MEP Y9 Practice Book A MEP Y9 Practice Book A

3.1
3 Indices and Standard Form
Solution
3.1 Index Notation (a) 27 = 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 2

Here we revise the use of index notation. You will already be familiar (b) 9 = 3 × 3 = 32
with the notation for squares and cubes
(c) 1000 = 10 × 10 × 10 = 10 3
a2 = a × a
, and
a3 = a × a × a (d) 53 = 5 × 5 × 5
this is generalised by defining:
Example 3
a n = a × a × ... × a
144244 3
n of these (a) Determine 2 5 .

(b) Determine 2 3 .
Example 1
Calculate the value of: (c) Determine 2 5 ÷ 2 3 .
(d) Express your answer to (c) in index notation.
(a) 52 (b) 25 (c) 33 (d) 10 4
Solution
Solution
(a) 2 5 = 32
(a) 52 = 5×5
(b) 23 = 8
= 25
(c) 2 5 ÷ 2 3 = 32 ÷ 8
(b) 25 = 2×2×2×2×2 = 4
= 32
(d) 4 = 22
(c) 33 = 3×3×3
= 27

(d) 10 4 = 10 × 10 × 10 × 10
= 10 000 Exercises
1. Calculate:
Example 2
(a) 23 (b) 10 2 (c) 32
Copy each of the following statements and fill in the missing number or numbers:
(d) 10 3 (e) 92 (f) 33
(a) 2 = 2×2×2×2×2×2×2
(g) 24 (h) 34 (i) 72
(b) 9 = 3
2. Copy each of the following statements and fill in the missing numbers:
(c) 1000 = 10
(a) 10 × 10 × 10 × 10 × 10 = 10
(d) 53 = × ×
(b) 3×3×3×3 = 3

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 MEP Y9 Practice Book A MEP Y9 Practice Book A
3.1

(c) 7×7×7×7×7 = 7 9. Calculate:

(a) (3 + 2 ) 4 (b) (3 − 2 ) 4
(d) 8×8×8×8×8 = 8
(c) ( 7 − 4 )3 (d) ( 7 + 4 )3
(e) 5×5 = 5
10. Writing your answers in index form, calculate:
(f) 19 × 19 × 19 × 19 = 19
(a) 10 2 × 10 3 (b) 23 × 2 7
(g) 6×6×6×6×6×6×6 = 6 (c) 3 ÷3
4 2
(d) 25 ÷ 22
(e) 10 6 ÷ 10 2 (f) 5 4 ÷ 52
(h) 11 × 11 × 11 × 11 × 11 × 11 = 11
11. (a) Without using a calculator, write down the values of k and m.
3. Copy each of the following statements and fill in the missing numbers:
64 = 8 2 = 4 k = 2 m
(a) 8 = 2 (b) 81 = 3 (b) Complete the following:

(c) 100 = 10 (d) 81 = 9 2 15 = 32 768

(e) 125 = 5 (f) 1 000 000 = 10 2 14 =

(KS3/99Ma/Tier 5-7/P1)
(g) 216 = 6 (h) 625 = 5

4. Is 10 2 bigger than 210 ?

3.2 Laws of Indices
5. Is 34 bigger than 4 3 ?
There are three rules that should be used when working with indices:
6. Is 52 bigger than 2 5 ?
When m and n are positive integers,
7. Copy each of the following statements and fill in the missing numbers:
1. am × an = am + n
(a) 49 = 2
(b) 64 = 3
am
2. a m ÷ a n = a m − n or = am − n ( m ≥ n)
an
(c) 64 = 6
(d) 64 = 2

3. (a )
m n
= am × n

(e) 100 000 = 5

(f) 243 = 5

These three results are logical consequences of the definition of a n , but really
8. Calculate:
need a formal proof. You can 'verify' them with particular examples as below, but
(a) 22 + 23 (b) 22 × 23 this is not a proof:

(c) 32 + 2 2 (d) 32 × 2 2 2 7 × 2 3 = (2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 ) × (2 × 2 × 2)
= 2×2×2×2×2×2×2×2×2×2
(e) 2 3 × 10 3 (f) 10 3 + 2 5
= 2 10 (here m = 7, n = 3 and m + n = 10 )
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 MEP Y9 Practice Book A MEP Y9 Practice Book A
3.2

or,
Example 1
2×2×2×2×2×2×2
27 ÷ 23 = Fill in the missing numbers in each of the following expressions:
2×2×2
= 2×2×2×2 (a) 24× 26= 2 (b) 37× 39 = 3

= 24 (again m = 7, n = 3 and m − n = 4 ) (c) 36 ÷ 32 = 3 (d) (10 )

4 3
= 10

Also, (2 )
7 3
= 27× 27× 27 Solution
= 2 21
(using rule 1) (again m = 7, n = 3 and m × n = 21) (a) 24× 26 = 24+6 (b) 37× 39 = 37 + 9

= 2 10 = 3 16
The proof of the first rule is given below:
(c) 36 ÷ 32 = 36 − 2 (d) (10 )
4 3
= 10 4 × 3
Proof
= 34 = 10 12
a ×a
m n
= a × a × ... × a × a × a × ... × a
144244 3 144244 3
m of these n of these

= a × a × ... × a × a × a ... × a Example 2

1444442444443
(m + n) of these Simplify each of the following expressions so that it is in the form a n , where n
is a number:
= am+n a4× a2
(c) ( a 4 )
3
(a) a 6 × a 7 (b)
a3
The second and third rules can be shown to be true for all positive integers m and Solution
n in a similar way.
(a) a6× a7 = a6+7
We can see an important result using rule 2: = a 13

xn a4× a2 a4+2
= xn − n = x0 (b) =
xn a 3
a3
xn a6
but = 1, so =
xn a3
x0 = 1 = a6−3
= a3
This is true for any non-zero value of x, so, for example, 30 = 1, 270 = 1 and
10010 = 1 . (c) (a )
4 3
= a4×3

= a 12

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 MEP Y9 Practice Book A MEP Y9 Practice Book A
3.2

6. Calculate:
Exercises
23 34
1. Copy each of the following statements and fill in the missing numbers: (a) + 30 (b) − 30
22 33
(a) 23 × 2 7 = 2 (b) 36 × 35= 3 54 62 77 59
(c) + (d) −
52 6 75 57
(c) 37÷ 34 = 3 (d) 83× 84 = 8
10 8 5 6 4 17 4 13
(e) − (f) −
(e) (3 ) 2 5
=3 (f) (2 ) 3 6
=2 10 5 5 3 4 14 4 11

36 47
(g) =3 (h) =4 7. Fill in the missing numbers in each of the following expressions:
32 42

(a) 82= 2 (b) 81 3 = 9 =3

2. Copy each of the following statements and fill in the missing numbers:
(c) 25 6 = 5 (d) 47= 2
(a) a3× a2= a (b) b7÷ b2= b
(e) 125 4 = 5 (f) 1000 6 = 10
(c) (b ) 2 5
=b (d) b ×b =b
6 4

(g) 81 = 4
(h) 256 = 4
= 8

16
(e) (z ) 3 9
=z (f)
q
q7
=q

8. Fill in the missing numbers in each of the following expressions:

3. Explain why 9 4 = 3 8 .
(a) 8×4 = 2 ×2 (b) 25 × 625 = 5 ×5

4. Calculate: = 2 = 5
(a) 3 +4
0 0
(b) 6 ×7
0 0

243 3 128 2
(c) 8 −3
0 0
(d) 60+ 20− 40 (c) = (d) =
9 3 16 2

5. Copy each of the following statements and fill in the missing numbers: = 3 = 2

(a) 36 × 3 = 3 17 (b) 46× 4 = 4 11

9. Is each of the following statements true or false?
a6
(z )
6
(c) =a 4
(d) =z 18
(a) 32 × 22 = 64 (b) 5 4 × 2 3 = 10 7
a
68 10 8
(e) (a ) 19
= a 95 (f) p 16 ÷ p = p7 (c)
28
= 38 (d)
56
= 22

(p )
8
(g) = p 40 (h) q 13 ÷ q =q

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 MEP Y9 Practice Book A 3.3 MEP Y9 Practice Book A

10. Copy and complete each expression: and, in general,

1
3 6 5
a −n =
(a) (2 6
× 2 3) 4 = (2 )4 = 2 (b)  2
3 
= (3 )5 = 3 an

for positive integer values of n. The three rules at the start of section 3.2 can now
23× 24  3 2 × 9
4 4
(c)   = (2 )4 = 2 (d)   = (3 )4 = 3 be used for any integers m and n, not just for positive values.
 27   33 

62 × 68  78  Example 1

4 5
(e)   = (6 )4 = 6 (f)  2  = (7 )5 =7
 63  7 × 73 Calculate, leaving your answers as fractions:
(a) 3 −2 (b) 2 −1 − 4 −1 (c) 5 −3

Solution
1
(a) 3 −2 =
32
3.3 Negative Indices 1
=
Using negative indices produces fractions. In this section we practice working 9
with negative indices. From our work in the last section, we see that
1 1
(b) 2 −1 − 4 −1 = −
a2÷ a3 = a2−3 = a −1 2 4
1
but we know that =
4
a×a 1
a2÷ a3 = = , a fraction. 1
a×a×a a (c) 5 −3 =
53
So clearly,
1
=
125
1
a −1 =
a
Example 2
In same way, Simplify:
1 67
(10 )
−2
a = (a) (b) 6 4 × 6 −3 (c) 2 −3
a2 69
1
= Solution
a×a
67
(a) = 67−9
1 69
a −3 =
a3 1 1
= 6 −2 = =
1 62 36
=
a×a×a
(b) 6 4 × 6 − 3 = 6 4 + ( − 3)

= 6 4 − 3 = 61 = 6

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 MEP Y9 Practice Book A 3.3 MEP Y9 Practice Book A

(c) (10 ) 2 −3
= 10 − 6 5. Copy each of the following expressions and fill in the missing numbers;
1 1 1
= (a) =3 (b) = 10
10 6 9 100
1
=
1000 000 1 5
(c) =5 (d) =5
125 54

62 22
Exercises (e) =6 (f) =2
63 2 10
1. Write the following numbers as fractions without using any indices:

(a) 4 −1 (b) 2 −3 (c) 10 − 3 6. Simplify the following expressions:

(d) 7 −2 (e) 4 −3 (f) 6 −2 x8 x7

(a) (b)
x3 x9

2. Copy the following expressions and fill in the missing numbers: x4

(c)
x8
(d) (x ) 6 −4

1 1 1 1
(a) = =7 (b) = = 10
49 7 100 10
 1
1 1 1 1
(e)  2
x 
4
(f) (x ) −8 3

(c) = =9 (d) = =2
81 9 16 2
1 1 1 1 7. Copy and complete the following statements:
(e) = = 10 (f) = =2
10 000 000 10 1024 2 (a) 0.1 = 10 (b) 0.25 = 2

3. Calculate: (c) 0.0001 = 10 (d) 0.2 = 5

−1 −1 −1 −1
(a) 4 +3 (b) 6 +2 (e) 0.001 = 10 (f) 0.02 = 50
−1 −1 −2 −3
(c) 5 − 10 (d) 10 − 10
−1 −1 −1 8. Copy the following expressions and fill in the missing numbers:
(e) 4 − 10 (f) 6 + 7 −1
x4
(a) = x2 (b) x6× x = x2
4. Simplify the following expressions giving your answers in the form of a
number to a power: x
x7
(a) 4 7 × 4 −6 (b) 5 7 × 5 −3 (c) x9× x = x2 (d) = x −2
x
74
(c)
7 −6
(d) (3 ) 2 −4
3
(e)
x
= x4 (f) (x ) 3
= x−6
(e) (6 ) −2 −3
(f) 8 ×84 −9 x

72 89
(g) (h)
7 −2 8 −9

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 MEP Y9 Practice Book A MEP Y9 Practice Book A
3.4

9. Copy the following expressions and fill in the missing numbers: 4.32
(d) 4.32 ÷ 10 4 =
1 1 10 000
(a) =2 (b) =5
8 25 432
=
1 1 1000 000
(c) =9 (d) = 10
81 10 000 = 0.000432
These examples lead to the approach used for standard form, which is a reversal
of the approach used in Example 1.
1
10. If a = b 3 and b = , express a as a power of c, without having any
c2 In standard form, numbers are written as
fractions in your final answer.
a × 10 n
where 1 ≤ a < 10 and n is an integer.

Example 2
3.4 Standard Form Write the following numbers in standard form:
(a) 5720 (b) 7.4
Standard form is a convenient way of writing very large or very small numbers.
(c) 473 000 (d) 6 000 000
It is used on a scientific calculator when a number is too large or too small to be
displayed on the screen. (e) 0.09 (f) 0.000621
Before using standard form, we revise multiplying and dividing by powers
of 10. Solution
(a) 5720 = 5.72 × 1000
Example 1
= 5.72 × 10 3
Calculate:

(a) 3 × 10 4 (b) 3.27 × 10 3 (b) 7.4 = 7.4 × 1

(c) 3 ÷ 10 2 (d) 4.32 ÷ 10 4 = 7.4 × 10 0

Solution (c) 473 000 = 4.73 × 100 000

(a) 3 × 10 4
= 3 × 10 000
= 4.73 × 10 5
= 30 000
(d) 6 000 000 = 6 × 1000 000
(b) 3.27 × 10 3 = 3.27 × 1000
= 6 × 10 6
= 3270
9
(c) 3 ÷ 10 2 =
3 (e) 0.09 =
100 100

= 0.03 = 9 ÷ 10 2

= 9 × 10 − 2

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 MEP Y9 Practice Book A MEP Y9 Practice Book A
3.4

6.21 which will appear on your display like this:

(f) 0.000621 =
10 000
07
3.2
6.21
= 4
10
Some calculators also display the ' × 10 ' part of the number, but not all do. You
= 6.21 × 10 − 4 need to find out what your calculator displays. Remember, you must always write
the ' × 10 ' part when you are asked to give an answer in standard form.
Example 3
Calculate:
Exercises
(a) (3 × 10 ) × (4 × 10 )
6 3

1. Calculate:
(b) (6 × 10 ) ÷ (5 × 10 )
7 −2
(a) 6.21 × 1000 (b) 8 × 10 3 (c) 4.2 × 10 2

(c) (3 × 10 ) + (2 × 10 )
4 5
(d) 3 ÷ 1000 (e) 6 ÷ 10 2 (f) 3.2 ÷ 10 3

Solution (g) 6 × 10 − 3 (h) 9.2 × 10 − 1 (i) 3.6 × 10 − 2

(a) (3 × 10 ) × (4 × 10 )
6 3
= (3 × 4) × (10 6 × 10 3 )
2. Write each of the following numbers in standard form:
= 12 × 10 9
(a) 200 (b) 8000
= 1.2 × 10 1 × 10 9
(c) 9 000 000 (d) 62 000
= 1.2 × 10 10
(e) 840 000 (f) 12 000 000 000
(b) (6 × 10 ) ÷ (5 × 10 )
7 −2
= (6 ÷ 5) × (10 ÷ 10 7 −2
) (g) 61 800 000 000 (h) 3 240 000
= 1.2 × 10 9

(c) (3 × 10 ) + (2 × 10 )
4 5
= 30 000 + 200 000
3. Convert each of the following numbers from standard form to the normal
decimal notation:
= 230 000 (a) 3 × 10 4 (b) 3.6 × 10 4 (c) 8.2 × 10 3
= 2.3 × 10 5
(d) 3.1 × 10 2 (e) 1.6 × 10 4 (f) 1.72 × 10 5

(g) 6.83 × 10 4 (h) 1.25 × 10 6 (i) 9.17 × 10 3

Note on Using Calculators

4. Write each of the following numbers in standard form:
Your calculator will have a key EE or EXP for entering numbers in standard (a) 0.0004 (b) 0.008
form.
(c) 0.142 (d) 0.0032
For example, for 3.2 × 10 7 , press (e) 0.00199 (f) 0.000000062

3 . 2 EXP 7
(g) 0.0000097 (h) 0.00000000000021

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 MEP Y9 Practice Book A MEP Y9 Practice Book A
3.4

5. Convert the following numbers from standard form to the normal decimal 10. The radius of the earth is 6.4 × 10 6 m. Giving your answers in standard
format: form, correct to 3 significant figures, calculate the circumference of the
earth in:
(a) 6 × 10 − 2 (b) 7 × 10 − 1 (c) 1.8 × 10 − 3
(a) m (b) cm (c) mm (d) km
(d) 4 × 10 − 3 (e) 6.2 × 10 − 3 (f) 9.81 × 10 − 4

(g) 6.67 × 10 − 1 (h) 3.86 × 10 − 5 (i) 9.27 × 10 − 7 11. Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727) was a mathematician, physicist and
astronomer.
In his work on the gravitational force between two bodies he found that he
6. Without using a calculator, determine: needed to multiply their masses together.
(a) Work out the value of the mass of the Earth multiplied by the mass of
(a) (4 × 10 ) × (2 × 10 )
4 5
(b) (2 × 10 ) × (3 × 10 )
6 5
the Moon. Give your answer in standard form.

(c) (6 × 10 ) × (8 × 10 )
4 −9
(d) (3 × 10 ) × (7 × 10 )
−8 −4
Mass of Earth = 5.98 × 10 24 kg
(e) (6.1 × 10 ) × (2 × 10 )
6 −5
(f) (3.2 × 10 ) × (4 × 10 )
−5 −9
Mass of Moon = 7.35 × 10 22 kg

7. Without using a calculator, determine:

Newton also found that he needed to work out the square of the distance
(a) (9 × 10 7 ) ÷ (3 × 10 4 ) (b) (8 × 10 5 ) ÷ (2 × 10 − 2 ) between the two bodies.
(b) Work out the square of the distance between the Earth and the Moon.
(c) (6 × 10 ) ÷ (2 × 10 )
−2 −3
(d) (6 × 10 ) ÷ (3 × 10 )
4 −6
Give your answer in standard form.

(e) (4.8 × 10 ) ÷ (1.2 × 10 )

12 3
(f) (3.6 × 10 ) ÷ (9 × 10 )
8 3
Distance between Earth and Moon = 3.89 × 10 5 km

8. Without a calculator, determine the following, giving your answers in both

normal and standard form:: Newton's formula to calculate the gravitational force (F) between two
Gm1 m 2
(a) (6 × 10 ) + (3 × 10 )
5 6
(b) (6 × 10 ) + (9 × 10 )
2 3 bodies is F =
R2
where

(c) 6 × 10 5 − 1 × 10 4 (d) 8 × 10 − 2 + 9 × 10 − 3 G is the gravitational constant, m 1 and m 2 are the masses of the
two bodies, and R is the distance between them.
(e) 6 × 10 − 4 + 8 × 10 − 3 (f) 6 × 10 − 4 − 3 × 10 − 5
(c) Work out the gravitational force (F) between the Sun and the Earth
Gm1 m 2
9. Use a calculator to determine: using the formula F = with information in the box below.
R2
(a) (3.4 × 10 ) × (2.1 × 10 )
6 4
(b) (6 × 10 ) × (8.2 × 10 )
21 − 11 Give your answer in standard form.

(c) (3.6 × 10 ) × (4.5 × 10 )

5 7
(d) (8.2 × 10 ) ÷ (4 × 10 )
11 −8
m 1 m 2 = 1.19 × 10 55 kg 2
(e) (1.92 × 10 ) × (3.2 × 10 )
6 − 11
(f) (6.2 × 10 ) 14 3
R 2 = 2.25 × 10 16 km 2

G = 6.67 × 10 − 20

(KS3/95/Ma/Levels 6-8/P1)

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 MEP Y9 Practice Book A MEP Y9 Practice Book A
3.5

12. (a) Which of these statements is true? Example 1

(i) 4 × 10 3 is a larger number than 4 3 . Calculate:
1 1 1
(ii) 4 × 10 3
is the same size as 4 . 3
(a) 81 2 (b) 1000 3 (c) 4
−
2

(iii) 4 × 10 3 is a smaller number than 4 3 .

Solution
Explain your answer.
1
(a) 81 2 = 81
(b) One of the numbers below has the same value as 3.6 × 10 . Write 4

down the number. = 9

36 3 36 4 (3.6 × 10) 4 0.36 × 10 3 0.36 × 10 5 1

(b) 1000 3 = 3
1000

(c) One of the numbers below has the same value as 2.5 × 10 −3
. Write = 10
down the number. 1
− 1
25 × 10 − 4 2.5 × 10 3 − 2.5 × 10 3 0.00025 2500 (c) 4 2
= 1
42
(d) (2 × 10 ) × (2 × 10 )
2 2
can be written more simply as 4 × 10 4 . =
1
4
Write the following values as simply as possible:
1
=
(i) (3 × 10 2 ) × (2 × 10 − 2 ) 2

6 × 10 8
(ii)
2 × 10 4
(KS3/98/Ma/Tier 6-8/P1) Exercises
1. Calculate:
1 1 1
(a) 49 2 (b) 64 2 (c) 16 2
1 1 1
− − −
2 2 2
(d) 81 (e) 100 (f) 25
3.5 Fractional Indices 1 1 1
−
Indices that are fractions are used to represent square roots, cube roots and other (g) 92 (h) 36 2
(i) 144 2
roots of numbers.
2. Calculate:
1 1 1 1 1
−
a 2
= a for example, 9 2
= 3 (a) 83 (b) 8 3
(c) 125 3
1 1 1
1 1 − −
3
(d) 64 (e) 216 3 (f) 1000 000 3
a3 = 3
a for example, 83 = 2
1 1
3. Calculate:
a4 = 4
a for example, 625 4 = 5 1 1 1
−
1 (a) 32 5 (b) 64 2
(c) 10 000 4
a n
= n
a −
1 1
−
1
4 5
(d) 81 (e) 625 4 (f) 100 000

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 MEP Y9 Practice Book A

4. Calculate:
1 1

(a)  4 × 8 2
(b)  9 × 27  4
 2   3 
1 1

(c)  125 × 5  2
(d)  625  −
3
 25   5 

5. Is each of the following statements true or false:

1 1
(a) 16 2 = 8 (b) 16 4 = 2
1 1
(c) 81 3 = 9 (d)  1  −
2
= 10
 100 

6. Simplify:
1 1

(x ) (a )
−
9 3 10 2
(a) (b)
1
a a2
(c) 1
(d)
a
a2

7. Simplify:
3
x2 x
(a) (b) 3
x
x2
1 1
a3 a3
(c) (d) 1
a
a2

8. Calculate:

−
1 1
 0 1
 1
+42 9 + 9 
2 2 2
(a) 4 (b)
 

 1
 1 1
(c)  256 

2

2
(d) (9 − 9 ) 0 3

57