Starter

Laws of Indices
L/Q: Can I use law of indices to simplify expressions?

Lesson Outcomes
By the end of the lesson:
• To be able to recall the basic laws of indices
• To be able to apply negative laws of indices
• To be able to apply fractional law of indices

Keywords:
• Index
• Negative
• Fractional
L/Q: Can I use law of indices to simplify expressions?

𝑏 𝑐 𝑏+𝑐 0
𝑎 ×𝑎 =𝑎? 𝑎 =?1
𝑏
𝑎 𝑏 −𝑐
=𝑎? 1
𝑎
𝑐 𝑎 = ?𝑎

𝑏 𝑐
(𝑎 ) =𝑎? 𝑏𝑐

−𝑏 1
𝑎 = ? 𝑏
𝑎
L/Q: Can I use law of indices to simplify expressions?

! ?
“power”
“exponent” or
“index”?
(plural “indices”)
4
3 =3 ×3 × 3 ×3 The exponent tells us how many times the base
“Base”
? appears in a product.

! We say this as “3 to the power of 4” or “3

raised to the power of 4” or “3 to the 4”.
L/Q: Can I use law of indices to simplify expressions?

When the exponent is a positive integer (whole number), it indicates how many
times the base is repeated in the multiplication.

5 appears 2 times.

2
?

5 =𝟓×𝟓=𝟐𝟓
?
?
?
?
It’s possible for the exponent to be fractional, 0 or negative.
We’ll deal with these later!
L/Q: Can I use law of indices to simplify expressions?

2 2 2
( 𝑎𝑏 ) =𝑎 ? 𝑏

2
( 𝑎+𝑏 ) =( 𝑎+𝑏 ) ( 𝑎+𝑏 ) ?

The moral of the story:

1. Applying a power to a product applies the power to each term.
2. Applying a power to a sum does NOT apply power to each term.
i.e. in general.
L/Q: Can I use law of indices to simplify expressions?

2 𝟐
( 2 𝑥 ) =𝟒 𝒙 ?

3
(3 𝑥 𝑦 ) 2 𝟔
=𝟐𝟕 𝒙 𝒚
? 𝟑

1
( 9 𝑥 ) =𝟑 𝒙 6 2 ? 𝟑

1 𝟏
( 8 𝑥 𝑦 ) =𝟐 𝒙 𝒚
6 3 ?𝟐 𝟑
L/Q: Can I use law of indices to simplify expressions?

Simplify
4 6
9 𝑥 ? 𝑦
Simplify

1
2? 2
3 𝑥 𝑦
L/Q: Can I use law of indices to simplify expressions?

How would we simplify this? means 3 ’s multiplied

together.

𝑥 ×𝑥 ¿ 𝑥×𝑥 ×𝑥×𝑥×𝑥
3 2

5
¿𝑥 In total we had 5 ’s
multiplied together.

! 1st law of indices:

i.e. when we multiply two powers, we

add the exponents.
L/Q: Can I use law of indices to simplify expressions?

Your teacher will target various people. Do in your head!

5 4 𝟗
𝑥 ×𝑥 =𝒙
?
Pro Tip: When there is no
? exponent, you can raise
? the term to the power of 1:
?
?
?
?
L/Q: Can I use law of indices to simplify expressions?

How would we simplify this?

5
𝑥 𝑥×𝑥×𝑥× 𝑥×𝑥
3¿
𝑥 𝑥×𝑥× 𝑥
Remember that we can simplify
2
¿𝑥
fractions by dividing the
numerator and denominator by
the same number (or term).

! 2nd law of indices:

i.e. when we divide two powers, we

subtract the exponents.
L/Q: Can I use law of indices to simplify expressions?

100 2 𝟗𝟖
2 ÷2 =𝟐
?

?
?

?
L/Q: Can I use law of indices to simplify expressions?

How would we simplify this?

4 3 3 3 3
(𝑥 ) ¿ 𝑥 ×𝑥 ×𝑥 ×𝑥
3

12
¿𝑥
! 3rd law of indices:

i.e. when we raise a power to a power,

we multiply the exponents.
L/Q: Can I use law of indices to simplify expressions?

5
( 𝑦 ) =𝒚 3 𝟏𝟓
?
?
?
?
?
?
L/Q: Can I use law of indices to simplify expressions?

1 Simplify the following. 2 Simplify the following. 3 If , what is in terms of ?

a ? a ? ?
b ?
c ? b ? Simplify the following:
4
d ? c ? a ?
e ? b ?
f ? d ?
g ? c ?
h ? e ? d
?
i ? f ? e
j ? ?
k ? g ?
l ?
m ?
n ?
o ?
L/Q: Can I use law of indices to simplify expressions?

1 Solve 2 Solve

First convert
everything to
powers of 2.
𝟑
?
𝒙 (𝟐 ) 𝟑
First convert everything

? 𝟐 = to powers of 2…

? 𝟏
𝟐
? 𝟐
3 If , determine .

?
L/Q: Can I use law of indices to simplify expressions?

1 If , find .

Solve ?

?
L/Q: Can I use law of indices to simplify expressions?

1 Write as a single power of : 4 [Edexcel GCSE(9-1) June 2017 2H Q18]

a ? Work out the exact value of .
b ?
c ? ?
d ? 5
[Edexcel IGCSE Jan2017-4H Q16d]
e ? Work out the exact value of .
f ?
[Edexcel GCSE(9-1) Nov 2017 2F Q21c, Nov 2017 2H
?
g Q6c Edited] can be written in the form Solve ?
Express in terms of and .
2
Solve for : N

3
?
a ? ?
b ?
c ?
d ?
e ?
PLENARY Questions on provided worksheet.

5 [Edexcel GCSE June2003-6H Q17a]

If , , express the following in
terms of and/or :
(i) ?
(ii)
(iii)
?
?

6 Simplify the following.

a) ?
b) ?
c) ?