Surds, Indices and Logarithms

Topic 6: SURDS, INDICES AND LOGARITHMS SURDS We know that We may obtain this from a calculator. We note that this decimal

does not terminate or recur. Other roots of this type are , , e.t.c. They are called surds. In general a number which cannot be expressed as a fraction of two integers is called irrational number. We are aware that natural numbers are numbers of the form 1,2,3 etc while -1,-2,0,1,2 etc are all called integers It is important to note that = and 6 Example: Simplify Solution: -2 -2 + = + =5 =8 + -6 -2 3 =2 +2 = =3

It is not appropriate to write surds in the denominator of a fraction. The process of clearing irrational numbers is called rationalization. Example: Rationalize the denominator of (a) (b) (f) Solution: (a) Multiply numerator and denominator by = . = changed: . Thus (c) (g) (d) (h)

(b) Multiply numerator and denominator by the denominator with the sign of = = =

The rest of the problems are solved in a similar way and the student is requested to attempt all of them plus the following exercises.

Surds, Indices and Logarithms

Exercise: 1. Express in terms of the simplest possible surds (a) (b) (c) (d) (e)

2. Express as square roots (a) 3 (b) 6 (c) 2 (d) 2

3. Rationalize the denominator of the following fractions (a) (b) (c) (d) (e)

4. Simplify without using a calculator (a) + -2 (b) +2 (c) + -

LAWS OF INDICES We assume that we are familiar with the following (a) (b) (c) We note that = = = = 1, and = 41/3)/8 160 85/4) (b) (271/2 2431/2)/2434/5

Example: (1) Find the values of (a) (163/4 (c) (323/4 (2) Simplify Multiply numerator and denominator by = Exercise: 1. Simplify the following: (a) 2. Simplify (a) (b) (b) =

, we obtain

(c)

(c)

(d)

Surds, Indices and Logarithms

LOGARITHMS We are probably familiar with the use of logarithms for multiplication and division. There are certain properties of logarithms that are useful in more advanced work. Having just considered indices, it is now possible to look at logarithms because a logarithm is an index. The statement the logarithm of 100 to base 10 is 2 is abbreviated as

We can have logarithms to any base i.e. We see that if Properties of Logarithms + n Exercise 1. Express in index notation (a) = 5 (b) 2. Evaluate (a) (b) 3. Simplify (a) (a) 5. Show that (b) 5 (b) 4. Solve the following = = then

or

. = 100, then .

= 100 or vice versa. That is if

= 2 (c) 2 = (c) (c) (c) ( = . (d) (d)

and use this to show that

ROOTS OF QUADRATIC EQUATIONS AND THE REMAINDER THEOREM Consider the quadratic equation

We can write this as (1) A quadratic equation whose roots are and may be written as (x - )(x - ) = 0

Surds, Indices and Logarithms

- x x + = 0 - ( + )x + =0 (2)

Now equations (1) and (2) having the same roots must be the same equation written in two different ways, since the coefficients of are both 1. Therefore (a) The coefficients of x must be equal : + = (b) The constant terms must be equal: = Example: Write down the sums and products of the roots of the following equations (a) 3 - 2x 7=0 (b) 5 + 11x + 3 =0 Solution (a)Let , be the roots of the above equation. Then + = -(- ) = = (c) (b) 5 + 11x + 3 =

So + = = Example: The roots of the equation 3 (a) (b) + and + can be expressed in terms of + and . + 4x -5=0 are , . Find the values of

Solution: (a) Both +=+ = (b) = = = Therefore Exercise: = =

- 2 =

-2(

1. The root of the equation 2 (a)

+ 3x 4 =0 are , . Find the values of

Surds, Indices and Logarithms

(b) (c) (+1)(+1) 2. The equation 4 (a) + are and -1. Find the values of q. + 8x 1 = 0 has roots , . Find the values of

(b) 3. The roots of the equation THE REMAINDER THEOREM An expression of the form a

where a, b, ., k are real numbers and n is a positive integer is called a polynomial of degree n. The expression 5 for example is a polynomial of degree 7. If we divide by x - 2

+ 6x + 2x

13. The result may be expressed as = (x - 2)( ) +13.

Here is called the quotient and 13 is the remainder. The remainder theorem gives a method of finding the remainder without going through the process of long division. Suppose it is required to find the remainder when

Now if we put

in this identity, we obtain

Surds, Indices and Logarithms

Therefore the remainder = 12. Applying this process to any such expression divided by write

we may

Putting x = a in this identity, it follows that the remainder = the value of the expression when function notation may be used to state the remainder theorem. If a polynomial is divided by the remainder is Example: Find the remainder when (a) x - 1 (b) x - 2 Solution: Let then is divided by

The

(a) the remainder when f(x) is divided by x - 1 is (b) the remainder when f(x) is divided by x + 2 is f(-2) = -32 + 32 4 + 3 = -1 Example: Factorize the expression Solution: Let on division, i.e. if f(a) = 0. . will be a factor of f(x) only if there is no remainder

therefore x - 1 is not a factor. , therefore x + 1 is not a factor. (x-2) and (x+2) cannot be factors as 2 is not a factor of the constant term 15. therefore x - 3 is a factor. By division we obtain

Example: When the expression the values of and .

is divided be

the remainder is

Find

Solution: Suppose the division have been performed, then

Putting x=1, 1 + 4 + a + b =2 + 3 Putting x = -1, -1 + 4 -a + b = -2 + 3

Surds, Indices and Logarithms

These equations may be written a + b = 0 and a + b = -2. Addind 2b = -2, implying that b = -1 and a = 1.

Exercise: 1. Find the remainder when; (a) is divided by (b) is divided by (c) is divided by 2. Find the values of a in the expressions below when the following conditions are satisfied: (a) + a + 3x -5 has remainder -3 when divided by (b) is divisible by (c) has remainder 17 when divided by (d) The expression has remainder when divided by . Find the values of and