Basics of Mathematics

Key concepts :
Logarithms, Progressions –
Functions
The logarithm to the base b of the
variable x is defined as the power
to which you would raise b to get
x. If the logarithm to the base b
of x is equal to y, then b raised to
the y power will give you the
value x. It it written
x = by is the same as y = logbx
Here is a riddle for you. If we have a full binary tree (no
branches are cut off) that has 8 smallest branches, how
many "levels of branching in two" are there?
Let us see. The last branching happens when 4 branches
became 8:
The branching before that happens
when 2 branches become 4:
and the very first one is when a single
branch becomes 2

So we have three levels of branching

The general combination
properties of logarithms are:

logb1 = 0

logbb = 1

logbbx = x
logb(xy) = logbx + logby

logb(x/y) = logbx – logby

logb(xy) = y logbx
Example 1: 1000 = 103 is the same as
3 = log101000.

Example 2: log381 = ?

Example 2: log5125 = ?
 Arithmetic Progression

A sequence is called an arithmetic progression

if the difference of any term from its preceding
term is constant.

This constant is usually denoted by d and is

called common difference.

General term of an A.P.

Tn = a +(n -1) d.
 Formulae for Sum of A.P.
Sum of first n terms of an A.P. is
n
S n = [ 2a + ( n − 1) d ]
2
If Sn is sum of n terms of an A.P. whose
first term is a and last term is l,then
n
Sn = ( a + l )
2
If the 9 term of an
th

A.P. is 99 and 99 th

term is 9, find its 108 th

term.
Find the sum of the
series
1 +3 +5 +... +99.
How many terms
of the A.P.
17 + 15 + 13 + ...
must be taken
so that sum is 72?
 Geometric Progression (G.P.)
A sequence is called a geometric progression
if the ratio of any term to its preceding term is
constant.

This non-zero constant is usually denoted by

r and is called common ratio.

Ex. 9 , 18 , 36 , 72…….

General term of a G. P.
Tn = a r n-1
Find the next term
of the sequence
1/6, 1/3, 2/3...
 Harmonic Progression
A series is said to be harmonic progression if
the series obtained by taking reciprocals of the
corresponding terms of the given series is an
arithmetic progression.

For example
1 1 1
1, , , ,......
4 7 10
• A general H.P. is

1 1 1 1
, , , ,.....
a ( a + d ) ( a + 2d ) ( a + 3d )

• nth term of an H.P.

1
[a +(n −1)d ]
The 7 term of an H.P.
th

is 1/10 and 12 term is

th

1/25 Find the 20 term

th
 Functions
• Indicates relationship among objects
• Expresses the relationship of one
variable or a group of variables
(domain) with another variable
(range) by associating every member
in the domain to a unique member in
range.
y= f(x) 1 dimensional function
• y= f(x,z) 2 dimensional function
 Types of Function

• Linear function
• Inverse function
• Exponential function
• Logarithmic function
 Linear function

y = mx + c

y - dependent variable
x – independent variable
m – slope
c - intercept
Inverse function

y = f ( x)
−1
x=f ( y)
Exponential function

y = ma x

a – base
Logarithmic function
If x = by

then y = log b x
b = base