Indices

By V. Murali

 3³ ('3 cubed' or '3 to the power of 3') and 5² ('5 squared' or 5 'to the power' of 2)
are example of numbers in index form.
3³ = 3×3×3
2¹ = 2
2² = 2×2
2³ = 2×2×2
etc.
 The ² and ³ are known as indices.

 Indices are useful (allow to represent numbers in standard form) and have a
number of properties.

Multiplication

 When multiply together index numbers, add the powers. So:

=

Example 1

Simplify each of the following.

a) x2 × x3
b) 54 × 5-2
c) 3m2 × 4m3 × 6m3

Solution
a) x2 × x3 = x2 + 3
= x5
4 -2
b) 5 ×5 = 54 + (-2)
= 52

c) 3m2 × 4m3 × 6m3 = (3× 4 × 6) ( m2 × m3 × m3)

= 72 m2 + 3 + 3

= 72 m8

Division

 When dividing index numbers, subtract the power of the number dividing by from
the power of the number being divided. So:
=
Example 2
Simplify each of the following.
a)
b) 72 ÷ 7-5

Solution
a) = x2 - 3
= x-1

b) 72 ÷ 7-5 = 7-3

Brackets
=
=

Example 3
Simplify each of the following.
a) (x2)3 = x6
b) (53)2 = 56
c)

Solution
a) (x2)3 = x6
b) (53)2 = 56
c) =
=
=
=
=
=
=
=

Further Index Properties

 Anything to the power 0 is equal to 1.

 So 30 = 1,

 -8240 = 1
  and x0 = 1.

Negative Indices

 If a number raised to a negative power, this is equal to 1 divided by the number

raised to the power made positive. In other words:
 =

 =

Example 4
Simplify each of the following.
a)
b)
c)

Solution
a) = .

b) =

c) =

= 3

Fractional Indices

 A fractional power means that take a root of the number.

 For example, 4 means take the square root of 4 = 2. Similarly, x means take the
cube root of x.
  =

 =

Example 5

Simplify each of the following.

a)

b) 16

Solution

a) =

=
=
=2

b) 16 =
=4
= 64

Laws of Indices

 There are several rules for dividing and multiplying numbers written in index
form.

1. =

2. =
3. =1
 4. =
=
5. =

6. =

7. =

8. =

9. =

10. =

Test Yourself

Simplify each of the following

1. 4 x 4 x 64
2. 2 x 7 2 x 7
3. If 125 x 5 = 5 , find the value of m
4. (4m)2 × m-2

5.

Answers
1. 4
2. 10 976
3. m = 5
4. 16
5.