REVISION OF INDEX NOTATION

1. Question: What does x4 mean?

Answer: x.x.x.x Generalise to xa means x.x.x.....x (a times)

2. Question: What does x-4 mean?

Answer: 1/(x.x.x.x) Generalise to x-a means 1/(x.x.x.....x) (a times)

3. Question: What does x1/4 mean?

Answer: Fourth root of x Generalise to x1/a means ath root of x

4. Question: What does x0 mean?

Answer: 1 Generalise to x0 means 1

Examples Calculate:
a) 3-2 Ans 1/9 b) 16 Ans 2 c) 33 Ans 27 d) 16-1/4Ans 1/2

REVISION OF LAWS OF INDICES 1. xm .xn= xm+n Eg 23 .22 = 25 Test it 23 .22 = (2.2.2) (2.2) = 25

2. xm /xn= xm-n Eg 23 /22 = 21 Test it 23 /22 = (2.2.2)/ (2.2) = (2.2.2)/ (2.2) =21

3. (xm )n= xm*n Eg (23) 2 = 26 Test it (23) 2 = (2.2.2) (2.2.2) = (2.2.2.2.2.2.2) =26

Examples
Calculate: a) x2y3 * x3y0.5 Ans x5y3.5 b) x2y3 / x3y0.5 Ans x-1y2.5 c) (x2y3)
3

Ans x6y9

USING INDICES TO SOLVE EQUATIONS Solve 62x =36

Step 1: Is the variable in the power? YES

Step 2: Express both sides of the equation as powers of the same numbers. 62x = 36 62x = 62

Step 3: Once the bases are the same, then the powers are equal. 2x = 2 x=1

Solve 3n-5 = 1/91-2n

Step 1: Is the variable in the power? YES

Step 2: Express both sides of the equation as powers of the same numbers. 3n-5 = 1/91-2n 3n-5 = 1/(32)1-2n 3n-5 = 1/32(1-2n) 3n-5 = 1/32-4n 3n-5 = 3-(2-4n)

Step 3: Once the bases are the same, then the powers are equal. n-5 = -(2-4n) n-5 = -2+4n n-4n = -2+5 -3n = 3 n=-1

Practice Questions 1. Solve 34n+2 = 81 2. Solve 1/4n = 16 3. Solve 2n-4 = 1/22n+1

Solutions 1. 0.5 2. -2 3. 1

FACTORIZATION DIFFERENCE OF TWO SQUARES a2 b2 = (a-b)(a+b)

Factorise x2 4 x2 4 = x2 22 = (x-2)(x+2)

Factorise 3x2 12 3x2 12 = 3(x2 4) =3(x2 22)= 3(x-2)(x+2)

Factorise 9x2 100 9x2 100 = (3x)2 (10)2= (3x-10)(3x+10)

Factorise 5(x+y)2 5 5(x+y)2 5 = 5[(x+y)2 1] = 5(x+y-1) (x+y+1)

Practice Questions 1. Solve 4a2 16b2 2. Solve 18a2 2b2 3. Solve 16a2 b2 c2

Solutions 1. (2a-4b) (2a+4b) 2. 2(3a-b)(3a+b) 3. (4ab-c) (4ab+c)

FACTORIZATION METHOD OF GROUPING Grouping involves combining terms that have a common factor. The results can be further simplified by factorising a second time.

Factorise pmn qm2 p2n + pqm pmn qm2 p2n + pqm qm2 = m(pn qm) m can be factored out of the first 2 terms ie pmn

-p can be factored out of the last 2 terms ie -p2n + pqm = -p(pn qm)

= m(pn-qm) p(pn-qm)

(pn-qm) can be factored out of both terms

=(pn-qm)(m-p)

Factorise (x+y)2 x-y (x+y)2 x-y = (x+y)2 (x+y) =( x+y)(x+y 1) (x+y) can be factored out of both terms

Practice Questions 1. Factorise 5x2 + 20x +3yx + 12y 2. Factorise xy2 + x +3y2 + 3 3. Factorise xyz
2

+ xy3 + y

+ z2

Solutions 1. 5x2 + 20x +3yx + 12y = 5x(x+4) +3y(x+4) = (x+4)(5x+3y) 2. xy2 + x +3y2 + 3 = x(y2 +1) +3(y2 + 1) =(y2 +1)(x+3) 3. xyz
2

+ xy3 + y

+ z2 = xy(z

+ y 2)+ (y

+ z2 ) = (y

+ z2 )(xy + 1)

SIMPLE EQUATIONS An equation is a statement that two expressions are equal to each other.

Solve 5x-12 = 3x-8 5x- 12 = 3x-8 5x-3x = -8+12 2x = 4 x=2

Solve 3(x-1) = 2(1-x) 3x-3 = 2-2x 3x+2x = 2+3 5x = 5 x=1

Solve (x+3)/4

+ 2= (5-x)/2

(x+3+8) = (5-x) 4 2

2(x + 3 + 8) = 4 (5-x) 2(x + 11) = 4(5-x) 2x + 22 = 20 4x 2x + 4x = 20 22 6x = -2 x = -2/6 or -1/3

Practice Questions 1. 2(x + 1) 2. (x+3)/2 = 3x-2 = 2x+3

3. (4x+2)/2 = (17-x)/3

Solutions 1. x= 4 2. x= -1 3. x= 2