1. ALGEBRA 1.

Exponents Logarithms

1. 𝑎𝑚 × 𝑎𝑛 = 𝑎𝑚+𝑛 2. 𝑎𝑚 ÷ 𝑎𝑛 = 𝑎𝑚−𝑛

1 𝑥 −𝑛 𝑦 𝑛
3. 𝑎0 = 1 4. (a) 𝑎−1 = 𝑎 (𝑏) (𝑦 ) = (𝑥 )

1 1
3
5. (𝑎𝑚 )𝑛 = 𝑎𝑚𝑛 6. 𝑎 2 = √𝑎 7. 𝑎 3 = √𝑎

8. Exponential form : 𝑎𝑥 = 𝑏

logarithmic form : 𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑎 𝑏 = 𝑥

𝑚
9. 𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑎 (𝑚𝑛) = 𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑎 𝑚 + 𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑎 𝑛 10. 𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑎 ( 𝑛 ) = 𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑎 𝑚 − 𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑎 𝑛

11. 𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑎 𝑎 = 1

12. (a) 𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑎 1 =0 (b) 𝑙𝑜𝑔10 10 =1

(c) 𝑙𝑜𝑔10 100 = 2 (d) 𝑙𝑜𝑔10 1000 = 3

(e) 𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑎 (𝑛𝑒𝑔𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒) = 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑑𝑒𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑑 (f) 𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑎 (𝑧𝑒𝑟𝑜) = 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑑𝑒𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑑

log 𝑏
13. 𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑎 𝑚𝑛 = 𝑛 × 𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑎 𝑚 14. log 𝑎 𝑏 = log 𝑎

1. (a) Solve 10 + 2 × 2𝑥 = 18.

(b) Solve 9𝑥 = 3𝑥+5

(c) Solve 5𝑥+1 = 25 × 52𝑥

(d) Solve 8𝑥 = 2 × 42𝑥

(e) Solve 8𝑥 = 2𝑥+6

(f) Solve 252𝑥+4 = 125 × 5𝑥−1

2. Solve 6𝑥 = 81 × 2𝑥

3. Solve 32 + 2𝑥−1 = 2𝑥

4. Find all solutions to (𝑥 − 2)𝑥+5 = 1.

5. Determine, with justification, which is larger out of 27000 and 53000

6. Determine, with justification, which is larger out of 2350 and 5150

7. What is the last digit of 216216 + 9191

8. 3 × 20𝑥 = 2𝑥+1
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9. (a) Given that 2𝑚 = 8 and 2𝑛 = 16 , write down the value of 𝑚 and 𝑛 [2]

(b) Hence or otherwise, solve 82𝑥+1 = 162𝑥−3 [4]

10. Solve the simultaneous equations:

4𝑥
8𝑥 2𝑦 = 1 and = 32
2𝑦

11. Solve the simultaneous equations:

4𝑥
9𝑥 3𝑦 = 1 and = 16
2𝑦

12. Zipf’s law in geography is a model for how the population of a city (P) in a country
depends on the rank of that city (R), that is, whether it is the largest (𝑅 = 1), second
largest (𝑅 = 2), and so on. The suggested formula is 𝑃 = 𝑘 𝑅 −1.

In a particular country the second largest city has a population of 2 000 000.

(a) Find the value of 𝑘.

(b) What does the model predict to be the size of the fourth largest city?

(c) What does the model predict is the rank of the city with population 250 000?

13. The volume and surface area of a family of regular solid shapes are related by the
formula 𝑉 = 𝑘 𝐴1.5 where 𝑉 is given in 𝑐𝑚3 and 𝐴 is given in 𝑐𝑚2

(a) For one such shape, 𝐴 = 81 and 𝑉 = 243 . Find 𝑘

64
(b) Hence, determine the surface area of a shape with Volume 𝑐𝑚3
3

14. The length of a baby fish is modelled by 𝐿 = 2 𝑡 2 where 𝑡 is the age in days and 𝐿 is
the length in cm. Its mass in grams is modelled by 𝑀 = 4 𝑙 3 .

(a) Find and simplify an expression for 𝑀 in terms of 𝑡. Ans: 𝑀 = 32 𝑡 6

(b) Find the age of the fish when the model predicts a mass of 1000 g.
Ans: 𝑡 = 1.77 days
(c) Explain why the model is unlikely to still hold after 100 days.

15. The number of people suffering from a disease ‘D’ in a country is modelled by
𝐷 = 1 000 000 𝑛−2
where 𝑛 is the amount spent on prevention (in millions of dollars).

(a) Rearrange the equation to find n in terms of D.

(b) According to the model, how many people will have the disease if $2 million dollars
is spent on prevention?

(c) How much must be spent to reduce the number of people with the disease to 10 000?

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16. A computer scientist analyses two different methods for finding the prime factorization of a
number. They both take a time T microseconds that depends on the number of digits (𝑛).

Method A: 𝑇𝐴 = 𝑘𝐴 𝑛3
Method B: 𝑇𝐵 = 𝑘𝐵 𝑛2

Both methods take 1000 microseconds to factorize a five digit number.

(a) Find the values of 𝑘𝐴 and 𝑘𝐵 .

𝑇𝐴
(b) Find and simplify an expression for 𝑇𝐵

(c) Which method would be quicker at factorizing a 10 digit number? Justify your answer.

17. The pressure (P) in a gas is equal to 0.8T where T is the temperature measured in kelvin.
The air resistance, R, in newtons, of an aeroplane is modelled by 𝑅 = 5𝑃2 .

(a) Find an expression for R in terms of T.

(b) If the air resistance has a magnitude of 200 000 newtons, find the temperature in kelvin.

18. A boat travels 3 km at a speed of 𝑣 km per hour.

(a) Find an expression for the time taken.

The boat uses up 0.5 𝑣 2 litres of petrol per hour.

(b) Find an expression for the amount of petrol used in the 3 km journey.

The boat has 60 litres of fuel.

(c) Find the maximum speed the boat can travel at if it is to complete the 3 km journey.

19. The area of Africa is approximately 3.04 × 1013 𝑚2 . The area of Europe is approximately
1.02 × 1013 𝑚2 .. The population of Africa is approximately 1.2 billion and the population of
Europe is 741 million.

(a) How many times bigger is Africa than Europe?

(b) Write the population of Europe in the form 𝑎 × 10𝑘 where 1 ≤ 𝑎 < 10 and 𝑘 ∈ 𝑍 .

(c) Does Africa or Europe have more people per metre squared? Justify your answer.

20. The number of atoms in a balloon is approximately 6 × 1023 . Theoretical physics predicts
that there are approximately 1080 atoms in the known universe.

What proportion of atoms in the known universe are found in the balloon?

21. 12 grams of carbon contains 6.02 × 1023 atoms. What is the mass (in grams) of one atom of
carbon? Give your answer in the form 𝑎 × 10𝑘 where 1 ≤ 𝑎 < 10 and 𝑘 ∈ 𝑍

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22. The diameter of a uranium nucleus is approximately 15 fm where 1 fm is 10−15 m.

(a) Write the diameter (in metres) in the form 𝑎 × 10𝑘 where 1 ≤ 𝑎 < 10 and 𝑘 ∈ 𝑍
1
If the nucleus is modelled as a sphere, then the volume is given by 𝑉 = 6 𝜋 𝑑3
where 𝑑 is the diameter.

(b) Estimate the volume of a uranium nucleus in metres cubed.

23. Calculate the value of log 1000 Ans : 3

24. Find the exact value of 𝑦 if 𝑙𝑜𝑔10 (𝑦 + 1) = 3. Ans : 𝑦 = 999

𝑒𝑦 + 2
25. Make 𝑥 the subject of ln(3𝑥 − 2) = 𝑦. Ans : 𝑥 = 3

3 ln 𝑥−ln 𝑥
26. Simplify Ans : 2
ln 𝑥

27. Solve the equation 𝑒 𝑥 = 4, giving your answer to three significant figures.

28. Solve the equation 10 𝑥−2 = 21, giving your answer to three significant figures

29. Solve 𝑒 3𝑥+2 = 4𝑒, 𝑥 giving your answer correct to three significant figures

30. (a) Solve 10𝑥 = 5 × 10−𝑥

(b) Solve 102𝑥+1 = 4 × 10𝑥

31. (a) Solve 𝑒 2𝑥 = 6 𝑒 2−𝑥

(b) Solve 𝑒 3𝑥−1 = 4 𝑒 1−𝑥

32. (a) Write 20 in the form 𝑒 𝑘 .

(b) If 20𝑥 = 7 find an exact expression for 𝑥 in terms of natural logarithms.

33. Solve the simultaneous equations

𝑥
𝑙𝑜𝑔(𝑥 𝑦 ) = 3 and 𝑙𝑜𝑔 (𝑦) = 1

34. Solve the simultaneous equations

𝑥2
𝑙𝑜𝑔(𝑥 𝑦 ) = 0 and 𝑙𝑜𝑔 ( 𝑦 ) = 3

35. Evaluate 𝑙𝑜𝑔(10𝑥) − 𝑙𝑜𝑔 𝑥 where 𝑥 is a positive number

36. Find the exact solution of 𝑙𝑜𝑔(𝑥 + 1) = 2.

37. Find the exact solution to 𝑙𝑛(2𝑥) = 3.

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38. (a) Use technology to solve 𝑒 𝑥 = 2.

(b) Use technology to solve 5 × 10𝑥 = 17.

39. Rearrange to make 𝑥 the subject of 5 𝑒 𝑥 − 1 = 𝑦.

40. Evaluate 𝑒 3 ln 2

41. Find the exact solution of 1 + 2 𝑙𝑜𝑔 𝑥 = 9.

42. Find the exact solution of 𝑙𝑜𝑔(3𝑥 + 4) = 3.

43. Solve the simultaneous equations

𝑥
𝑙𝑜𝑔(𝑥𝑦 ) = 3 and 𝑙𝑜𝑔 (𝑦) = 1

44. Evaluate 𝑙𝑜𝑔(10𝑥) − 𝑙𝑜𝑔 𝑥 where 𝑥 is a positive number.

45. (a) Find the exact solution of 𝑙𝑜𝑔(𝑥 + 1) = 2.

(b) Find the exact solution to 𝑙𝑛(2𝑥) = 3.

(c) Use technology to solve 𝑒 𝑥 = 2.

(d) Use technology to solve 5 × 10𝑥 = 17.

46. The radioactivity (𝑅) of a substance after a time t days is modelled by 𝑅 = 10 × 𝑒 −0.1 𝑡 .

(a) Find the initial (𝑡 = 0) radioactivity.

(b) Find the time taken for the radioactivity to fall to half of its original value.

47. The population of bacteria (B) at time t hours after being added to an agar dish is modelled by
𝐵 = 1000 × 𝑒 0.1 𝑡

(a) Find the number of bacteria

(i) initially

(ii) after 2 hours.

(b) Find an expression for the time it takes to reach 3000.

Use technology to evaluate this expression.

48. The population of penguins (P) after t years on two islands is modelled by:

First island: 𝑃 = 200 × 𝑒 0.1 𝑡

Second island: 𝑃 = 100 × 𝑒 0.25 𝑡 .

How many years are required before the population of penguins on both islands is equal?

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49. In attempting to set a new record, skydiver Felix Baumgartner jumped from close to the edge
of the Earth’s atmosphere. His predicted speed (𝑣) in metres per second at a time 𝑡 seconds
after he jumped was modelled by: 𝑣 = 1350(1 − 𝑒 −0.007 𝑡 ).

(a) Find the predicted speed after one second.

(b) Baumgartner’s aim was to break the speed of sound (300 𝑚/𝑠). Given that he was in
free fall for 600 seconds, did he reach the speed of sound? Justify your answer.

50. The decibel scale measures the loudness of sound. It has the formula

𝐿 = 10 𝑙𝑜𝑔(1012 𝐼) where L is the noise level in decibels and I is the sound intensity in
watts per metre squared.

(a) The sound intensity inside a car is 5 × 10−7 watts per metre squared.
Find the noise level in the car.

(b) The sound intensity in a factory is 5 × 10−6 watts per metre squared.
Find the noise level in the factory.

(c) What is the effect on the noise level of multiplying the sound intensity by 10?

(d) Any noise level above 90 decibels is considered dangerous to a human ear.
What sound intensity does this correspond to?

51. The Richter scale measures the strength of earthquakes.

The strength (S) is given by 𝑆 = 𝑙𝑜𝑔 𝐴, where A is the amplitude of the wave measured on
a seismograph in micrometres.

(a) If the amplitude of the wave is 1000 micrometres, find the strength of the earthquake.

(b) If the amplitude on the seismograph multiplies by 10, what is the effect on the strength
of the earthquake?

(c) The 1960 earthquake in Chile had a magnitude of 9.5 on the Richter scale.

Find the amplitude of the seismograph reading for this earthquake.

52. A city is concerned about pollution, and decides to look at the number of people using
taxis. At the end of the year 2000, there were 280 taxis in the city.
After 𝑛 years the number of taxis, T, in the city is given by

𝑇 = 280 × 1.12𝑛

(a) Find the number of taxis in the city at the end of 2005. Ans ∶ 493 𝑡𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑠 [2]

(b) Find the year in which the number of taxis is double the number of taxis there were
at the end of 2000. Ans : 𝑛 = 7 𝑦𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑠 [3]

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1. ALGEBRA 1. Numbers Math Sl/HL

𝐸𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑟
1. Percentage Error = 𝐴𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 × 100 % (Understanding)

|𝐴𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 − 𝐸𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑉𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒|

2. Percentage Error = × 100 % (Booklet)
𝐴𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒

1. [Maximum marks : 6]

Ans: (a) 0.003125 (b) (i) 0.003 (ii) 0.00313 (c) 4%

2. [Maximum marks : 6]

Ans: (a) 0.0375 (b) (i) 0.038 (ii) 0.04 (c) 20%

3. [Maximum marks : 6]

Ans: (a) 105.475 ≈ 105 (3 s.f) (b) 105.5 (c) 1.06 × 102

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4. [Maximum marks : 6]

Ans: (a) ≈ 0.028571 (b) (i) 0.0286 (ii) 0.029 (c) 2.86 × 10−2

5. [Maximum marks : 6]

Ans: (a) 𝑇 ≈ 37.04 (b) 3.704 × 101 (c) 7.99%

6. [Maximum marks : 6]

Ans: (a) 369.408 𝑐𝑚3 (b) (i) 369.41 (ii) 369 (c) 3.69 × 102

7. [Maximum marks : 6]

Ans: (a) 9.28 × 104 (b) 4499000× 102 𝑐𝑚2

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8. [Maximum marks : 6]

Ans: (a) 66150 (b) (i) 66000 (ii) 66200 (c) 6.62 × 104

9. [Maximum marks : 6]

Ans: (a) 23.6196 (b) 23.6 (c) 0.0830 %

10. [Maximum marks : 6]

Ans: (a) 0.81 % (b) 21 (c) 2.14 × 101

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SBA/IBDP/MATH AI SL & HL/1.ALGEBRA/ 1.Exponents, Logarithms & Numbers Basic Level Sasikumar 9