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Example 9 Chapter 1 Simplifying Indices
Example 9 Chapter 1 Simplifying Indices
A LEVEL LINKS
Scheme of work: 1a. Algebraic expressions – basic algebraic manipulation, indices and surds
Key points
• am × an = am + n
am
• = a m-n
an
• (am)n = amn
• a0 = 1
1
• a n = n a i.e. the nth root of a
m
( a)
m
• a = n am =
n n
1
• a-m =
am
• The square root of a number produces two solutions, e.g. 16 = ±4 .
6 x5
Example 1 Simplify
2 x2
6 x5 am
= 3x3 6 ÷ 2 = 3 and use the rule = a m - n to
2x2 an
x5
give = x5 - 2 = x3
x2
x3 ´ x5
Example 2 Simplify
x4
x 3 ´ x 5 x 3+ 5 x 8
= 4 = 4 1 Use the rule a m ´ a n = a m + n
x4 x x
am
= x8 − 4 = x4 2 Use the rule = a m-n
an
1
Example 3 Write as a single power of x
3x
4
Example 4 Write as a single power of x
x
4 4 1
= 1 1 Use the rule a n = n a
x x2
1 1
= 4x
-
2 2 Use the rule m
= a-m
a
Practice questions
1 Simplify.
3x 2 ´ x3 10 x5
a b
2 x2 2 x2 ´ x
3x ´ 2 x3 7 x3 y 2
c d Watch out!
2 x3 14 x5 y
1 Remember that
y2 c2
e 1
f 3
any value raised to
y2 ´ y c2 ´ c 2 the power of zero
is 1. This is the
g
( 2x ) 2 3
h
1
x2 ´ x2
3
rule a 0 = 1.
4 x0 x -2 ´ x3
3x3
1 a b 5x2
2
y
c 3x d
2x2
1
e y2 f c–3
g 2x6 h x
1
2 a x–1 b x–7 c x4
2 1 2
- -
d x5 e x 3
f x 3
1 5
3 a b 1 c x
x3
5 1 1
d x2 e f
x 4
x3