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IGCSE Mathematics (Edexcel)

Powers, Roots, Reciprocals & Standard forms

(Teaching version)

Notes Content
(I) (II) (III) (IV) (V) (VI) (VII) (VIII) Basic powers and roots Higher powers and roots Fractional (rational) indices Negative powers and reciprocals The laws of indices Standard (index) form Calculating with numbers in standard form Integrated Practice

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(I) Basic powers and roots

1. Square: a number multiplied itself 2 times Square of 5 is 25 52 = 25

2. Square root: reverse the process of taking square Square root of 25 has positive and negative values Positive square root: 5 x=5 Negative square root: -5 If x2 = 25, then x = -5

3. Cube: a number multiplied itself 3 times Cube of 5 is 125 53 = 125

4. Cube root: reverse the process of taking cube Cube root of 125 is 5
3

Cube root of -125 is -5

3

125 = 5

125 = 5

No negative cube root for 125 5. First 15 squares 12 = 1 22 = 4 32 = 9 42 = 16 52 = 25 6. First 10 cubes 13 = 1 23 = 8 33 = 27 43 = 64 53 = 125 63 = 216 73 = 343 83 = 512 93 = 729 103 = 1000 62 = 36 72 = 49 82 = 64 92 = 81 102 = 100 112 = 121 122 = 144 132 = 169 142 = 196 152 = 225

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Quick Practice: 1. Find x if x2 = 72. Give your answers to 3 s.f. Ans: x = 8.49 or -8.49 2. Find y if y3 = 38. Give your answers to 4 s.f. Ans: y = 3.36

(II) Higher powers and roots

Higher powers xn: n factors of x multiplied together e.g. 64 = 6 6 6 6 = 1296
1

Higher roots
x n : nth root of x
e.g. 32
1 5

is the 5th root of 32 = 2

Make sure that you know how to use your calculators power and root keys. Quick Practice: Use your calculator to obtain the values of:
1 1

(a) 144

(b) 1.56

(c) 1045 4

(d) 125 6

Round your answers to 3 significant figures where appropriate.

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(III) Fractional (rational) indices

2 3

The top of the fraction tells you what power to apply squaring in this case.

The bottom of the fraction tells you what root to apply cube root in this case.

Without using a calculator, write the following expressions as simply as possible.

4 3 5 3

1. 125 3 Ans: 1. 625

2. 81 4 2. 27

3. 100 2 3. 100000

4. 16 4 4. 8

(IV) Negative powers and reciprocals

x n =

1 , where x 0 xn

Reciprocal of a whole number : 1 divided by that number

e.g. Reciprocal of 2 is 1 , which can also be written as 2 1 . 2

Reciprocal of 2

1 2.

2 1 .

Quick Practice: Evaluate these expressions, giving your answers as exact fractions. 1. 20 2
1 400 2. 4 2 1 16
3 2

100 2 3. 49
3. 343 1000

27 3 4. 64
16 9

Ans: 1.

2.

4.

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(V) The laws of indices

Another name for a power is an index, so powers are often called indices. There are several laws of indices that can help you to simplify index problems.

x a xb =
x a xb =

x a +b x a b

When multiplying, add the indices When dividing, subtract the indices When raising to a power, multiply the indices. Anything to the power one is the number itself Anything to the power zero equals 1 Not defined

( x a )b =

x ab

x1 = x
x0 = 1
00 Quick Practice: 1. 10 3 10 4 Ans: 1. 107

2. 4 8 4 6 2. 42 3. 1

3. (30 ) 4 4. 1

4. (5 2011 ) 0 5. 106

5. (10 2 ) 3

(VI) Standard (index) form

1 d < 10 .
Quick Practice: (a) 4,000,000,000 (b) 36,000

d 10n
integer

1. Write these numbers in standard form. (c) 14,300,000

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2. Write these numbers in standard form. (a) 0.0006 (b) 0.000 000 25 (c) 0.000 000 000 001 8

(VII) Calculating with numbers in standard form

Quick Practice: If a = 3.55 108 and b = 2.065 10 9 use your calculator to work out the values of each of these expressions. Give your answer in standard form, correct to 3 significant figures. (a) ab (b)
a b

(c)

a + 2b

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(VIII) Integrated Practice

1. Find the value of Ans: 30 2. Evaluate (a) 3
2

2 2 3 3 5 5 .

(b) 36 1 9

1 2

(c) 27 27 8

2 3

16 4 (d) 81

Ans: (a)

(b) 6

(c) 9

(d)

3. Work out (a) 4

0

(b) 4 (b) 1 16

(c) 16 (c) 64

3 2

Ans: (a) 1

4. Work out the values of (a) (2 2 ) 3 (b) ( 3 ) 2

(c)

24 9

Ans: (a) 26 = 64 5.

(b) 3

(c) 12

(a) Write 84 000 000 in standard form. (b) Work out: 84000000 . Give your answer in standard form. 4 1012 (b) 2.110 5

Solution: (a) 8.4 10 7

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6. (a) Work out the value of 53. (b) Work out the value of (i)

(4.5 2 0.5 2 ) . Write down all the figures on your calculator display.

(ii) Write your answer correct to 2 decimal places. Ans: (a) 125 (b)(i) 4.472135955 (ii) 4.47

5.98 108 + 4.32 10 9 6.14 10 2 Give your answer in standard form correct to 3 significant figures. 7. Calculate the value of Ans: 8.011010 8. 420 000 carrot seeds weigh 1 gram

a) Write the number 420 000 in standard form. b) Calculate the weight, in grams, of one carrot seed. Give your answer in standard form, correct to 2 significant figures.
Ans: (a) 4.2 10 5 (b) 1 = 2.4 10 6 420000

9. A floppy disk (old computer storage device) can hold 1 440 000 bytes of data.

a) Write the number 1 440 000 in standard form.

A hard disk can hold 2.4 10 9 bytes of data. b) Calculate the number of floppy disks needed to store the 2.4 10 9 bytes of data. Ans: (a) 1.44 10 6 (b) 2.4 10 9 = 1666.67 1667 1.44 10 6

10. y 2 =

ab , a = 310 8 and b = 2 10 7 a+b

Find y. Give your answer in standard form correct to 2 significant figures. Ans: 4.3 10 3

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11. IGCSE Maths (Edexcel) 2008Nov Paper 4H Q12 modified (a) a, b and c are positive numbers such that 1 ab < 10 and 1 c < 10 (a 10 4 ) (b 10 7 ) = c 10 m (i) Write down the value of m. (ii) Find an expression for c in terms of a and b. (b) N = (3.2 10 p ) (4.5 10 q ) , where p and q are integers. Express N in terms of p and q. Give your answer in scientific notation. Solution (a) (i) m = 11 (ii) ab (b) 1.44 10 p+ q+1

12. IGCSE Maths (Edexcel) 2008Jun Paper 4H Q20 modified (a) Evaluate 5 1012 + 9 1012 . Give your answer in scientific notation. (b) Each of the numbers p, q and r is greater than 1 and less than 10. p 1015 + q 1015 = r 10 n and p + q > 10 (i) Solution (a) 14 1012 (b) (i) 16 (ii)
p+q 10

Find the value of n.

(ii) Find an expression for r in terms of p and q. 1.4 1013

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IGCSE Edexcel 4MA0 Sample Assessment Material Paper 3H Q5 (a) Simplify, leaving your answers in index form, (i) 7 5 7 3 (a)(i) 78 (ii) 56 (ii) 5 5
9 3

.................................

(1)
.................................

(b) 9 + 4 n = 8 n=5

(1)
(b) Solve 29 2 4 = 28 2n

n = .................................

(2)
IGCSE Edexcel 4MA0 Sample Assessment Material Paper 4H Q12 Simplify (a)
a3 a4 a2

(a) a5 (b) x3 (c)

x +1 2

...........................

(2)
(b) ( x ) 6

...........................

(1)
(c)

3( x + 1) 6( x + 1)

...........................

(2)

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IGCSE Edexcel 2011 Jun 4MA0 Paper 3H Q20

x = a 10 n where n is an integer and 10 a < 10 Find, in standard form, an expression for x2.

Give your expression as simply as possible.

x2 = a 2 10 2 n .

a2 10 2 n+1 10

IGCSE Edexcel 2011 Jun 4MA0 Paper 4H Q13 The table gives the diameters, in metres, of four planets.

Planet
Mercury Venus Earth Mars (a) Which planet has the largest diameter?

Diameter (metres)
4.88 106 1.21 10 7 1.28 10 7 6.79 106

(b) Write 6.79 10 as an ordinary number.

..............................................................

(c) Calculate the difference, in metres, between the diameter of Venus and the diameter of Mercury. Give your answer in standard form. (a) Earth (b) 6,790,000 (c) 7.22 x 106

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..............................................................

(1)

(1)

metres

.......................................................

(2)

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IGCSE Edexcel 2010 Nov 4400 Paper 3H Q20 (a) Write 1 as a power of 2. 16 (a) 1 = 2 4 16
1 3

......................................

(b) Write 2 as a power of 8.

(b) 2 = 8

(2)
......................................

(2)
IGCSE Edexcel 2010 Nov 4400 Paper 4H Q15 (a) Work out (9 108 ) (4 106 ) Give your answer in standard form. (a) 3.6 x 1015

(b) (i) xy = 35 x 10m+n ..................................... = 3.5 x 10m+n+1 (1) m+n+1 = 12 m n (b) x = 7 10 and y = 5 10 , where m and n are integers. m+n = 11 (i) It is given that xy = 3.5 1012 (ii) m n = 27 Show that m + n = 11 Solving m = 19 and n = -8

(ii) It is also given that

x = 1.4 10 27 y

Find the value of m and the value of n.

m = .............................. n = ...............................

(5)

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IGCSE Edexcel 2008 Nov 4400 Paper 4H Q18

1

(a) Find the value of (9 2 ) 4 (1)

10

(a) 81 (b) Express 5

20

as a power of 25.

(b) 25 (c) 21.5

(2) (c) Express 8 as a power of 2.

(2) IGCSE CIE 0580 2011 Jun Paper 22 Q17 (a) 32 x 8 8 x 32 ,

(a) 4 x 24
2

(b)

x3 3 (b) . 64

x 2 Answer(a) [2] 16

Answer(b) [2]

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IGCSE CIE 0580 2011 Jun Paper 23 Q18 (a) (3 x 2 ) 3 (a) 27x9 (b) 25x4
Answer(a) [2]
2 6 3

(b) (125 x )

Answer(b) [2]

IGCSE CIE 0580 2010 Nov Paper 21 Q4 Without using calculator, write the following in order of size, smallest first. 0 .9
3

0 .9

0 .9 2

0.93

Answer < < < [2]

IGCSE CIE 0580 2010 Nov Paper 22 Q16 Simplify

1

16 2 (a) x16 , 81

(a)

4 8 x 9
Answer(a) [2]

(b) 2y-1

(b)

16 y 4 y 32 y 7

10

Answer(b) [2]

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IGCSE CIE 0580 2010 Nov Paper 23 Q13

a 107 + b 10 6 = c 10 6 Find c in terms of a and b. Give your answer in its simplest form.

10a + b

Answer c = [2]

IGCSE CIE 0580 2010 Jun Paper 21 Q16 Simplify

p4 (a) 16

0.75

, p3 (a) 8 9 (b) q 1 Answer(a) [2] 8

(b) 32 q 3 23 q 2 .

Answer(b) [2] IGCSE CIE 0580 2010 Jun Paper 22 Q5 Write 28 8 2 4 2 in the form 2 n . 210

Answer [2] IGCSE CIE 0580 2010 Jun Paper 22 Q5 Change 64 square metres into square millimetres. Give your answer in standard form. 6.4 107

Answer mm2 [2]

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Notes

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