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Exponent, Surd and Logarithm

This chapter discusses exponents, rational and irrational numbers, surds, and logarithms. It defines exponents as the number of times a number is multiplied by itself. Rational numbers can be written as fractions while irrational numbers cannot. Surds are used to write irrational numbers precisely using root symbols. Logarithms undo exponents by finding the power to which a base must be raised to equal the result. Several rules for exponents, surds, and logarithms are also outlined.

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32 views33 pages

Exponent, Surd and Logarithm

This chapter discusses exponents, rational and irrational numbers, surds, and logarithms. It defines exponents as the number of times a number is multiplied by itself. Rational numbers can be written as fractions while irrational numbers cannot. Surds are used to write irrational numbers precisely using root symbols. Logarithms undo exponents by finding the power to which a base must be raised to equal the result. Several rules for exponents, surds, and logarithms are also outlined.

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Chapter 4

Indices, Surds and Logarithm


Exponents

n
a
Exponents
• An exponent refers to the number of times a number is
multiplied by itself. For example, 2 to the 3rd (written like
this: 23) means: 2 x 2 x 2 = 8.
Exponents

(a  a  a  .......)
Exponent rules
• zero power rule
• product of power rule
• quotient of power rule
• power of power rule
• power of product rule
• power of quotient rule
• negative exponent rule
Zero Power Rule

a 1
0
Product of Power Rule

m n
a a  a
m n
quotient of power rule

mn
a a  a
m n
power of power rule

(a )  a
m n mn
power of product rule

(ab)  a b
n n n
power of quotient rule

n
a n a
( )  n
b b
negative exponent rule

n 1
a  n
a
Concept of rational and irrational number
• A number is described as rational if it can be written as a fraction
(one integer divided by another integer). The decimal form of a
rational number is either a terminating or a recurring decimal.
Examples of rational numbers are 17, -3 and 12.4. Other
examples of rational numbers are 5/4=1.25(terminating decimal)
and 2/3=0.6(recurring decimal).
• A number is irrational if it cannot be written as a fraction. The
decimal form of an irrational number does not terminate or recur.
Examples of irrational numbers are pi= 3.14159… and √2 =
1.414213...
Surds

a
Surds
• A surd is an expression that includes a square root, cube
root or other root symbol. Surds are used to write
irrational numbers precisely – because the decimals of
irrational numbers do not terminate or recur, they cannot
be written exactly in decimal form.
• Every rational number is not a surd.
• Every irrational number is a surd.
Surd rules
• product of surd rule
• quotient of surd rule
• surd-power rule
• rationalise denominator rule
product of surd rule

a  b  ab
quotient of surd rule

a a

b b
surd-power rule

 a
b
b
a
rationalise denominator rule

a ab

b b
rationalise denominator rule

a a (b  c)

b  c (b  c )(b  c )

a a (b  c )

b c ( b  c )( b  c )
Practice
• Simplify the following • Find the answers:
surds: • √12-√27
• √8 • √48+√12
• √8∙√4
• √18
• √18/√9
Practice
• Simplify
• 11/6-2√5

Find the exact area and perimeter of this


shape.
Logarithm
• A logarithm is the opposite of a power. In other words, if
we take a logarithm of a number, we undo an
exponentiation.
• Let's start with simple example. If we take the base b=2
and raise it to the power of k=3, we have the expression
2^3. The result is some number, we'll call it c, defined by
2^3=c. We can use the rules of exponentiation to
calculate that the result is
• c=2^3=8.
Logarithm
• Let's say I didn't tell you what the exponent k was.
Instead, I told that the base was b=2 and the final result of
the exponentiation was c=8. To calculate the exponent k,
you need to solve
• 2^k=8.
• A logarithm is a function that does all this work for you.
We define one type of logarithm (called “log base 2” and
denoted log_2) to be the solution to the problems I just
asked. Log base 2 is defined so that
• log_2c=k
Logarithm rules
• product rule
• quotient rule
• log of a power rule
• log of base rule
• log of one rule
• log reciprocal rule
• base-changing rule
Product rule

log a  log b  log ab


quotient rule

a
log a  log b  log
b
log of a power rule

log a  n log a
n
log of base rule

log a a  1
log of one rule

log a 1  0
log reciprocal rule

1
  log a
log a
base-changing rule

log c b
log a b 
log c a

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