GCSE Maths Revision | Algebra

Law of Indices - Worksheet

Skill
Group A - Multiplying powers
Simplify the following. Express your answer in index form:
2 3 9 8 −9 5
1) 𝑏 × 𝑏 2) 𝑏 × 𝑏 3) 𝑏 ×𝑏

−8 −9 8 0 3 2
4) 𝑏 ×𝑏 5) 𝑏 × 𝑏 6) 2𝑏 × 3𝑏

4 4 2𝑎 4𝑎 1 2
7) 9𝑏 × 6𝑏 8) 8𝑏 × 4𝑏 9) 𝑏 2 × 𝑏 3

Group B - Dividing powers

Simplify the following. Express your answer in index form:
7 2 0 7 3 9
1) 𝑚 ÷ 𝑚 2) 𝑚 ÷ 𝑚 3) 𝑚 ÷ 𝑚

−2 −9 5 5 6 5
4) 𝑚 ÷𝑚 5) 𝑚 ÷ 𝑚 6) 16𝑚 ÷ 4𝑚

6 2 6 3 3 1 3 2
7) 𝑎 𝑚 ÷ 𝑎 𝑚 8) 𝑚 4 ÷ 𝑚 7 9) (− 9𝑚) ÷ (9𝑚)

Group C - Brackets
Simplify the following. Express your answer in index form:
2 3 6 −7 2 4
1) (𝑦 ) 2) (𝑦 ) 3) (2𝑦 )

−3 2 −2 −2 3 5 2
4) (4𝑦 ) 5) (7𝑦 ) 6) (𝑦 𝑚 )

−4 3 8 1 2 1
7) (𝑦 𝑥 ) 6 2
8) (𝑥 𝑦 ) 2
9) (− 𝑥 𝑦 )
6 3 2

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 GCSE Maths Revision | Algebra

Law of Indices - Worksheet

Group D - Negative and fractional indices

Find the value of the following. Express your answer as an integer or fraction:
1
−1 4 −1
1) 3 2) ( 5 ) 3) 16 2

1 1 1
−2
4) 64 2 5) 8 3 6) 36

2 2 2
−3 −3
7) 125 3 8) 8 9) 27

Group E - Combining power laws

Simplify fully. Express your answer in index form:
2 3 2 2 3 2 3 2 3 −2 3
1) 𝑥 × 𝑥 ÷ 𝑥 2) (𝑥 ) × (𝑥 ) 3) (𝑥 ) ÷ (𝑥 )

2 3 2 2 −1 4 2 6 7 2 4
4) 8𝑥 × 4𝑥 ÷ 2𝑥 5) 27𝑥 × 𝑥 ÷ 9𝑥 6) (𝑥 𝑦 ) × (𝑥𝑦 )

2 3 2 2 4 2 2 3 3 2 2 5 3 3 2 2
7) (2𝑥 𝑦 ) × (𝑥 𝑦 ) 8) (2𝑥 𝑦 ) ÷ (2𝑥𝑦 ) 9) (− 3𝑥 𝑦 ) ÷ (− 3𝑥𝑦 )

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GCSE Maths Revision | Algebra

Law of Indices - Worksheet

Applied

1) Create at least 2 different expressions which you

can simplify to get the answers below. Each
expression must use at least two different index
laws.

(a) 𝑥2

(b) 2𝑥2𝑦3

(c) − 2𝑥2𝑦−3

2) Use the laws of indices to calculate the value of y

in the equations below.

(a) 𝑥𝑦 × 𝑥3 ÷ 𝑥2= 𝑥9

(b) 5𝑦 × 53 ÷ 54= 125

(c) 25𝑦 × 58= 522

3) Without using a calculator, simplify the

expressions below to find the missing power.

(a) 4 2 ⃞
11 × 121 = 11

(b) 3 4 3 ⃞
(16 ×2 ) ÷2 = 2

(c) 1252 × 24 × 58 = 5 ⃞

4) Write a simplified expression for the area of the

rectangle below:

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 GCSE Maths Revision | Algebra

Law of Indices - Exam Questions

Simplify fully:
1)
(a) 2
𝑥 ×𝑥
3
….……………
(1)

(b) 𝑝
7

3 ….……………
𝑝 (1)

(c) 4 2
(2𝑥 ) ….……………
(2)
(4 marks)

2) Simplify:

(a) 3 6 4 5
6ℎ 𝑚 × 4ℎ 𝑚 ….……………
(2)

(b) 12𝑥 𝑦
5 7

2 ….……………
3𝑥 𝑦 (2)
(4 marks)

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GCSE Maths Revision | Algebra

Law of Indices - Exam Questions

Work out the value of:

3)
(a) 0
5 ….……………
(1)

(b) −3
5 ….……………
(2)

(c) 3
2
16 ….……………
(2)
(5 marks)

4) Find the value of y:

….……………
𝑦 3 4 5 (2 marks)
7 ×7 =7 ×7

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 GCSE Maths Revision | Algebra

Law of Indices - Answers

Question Answer

Skill Questions

Group A Simplify the following. Express your answer

in index form:
2 3 5
1) 𝑏 × 𝑏 1) 𝑏
9 8 17
2) 𝑏 × 𝑏 2) 𝑏
−9 5 −4
3) 𝑏 ×𝑏 3) 𝑏
−8 −9 −17
4) 𝑏 ×𝑏 4) 𝑏
8 0 8
5) 𝑏 × 𝑏 5) 𝑏
3 2 5
6) 2𝑏 × 3𝑏 6) 6𝑏
4 4 8
7) 9𝑏 × 6𝑏 7) 54𝑏
2𝑎 4𝑎 6𝑎
8) 8𝑏 × 4𝑏 8) 32𝑏
1 2 7

9) 𝑏 × 𝑏
2 3
9) 𝑏 6

Group B Simplify the following. Express your answer

in index form:
7 2 5
1) 𝑚 ÷ 𝑚 1) 𝑚
0 7 −7
2) 𝑚 ÷ 𝑚 2) 𝑚
3 9 −6
3) 𝑚 ÷ 𝑚 3) 𝑚
−2 −9 7
4) 𝑚 ÷𝑚 4) 𝑚
5 5
5) 𝑚 ÷ 𝑚 5) 1
6) 16𝑚 ÷ 4𝑚
6 5 6) 4𝑚
−1
6
7) 𝑎 𝑚 ÷ 𝑎 𝑚
2 6 3 7) 𝑚
3 1 17

8) 𝑚 ÷ 𝑚 4 7
8) 𝑚 28

3 2
9) (− 9𝑚) ÷ (9𝑚) 9) − 9𝑚

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GCSE Maths Revision | Algebra

Law of Indices - Answers

Group C Simplify the following. Express your answer

in index form:
6
1) (𝑦 )
2 3 1) 𝑦
−42
2) (𝑦 )
6 −7 2) 𝑦
8
3) (2𝑦 )
2 4 3) 16𝑦
−6
4) (4𝑦 )
−3 2 4) 16𝑦
4
𝑦
5) (7𝑦 )
−2 −2
5) 49
3 5 2 6 10
6) (𝑦 𝑚 ) 6) 𝑦 𝑚
−4 3 8 24
−32 24
7) (𝑦 𝑥 ) 7) 𝑦 𝑥 or
𝑥
32
1 𝑦
6 2
8) (𝑥 𝑦 ) 2 3
8) 𝑥 𝑦
2 1
6 1
9)(− 𝑥 𝑦 ) 3 2
9) − 𝑥 𝑦
−3 3

Group D Find the value of the following. Express

your answer as an integer or fraction:
−1 1
1) 3 1) 3
4 −1
2) ( 5 ) 5
1
2) 4
3) 16 2
3) 4
1

4) 64 2 4) 8
1 5) 2
5) 8 3
1
−2
1
6) 6
6) 36
2
7) 25
7) 125 3
2 1
8) 8
−3
8) 4
2
−3 1
9) 27 9) 9

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 GCSE Maths Revision | Algebra

Law of Indices - Answers

Group E Simplify fully. Express your answer in index

form:
2 3 2 3
1) 𝑥 × 𝑥 ÷ 𝑥 1) 𝑥
2 3 2 3 12
2) (𝑥 ) × (𝑥 ) 2) 𝑥
2 3 −2 3 10
3) (𝑥 ) ÷ (𝑥 ) 3) 𝑥
2 3 2 3
4) 8𝑥 × 4𝑥 ÷ 2𝑥 4) 16𝑥
2 −1 4 −3
5) 27𝑥 × 𝑥 ÷ 9𝑥 5) 3𝑥
2 6 7 2 4 18 50
6) (𝑥 𝑦 ) × (𝑥𝑦 ) 6) 𝑥 𝑦
2 3 2 2 4 2 8 14
7) (2𝑥 𝑦 ) × (𝑥 𝑦 ) 7) 4𝑥 𝑦
2 3 3 2 2 4 5
8) (2𝑥 𝑦 ) ÷ (2𝑥𝑦 ) 8) 2𝑥 𝑦
5 3 3 2 2 13 5
9) (− 3𝑥 𝑦 ) ÷ (− 3𝑥𝑦 ) 9) − 3𝑥 𝑦

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GCSE Maths Revision | Algebra

Law of Indices - Answers

Question Answer

Applied Questions

1) Create at least 2 different expressions which

you can simplify to get the answers below.
Each expression must use at least two Answers will vary e.g.
different index laws. Possible answer:
2 (a) 𝑥2 × 𝑥3 ÷ 𝑥3
(a) 𝑥

(b) 2𝑥2𝑦3 (b) Possible answer:

3 4 2
3𝑥 × 4𝑥 𝑦 ÷ 6𝑥 𝑦

(c) − 2𝑥2𝑦−3 (c) Possible answer:

4 2 2 5
− 6𝑥 𝑦 × 3𝑦 ÷ 9𝑥 𝑦
Use the laws of indices to calculate the value
2) of y in the equations below:
𝑦 3 2 9
(a) 𝑥 × 𝑥 ÷ 𝑥 = 𝑥 (a) 𝑦 = 8

𝑦 3 4
(b) 5 × 5 ÷ 5 = 125 (b) 𝑦 = 4

(c) 25𝑦 × 58= 522 (c) 𝑦 = 7

3) Without using a calculator, simplify the

expressions below to find the missing power:
4 2 ⃞
(a) 11 × 121 = 11 (a) 8

(b) (163 × 24) ÷ 23 = 2 ⃞ (b) 13

(c) 1252 × 254 × 58 = 5 ⃞ (c) 22

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 GCSE Maths Revision | Algebra

Law of Indices - Answers

Write a simplified expression for the area of 5 2

4) 8𝑎 𝑐𝑚
the rectangle below:

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GCSE Maths Revision | Algebra

Law of Indices - Mark Scheme

Question Answer

Exam Questions

1) Simplify fully:

(a) 𝑥2 × 𝑥3 (a) 𝑥5 (1)

(b) 𝑝
7
(b) 𝑝
4 (1)
3
𝑝

(c) (2𝑥4)2 (c) 4 or 𝑥

8 (2)
8
4𝑥
2) Simplify:

(a) 6ℎ3𝑚6 × 4ℎ4𝑚5 (a) ℎ7 or 𝑚11 seen (evidence of adding powers) (2)
7 11
24ℎ 𝑚
(b) 12𝑥 𝑦
5 7
(b) 𝑥3 or 𝑦6 seen (evidence of subtracting (2)
2
3𝑥 𝑦
powers)
3 6
4𝑥 𝑦
3) Work out the value of:

(a) 50 (a) 1 (1)

(b) 5−3 (b) 125 or correct use of reciprocal (2)

1
125

(c) 3
2 (c) 3
seen or 4 or 4 (2)
16
64
4) Find the value of y: seen (evidence of adding powers) (2)
𝑦 3 4 5
7 ×7 =7 ×7 𝑦=6

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