THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF GREECE

MA 1105 Applied Calculus Precalculus Review

This form is NOT TO BE USED during the midterm and final examinations
Basic Identities 1. (a + b)2 = a 2 + 2ab + b 2 2. (a b) 2 = a 2 2ab + b 2 3. a 2 b 2 = (a + b) (a b) Powers (or Exponents) 1. a n = a 4 a 24 aL a Definition 1 3
n times

2. a = 1
0

3. a n = 4. 5. 6. 7.

1 1 and n = a n n a a m n m+n a a = a am = a mn n a ( a m ) n = a m n ( a b) n = a n b n warning:

n

( a b) n is not equal to a n b n

an a 8. = n b b
Roots (or Radicals)
1. a 2. 3. 4.
n n

=na

generally
n

= n am =

( a)
n

an =

( a)
n

=a

=a
warning:
n

a b = n a n b
a na = b nb

a b is not equal to

anb

Logarithms

1. 2.

3. 4.

ln( A B ) = ln A + ln B A ln = ln A ln B B ln A p = p ln A ln a log10 a log b a = = ln b log10 b

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Inverse Relationship between EXP and LOG Functions

1. 2.

e ln A = A for A > 0 ln e A = A for any A

Solution of the Quadratic equation

1. Write the equation in standard form:

ax 2 + bx + c = 0
2. Compute the Discriminant:

D = b 2 4ac
(i) If D > 0 the equation has two distinct solutions. (ii) If D > 0 the equation has one (double) solution. (iii) If D = 0 the equation has no solution. 3. In cases (i) and (ii) find the solution(s) using the quadratic formula:

x=

b D 2a

Graph of the Quadratic Function

The graph of the quadratic function y = a x 2 + bx + c is called parabola. If a > 0 , the parabola opens up ( If a < 0 , the parabola opens down ( To graph the quadratic function: 1. Find its vertex (or extremum) ( x0 , y0 ) using the formula:

). ).

x0 =

b 2a y0 = f ( x0 )

2. Find two points below and two points above the x-coordinate of the vertex. 3. Plot all points (including the vertex ( x0 , y0 ) ) on the coordinate plane. 4. Connect the points by a smooth parabolic curve.

Example: The graph of y = x 2 + 4 x 1

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Graph of the Exponential Function: y = e x , < x < +

Graph of the Logarithmic Function: y = ln x , x > 0

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