑑 + √𝑏𝑐 + √𝑏𝑑

Perfect Squares

2
(√𝑎 + √𝑏) = 𝑎 + 2√𝑎𝑏 + 𝑏
2
(√𝑎 − √𝑏) = 𝑎 − 2√𝑎𝑏 + 𝑏

Difference of Two Squares

(√a + √b)(√a − √b) = a − b

Rationalising

𝑎 √𝒃 𝑎√𝑏
× =
√𝑏 √𝒃 𝑏

√𝑎 + √𝑏 √𝒄 − √𝒅 (√𝑎 + √𝑏)(√𝑐 − √𝑑)

× =
√𝑐 + √𝑑 √𝒄 − √𝒅 𝑐−𝑑

√𝑎 − √𝑏 √𝒄 + √𝒅 (√𝑎 + √𝑏)(√𝑐 + √𝑑)

× =
√𝑐 − √𝑑 √𝒄 + √𝒅 𝑐+𝑑