You have learnt multiplication from basic =𝑎 ×𝑎 ×𝑎 ×𝑎 ×𝑎 ×𝑎 ×𝑎 ×𝑎

school and you will agree that the following = 𝑎8

statments are true. which proves that 𝑎 3 × 𝑎 5 = 𝑎 3+5
4 × 4 × 4 = 64 Similarly, 62 × 67 = 62+7 = 69
5 × 5 × 5 × 5 = 625
3 × 3 × 3 × 3 × 3 = 243 2. am ÷ an = am−n
From the above it could be observed that: Explanation for 𝑥 7 ÷ 𝑥 4
Four has been multiplied by itself 3, five also 𝑥7 = 𝑥 × 𝑥 × 𝑥 × 𝑥 × 𝑥 × 𝑥 × 𝑥
has been repeatedly multiplied by itself 4 𝑥4 = 𝑥 × 𝑥 × 𝑥 × 𝑥
times and 3 by itself five times. All of the 𝑥7  𝑥 × 𝑥 ×𝑥 ×
𝑥 ×
𝑥 ×𝑥 ×𝑥
= = 𝑥2
𝑥5 𝑥 ×𝑥 ×
𝑥 ×
𝑥 ×
𝑥
above can be simply be written as follows: 
𝑥7
43 = 64 = 𝑥 7−5 = 𝑥 2
𝑥5
54 = 625 94
Example 10 = 94−10 = 9−6
35 = 243 9
We can then infer from the above that
3. anm = a𝒏×𝒎 = a𝒏𝒎
2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 = 28
Explanation for (𝑎 2 ) 3
Similarly,
(𝑎 2 ) 3 = (𝑎 2 ) × (𝑎 2 ) × (𝑎 2 )
𝑎 × 𝑎 × 𝑎 × 𝑎 × 𝑎 = 𝑎5
= (𝑎 × 𝑎) × (𝑎 × 𝑎) × (𝑎 × 𝑎)
The product of n x0 s is written as xn , where
=𝑎 ×𝑎 ×𝑎 ×𝑎 ×𝑎 ×𝑎
𝑛 ∈ integer.
= 𝑎6
Example the product of ‘five twos0 is 25 .
∴ (𝑎 2 ) 3 = 𝑎 2×3 = 𝑎 6
In an expression 59 , 9 is called the Exponent
For instance (83 ) 5 = 83×5 = 815
(or Index), 5 is the Base and 59 is the Power.

4. an × bn = (ab) n
Laws of Indices Explanation for 𝑎 3 × 𝑏 3
𝑎3 = 𝑎 × 𝑎 × 𝑎
The three fundamental Laws of Indices are:
𝑏3 = 𝑏 × 𝑏 × 𝑏
1. am × an = a𝒎+𝒏 𝑎3 × 𝑏 3 = 𝑎 × 𝑎 × 𝑎 × 𝑏 × 𝑏 × 𝑏
To find a meaning for 𝑎 3 × 𝑎 5 = 𝑎 ×𝑏 ×𝑎 ×𝑏 ×𝑎 ×𝑏
𝑎3 = 𝑎 × 𝑎 × 𝑎 = 𝑎𝑏 × 𝑎𝑏 × 𝑎𝑏 = (𝑎𝑏) 3
𝑎5 = 𝑎 × 𝑎 × 𝑎 × 𝑎 × 𝑎 Example
∴ 𝑎 3 ×𝑎 5 = (𝑎 ×𝑎 ×𝑎) × (𝑎 ×𝑎 ×𝑎 ×𝑎 ×𝑎) 42 × 52 = (4 × 5) 2 = 202 = 400

1
Properties of Indices 32 = 9
31 = 3
The following are some of the properties of
30 = 1
Indices. 1
3−1 = 3
1 1
1. a0 = 1, a ≠ 0 3−2 = 32
= 9
51 It follows that
For example 50 = 51
= 51−1 = 50
1
But 51
= 5
= 1 We therefore conclude 𝑎 −𝑛 = 𝑎𝑛 , 𝑎 ≠0
51 5

that It can also be inferred that

50 = 1. 𝑥 −3 × 𝑥 3

Also = 𝑥 −3+3

34 = 81 = 𝑥0 = 1

33 = 27 ∴ 𝑥 −3 × 𝑥 3 = 1

32 = 9 Dividing both sides by 𝑥 3 ,

𝑥 −3 ×𝑥 3
31 = 3 𝑥3
= 𝑥13

30 = 1 𝑥 −3 = 𝑥13

But there is an exception, 00 ≠ 1

To find meaning for 𝑥 0 , multiply by 𝑥 3 . 1 √
𝒏
3. a 𝒏 = 𝒂
𝑥0 × 𝑥3 = 𝑥 0+3 = 𝑥3 1
To find the meaning of 𝑥 3
This shows that 𝑥 0 = 1
It can be shown that
You know that any number multi- 1 1 1 1 1 1
𝑥 3 × 𝑥 3 × 𝑥 3 = 𝑥 3+3+3 = 𝑥1
plied by one equals the number, 1
∴ (𝑥 3 ) 3 = 𝑥
that is the number does not change. It
Therefore conclude that
follows that 1 √
𝑥 3 = 3𝑥
𝑥0 × 𝑥3 = 1 × 𝑥3 = 𝑥3
Examples
since 1 √
81 4 = 4 81
𝑥 0 × 𝑥 3 = 𝑥 0+3 = 𝑥 3 √
= 43 × 3 × 3 × 3 = 3
1 1 √
2. a−𝒏 = 𝒂𝒏 , a ≠0 72 = 7
Example Similarly,
1 𝑛 √
6−4 = 64
𝑎 𝑚 = 𝑚 𝑎𝑛
2 √3
Also Example 125 3 = 1252
√︁
34 = 81 = 3 (5 × 5 × 5) 2 = 52 = 25
3 √
33 = 27 9 2 = 93

2
 3
4. ( ba ) −n = ( ba ) n Example 3 If 𝑎 = 4, find the value of a 2 .

Summary 3 √
𝑎 2 = ( 𝑎) 3
The following Properties should be memo- √
= ( 4) 3
rized.
= (23 )

1. a0 = 1, a ≠ 0 =8

𝑂𝑟
1
2. a−𝒏 = 𝒂𝒏 3 3
𝑎 2 = 42
1 √
𝒏 3
3. a 𝒏 = 𝒂 = (22 ) 2
Also = 23
𝒎 √
a𝒏 = 𝒏 𝒂m
=8

1 2
Worked Examples 2 3 ÷ 6− 3
Example 4 Simplify √3
9
Example 1
1 2 1 2
Simplify the following: 2 3 ÷ 6− 3 2 3 ÷ (2 × 3) − 3
1 3 2
√3 = 1
81 − 4
a) 9 2 b) ( 16 ) c) 8− 3 9 93
1
h 2 2
i
2 3 ÷ (2) − 3 × (3) − 3
= 1
Solution (32 ) 3
1
23
1 1 1 2 = 2 2 2
a) 9 2 = (9) 2 = (32 ) 2 = 3 2 = 3 2− 3 × 3− 3 × 3 3
1 −2
23− 3
3 3
3 =
b) ( 81
16 )
− 4 = ( 16 ) 4 =
81
16 4
3 3− 3 + 3
2 2

81 4 3
3
(24 ) 4 23 8 23
= 3 = 33
= 27 = 0
(34 ) 4 3
21
c) 8− 3 =
2 1
= 1
= 1
= 1 =
2
83 (23 ) 3
2 22 4 1
=2

Example 2 Simplify 𝑎 5 × 𝑎 −3 × 𝑎 −2 3
(4𝑎 2 ) 2 × 𝑎 −2
Example 5 Simplify 1
and find
2𝑎 4
𝑎 5 × 𝑎 −3 × 𝑎 −2 = 𝑎 5−3−2

= 𝑎0

=1

3
the value of the espression when 𝑎 = 16. Example 6 Simplify 3𝑚 3𝑛 2 × 4𝑚𝑛 3 ÷ 18𝑚 2𝑛 6

3
(4𝑎 2 ) 2 × 𝑎 −2 3 3 3𝑚 3𝑛 2 × 4𝑚𝑛 3
(22 ) 2 × 𝑎 2× 2 × 𝑎 −2 3𝑚 3𝑛 2 × 4𝑚𝑛 3 ÷ 18𝑚 2𝑛 6 =
1
= 1
18𝑚 2𝑛 6
2𝑎 4 2 × 𝑎4 3 × 4 × 𝑚 3+1 × 𝑛 2+3
2 × 𝑎 × 𝑎 −2
3 3 =
= 18 × 𝑚 2 × 𝑛 6
1
2 × 𝑎4 12 𝑚 4 × 𝑛 5
= ×
=2 3−1
×𝑎 3−2− 14 18 𝑚 2 × 𝑛 6
2
3 = × 𝑚 4−2 × 𝑛 5−6
= 22 × 𝑎 4 3
3
2𝑚 2𝑛 −1
= 4 × 16 4 =
3
3 2𝑚 2
= 4 × (24 ) 4 =
3𝑛
= 4 × 23

=4×8 22 × 8 × 81
Example 7 Simplify
26 × 272
= 32
22 × 8 × 81 22 × 23 × 34
= 6
26 × 272 2 × (33 ) 2
= 22+3−6 × 34−6

= 2−1 × 3−2
1 1
= × 2
2 3
1
=
2×9
1
=
18