Indices and Surds

Revision Notes

Indices
For a positive integer n, a n is defined as:

a n a a a ... a, where a is called the base, and n, the index or exponent.

n factors

Zero and Negative Indices

a 0 1 , where a 0

1
an

a n

e.g. 50 1
e.g. 2 3

1
23

Fractional Indices
1
n

a a , where a > 0 and n is a positive integer

m
n

a , where a > 0 and both m and n are

positive integers
n

e.g. 5 3 3 5
2
3

e.g. 5 3 5 2

Laws of Indices
Indices with a Common Base
1. a m a n a mn

e.g. 24 22 26

24
22
2
2

2.

am
a mn , where a 0
an

e.g.

3.

e.g. 24

m n

a mn

28

Indices with a Common Index but Different Bases

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Indices and Surds

Revision Notes

1. a m b m (a b) m

e.g. 4 2 2 2 (4 2) 2

42 4
e.g. 2
2
2

am a
, where b 0
bm b

2.

Other Laws

a

b

a

b

b

a

m
n

bn

a

3
e.g.
4

3
e.g.
4

2
5

4

3

4 5

3

Exponential Equations

An equation with a variable occurring in the index or exponent is known as

exponential equation.

a x b is the simplest form of an exponential equation

If b can be expressed as a n ,
a x b a x a n then x n .

Surds

A surd has a general form of

A surd is an irrational number which cannot be expressed as a fraction in the form

m
. Hence, it is a root, which cannot be evaluated exactly
n

a , where a can be any natural number.

Laws of Surds
For natural numbers a and b,

a b ab

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e.g.

2 3 6

Indices and Surds

Revision Notes

a b

a
a

b
b

a a a

3
5

e.g.

3 5

e.g.

6 6 6

m a n a (m n) a

e.g. 2 7 3 7 5 7

m a n a (m n) a

e.g. 6 11 4 11 2 11

a n b m a n b m a

n b
2

e.g.

2 4 5 3 2 4 5

3 2 4 5

32 2 4 2 5
62

Simplification of

a where a > 0

a is in its simplest form if a does not contain a perfect square factor.

If a m 2 b such that m 0, b 0 and

a=

m 2 b , then its simplest form is m b .

Conjugate Surds

The product of a pair of conjugate surds is a rational number

a n b and m a n b are conjugate surds.

Rationalising the Denominator

To rationalise the denominator of a surd means to make the denominator a rational
number.
Rationalising Simple Denominator
a
b

a
b

b
b

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a b
b

e.g.

2
3

2
3

3
3

2 3
3

Indices and Surds

Revision Notes

a
b c

a
b c

a c
bc

e.g.

4 3

2
4 3

2 3
12

Rationalising a Compound Denominator

To rationalise a compound denominator we use the concept of conjugate surds.

a
b c

a
b c

b c

b c
a b c

b c

a b c
2

e.g.

2
5 3

bc

a
b c

a
b c

b c
a b c

b c

b c

a b c
2

bc

2
5 3

5 3

2 5 3
53

2 5 3
2

5 3

e.g.

4
5 2

5 2

5 2

4 5 2
52

4 5 2
3

5 2

Solving Equations Involving Surds

For some equations, the following result for equality of surds may be used:

If m n a p q a m p and n q.

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