Algebra Tutorial --- Exponents

This is a simple conce pt of writing in a short way many alge braic e xpre ssions...but you
can de ve lop it as a spe cial subje ct as we will se e .

S uppose you want to write : y = x.x.x

We can write it simply: y = x ^3
He re x is calle d the "base " and 3 ,the e xpone nt or powe r....We say that " x is raise d to
the powe r of thre e ."

S uppose z = x.x.x.y.y We can write : z = [x^3].[y^2]

S uppose we want to write y = 1/ (x.x) = 1/ (x ^2) = x ^ -2

The re fore a te rm in the de nominator be come s a te rm in the nume rator with e xpone nt of
ne ga tive sign.
0
What is X ?

A basic fact is this: any numbe r raise d to the powe r of ze ro is one .The base can be a ny
numbe r.
Why is this? Le t us write :
z= x^3 / x^3 This is e qual to one ,right!

z = X^3 . x ^ (-3) = 1
The re fore z = x ^ (3-3)= x^0 = 1

We can se e that 200^0 =1 and also 10000000^0 =1.

Ke e p this in mind!

Simplifying exponents

Le t us ge t a fe w simple me thods to make quick work of e xpone nts:

S uppose : y = (x.x.x) ( x.x)

In e xpone ntial 'notation' or way of writing, y = (x^3).(x^2) = x^5
We simply add the e xpone nts whe n the two te rms are multiplie d:

Y = ( X ^ m).(X ^n) = X ^ (m+n) [Rule 1]

This is the most use ful re altionship.All othe r re lationships are de rive d from this.

S uppose Y = X^m /X^n = X^m.X^(-n) = X ^ (m-n) [Rule 2]

Take a
simple ca se of Y = x.x.x.x.x.x / x.x.x
= x^6/x^3
= x^ (6-3)
= x ^3

Applications

1. Join inse rts a small ball of radius 5inche s inside a cubical box of side 10
inche s.What is the % of volume occupie d by the ball inside the box.

Volume of Box = V-box = 10 x10x10 = 10^3 cubic inche s.

Volume of ball = V-ball = (4 x pi x 5x5x5) / 3

Ratio of volume of ball to the volume of box = R = (4x pi x 5^3) / ( 3 x 10 ^3)

pi= 3.1416

Now we write : 10^3 = 10x 10 x10 = 5x2x5x2x5x2

= 5x5x5x2x2x2
= ( 5 ^ 3).( 2 ^ 3)

We ge t anothe r rule he re : Y = ( a.b) ^ m = (a^m)(b^m) [Rule 3]

Now R be come s: R = (4 x pi x 5^3) / ( 3 x 5^3 x 2^3)

= ( 4 x pi ) / (3 x 2^3)
= ( 4 x 3.1416) / 3 x 8 )
= 12.5664 / 24
= 0.524
Whe n we inse rt a ball into a box e qual to its diame te r, we use only 52% of the spa ce
inside the box. Doe s this come as a surprise to you! We are using onlya little more than
ha lf the volume .S e e ,how using e xpone nts he lp in simplifying e quations fast.

2. Business Applications
In busine ss and finance ,the most use ful formula is the 'compound inte re st formu la"...
Wha t is compund inte re st?
We ll , if you inve st in a bank that give s inte re st at 3% compunde d e ve ry half ye ar , and
you put in $1000 as principal amount, the n afte r one half ye ar , you ge t an inte re st of
$30. Now this inte re st amount is adde d to principal amount .
The ne w principal amount is $ 1030.For the ne xt half ye ar , you ge t inte re st 3% of
$1030.

3% of $1030 = 1030 x [3 /100] = $30.9

You a dd this inte re st to the principal and the ne w principal is :
P = 1030+30.9 = 1060.9
This is how "mone y bre e ds mone y" in compound inte re st or CD's.

Now we write a formula for this:

Amount A = Principal (P)x ( 1 + r ) ^ n

whe re r is the rate [in this case r = 3/100 = 0.03]
and n is the numbe r of pe riods compounding..

Take this proble m: John inve sts $10000 for a pe riod of 3 ye ars.The bank give s 3%
inte re st compunde d e ve ry six months.Find the amount he will ge t at the e nd of thre e
ye ars.
He re Principal = 10000 r= 0.03 n = 3 x2 = 6 pe riods, be cause the re
are 2 pe riods of six months in a ye ar.
Amount A = 10000 ( 1+0.03) ^ 6
= 10000 ( 1.03 ^ 6)
= 10000 x 1.194
= $ 11940
You have to use a calculator to ge t 1.03^6 ----Use the ke y x raise d to the powe r of y in
your ca lculator : x ^y

3 Biological problem--Exponential growth

A ba cte ria colony grows in a chicke n broth with initial population of 100
bacte ria s.This form of bacte ria grows at the rate of 7% pe r minute .Find the numbe r of
bacte ria you will find at the e nd of an hour.[THe growth follows compound inte re st
formula.]
ra te = r = 0.07 P =100
# of bacte ria afte r one hour = 100 ( 1 + 0.07 ) ^ 60
= 100 ( 1.07) ^ 60
= 100 x 57.95
= 100 x 56 [approximate ly]
= 5600
Note that in one hour ,the population of bacte ria re ache s 5600, due to 'compund inte r e st
fromula' e ffe ct.
Ba cte ria population re ache s a le ve l of billions in our guts...almost like human popu lation.

4. Global Population
Assume that the global human population is close to 6.3 billion in 20 05.It
incre a se s a t the rate of 1.3% e ve ry ye ar.What would be the e xpe cte d or [proje cte d]
population in the ye ar 2015?
P = Initia l value = 6.3 r= 0.013 1+r = 1.013 n = 10
Popula tion in 2015 = A = 6.3 x (1.013 ^ 10)
= 6.3 x 1.138
= 7.169
= 7.2 [approximate ly]

As you can se e from the se e xample s, compound inte re st fromula has many use s othe r
tha n in finance .Le arn this we ll!
5. Find the time whe nthe bacte ria population in the colony double --that is, be come s 2 00
.This time is calle d "doubling time "--- a use ful numbe r to know.
For e xample , if your bank give s 3.5% inte re st pe r ye ar, the doubling time is ne arly 2 0
ye ars....Work this out.!

Power of power

Take the simple case of x ^ 12. You can re write this as follows :

Y = X ^12 = (x ^ 4 ).(x ^ 4).(x^4)

I can use the e xpone nt form again: Y = x ^12 = ( x^4) ^ 3

This is the powe r of powe r: Y = (x ^m) ^ n = x ^ (m x n) [Rule 4]

Take a simple e xample : y = 2 ^6 = 2.2.2.2.2.2 = 64

= (2 ^ 2) ^ 3
= 4 ^ 3 = 4.4.4 = 64

This rule make s many calculations and formula writing e asie r.

Do It Yourself problems

1. Ja ne de posits $5000 in a bank which give s 3% e ve ry quarte rs. S he is inve sting this
amount for his son's colle ge e ducation. He r son Mike is just 3ye ars old now,and would
ne e d to go to colle ge afte r 16 ye ars.
How much mone y Jane will ge t whe n Mike e nte rs colle ge ? [Ans: $20660]
How much she should de posit now if she wants to ge t $30000 afte r 16 ye ars. {Ans: $
9680}

2. A fre sh wate r lake has a fish population of 1000 only. The animal activists e stima te
tha t the population incre ase s at the rate of 20% pe r ye ar. How long you have to wait for
the population to grow to 10000, whe n fishing can be allowe d in that lake ? { about 12
ye ars...give an e xact answe r}

3 In a de ve loping country, the numbe r of adult mobile phone use rs is incre asing a t the
ra te of 15 pe rce nt pe r ye ar.Now only 2% of the adults have mobile phone s. Whe n this
numbe r re ach 30% of adult population? [about 19 ye ars]

To sum up:
We ha ve de ve lope d a fe w 'rule s' 4 rule s] for manipulating e xpone ntial e xpre ssions.List
the m a nd le arn the m we ll.
We also e xte nde d the use of this approach to "compound inte re st formula" use d by
banke rs.But this formula is ve ry use ful for 'mode ling' many othe r growth proble ms--
bacte ria ,fish,humans and also busine ss.
Wha t is doubling time in e xpone ntial growth? Try to find the doubling time for any
growth proble m you study---fish,wild animals,bird and so on.

{ Note : This tutorial and othe rs are base d on my e xpe rie nce as a math tutor in Palo
Alto,California.]