Gary Pocock 12/06/14 1

Worksheet on Indices


Indices were invented as convenient shorthand for writing repeated
multiplications. Heres the original definition:

Notice that this definition only makes sense if n is a positive integer.
Mathematicians played with this new concept and discovered certain patterns or
rules that make algebraic manipulation easier.

Mathematicians also invented a way of extending the concept to include negative
and fractional indices.

Indices are used throughout mathematics. Being able to interpret and manipulate
indices is an important skill to acquire.


Rule 1
(multiplication)

When multiplying two numbers with
the same base, add the powers.
Rule 2
(division)

When dividing two numbers with the
same base, subtract the powers.
Rule 3
(power to a
power)
(

When raising a power to another power,
multiply the powers.
Rule 4
(zero index)

( )
Any non-zero number raised to the
power of zero is equal to 1.
Rule 5
(negative
powers)

( )

A number raised to a negative power is
equal to the reciprocal of that number
raised the corresponding positive power.
Rule 6 (unit
fractional
indices)

A number raised to a fractional power

is equal to the n
th
root of that number.
Rule 7
(fractional
indices)

The numerator of a fractional index is
the power that the base must be raised
to. The denominator is the root that
must be taken.

n times
Base
number
Index or exponent or power
Gary Pocock 12/06/14 2
1 Positive Integer Powers

1. Simplify the following expressions as much as possible. If there are brackets, then
every term inside the brackets must be raised to the power outside the brackets.

(a) (-5)
3
(g) -(-2
3
)
2

(b) (4a)
2
(h) 4(x
2
y)
2
3x(y
2
)
3

(c) (-2p)
4
(i)
4
2
3
|
.
|

\
|
b

(d)
3
3
1
|
.
|

\
|
(j)
2
3
2
) 2 ( xy
y
x

|
|
.
|

\
|

(e) (xy
3
)
2
(k)
2
2 3
9
12
pq
q p

(f) -3a
2
b 5ab (l)
( )
4
3
) ( 2
2
st
t



2 Negative Integer Powers and the Zero Power
2. Evaluate the following expressions. Give your answers as whole numbers or
fractions (not decimals). To remove negative indices, the rule is:
Invert the base number and change the sign on the power.

(a) 7
0
(e)
2
5
1

|
.
|

\
|

(b) 6
-2
(f)
3
3
2

|
.
|

\
|

(c) -2
-4
(g)
3
2
3
5

(d) (-2)
-4
(h)
2
2
3
2
(
(

|
.
|

\
|







Gary Pocock 12/06/14 3
3. Simplify the following expressions and express your answers using positive powers
only.

(a) x
5
y
-2
x
-3
(e) (-2mn
-3
)
3

(b) p
-3
p
3
(f) (m
4
n
-5
)
-3

(c)
5
3
) ( b
b

(g)
2 3
2 6
16
2
b a
b a

(d)
( )
2
3
1

mn
(h)
1
8
1

|
|
.
|

\
|
x
x



3 Square Roots, Cube Roots, etc
4. Find all the following square roots and cube roots, if they exist.
(a) 49 (d)
3
27
(b) 9 (e)
3
64
(c) 0 (f)
3
1000

5. (a) If n is an even number then
n
64 has zero/one/two solutions. (circle one)
(b) If n is an even number then
n
64 has zero/one/two solutions. (circle one)
(c) If n is an odd number then
n
64 has zero/one/two solutions. (circle one)
(d) If n is an odd number then
n
64 has zero/one/two solutions. (circle one)


4 Fractional Powers
6. Find the numerical value of each of the following expressions without using a
calculator. (You may use a calculator to check your answer.)

(a)
2
1
16 (d)
2
1
) 9 (
(b)
3
1
8 (e)
5
3
32
(c)
2
3
25
4
|
.
|

\
|
(f)
5
3
) 32 (

Gary Pocock 12/06/14 4
7. Find the numerical value of each of the following expressions without using a
calculator. (You may use a calculator to check your answer.)

(a)
3
1
6
) 3 (

(c)
|
|
.
|

\
|
|
|
.
|

\
|
2
1
2
3
5 5
(b)
16
3
8
) 4 (

(d)
|
|
.
|

\
|
|
|
.
|

\
|
3
1
3
1
2 4


8. Simplify the following expressions and express your answers using positive powers
only. (Assume that the variables are positive numbers.)

(a)
5
2
5
1
y y (e)
2
1
4 2
) 4 ( q p

(b)
4
3
4
1

x x (f)
3
1
6 3
) 8 (

y x
(c)
3
1
3
2
a
a
(h)
3
1
3
2

d
d

(d)
6
3
2

|
|
.
|

\
|
x (g)
6
2
1
3
2

|
|
|
.
|

\
|
y
x




5 Converting Surd Notation To Fractional Power Notation.
9. Change the following expressions to fractional power notation. (Assume that the
variables are positive numbers.)

(a)
4
m (e)
5 5
a
(b)
5
3
y (f)
2
4
4
9
n
m

(c)
3
6
125x (g)
4 2 2
) 4 ( y x xy
(d)
4 2
16 y x

Gary Pocock 12/06/14 5
6 Simple Indicial Equations
10. Solve the following equations for x:
(a) 2
x
= 32 (f)
5
16 4 =
x

(b)
9
1
3 =
x
(g)
27
1
3 =
x

(c) 5 5 =
x
(h) 10
x
= 1
(d)
3
7
1
7 =
x
(i)
3
25 5 =
x

(e) 32 2 =
x
(j) 6
x
= 0
























Gary Pocock 12/06/14 6
Indices Worksheet: Answers

Note: There is often more than one way of reaching the correct answer.

1 Positive Integer Powers

1. (a) (-5)
3
= -5 -5 -5 = -125 (g) -(-2
3
)
2
= -(-8)
2
= -64
(b) (4a)
2
= 4a 4a = 16a
2
(h) 4(x
2
y)
2
3x(y
2
)
3
= 4x
4
y
2
3xy
6
= 12x
5
y
8

(c) (-2p)
4
= (-2)
4
p
4
= 16p
4
(i)
4 4 4 4
4
4
16
81
2
81
) 2 (
3
2
3
b b b b
= = =
|
.
|

\
|
(d)
27
1
3
1
3
1
3
3
3
= =
|
.
|

\
|
(j)
2 2 2
3
6
2
3
2
) 2 ( ) 2 ( y x
y
x
xy
y
x
=
|
|
.
|

\
|
y
x
8
4
=
(e) (xy
3
)
2
= x
2
y
6
(k)
|
.
|

\
|
=
2
2
2
2 3
3
4
3
4
9
12
p or
p
pq
q p

(f) -3a
2
b 5ab = -15a
3
b
2
(l)
( )
t s t s
t
st
t
4 4 4
3
4
3
4
2
8
) ( 2
2
=

2 Negative Integer Powers and the Zero Power
2. (a) 7
0
= 1 (e) 25
1
5
5
1
2 2
=
|
.
|

\
|
=
|
.
|

\
|


(b) 6
-2
=
36
1
6
1
2
= (f)
8
3
3
8
27
2
3
3
2
3 3
= =
|
.
|

\
|
=
|
.
|

\
|

(c) -2
-4
=
16
1
2
1
4
= (g)
25
2
1
25
27
5
3
3
5
2
3
3
2
= = =

(d) (-2)
-4
=
16
1
) 2 (
1
4
=

(h)
16
1
5
16
81
4
9
2
3
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
= =
(

=
(
(

|
.
|

\
|
=
(
(

|
.
|

\
|








Gary Pocock 12/06/14 7
3. (a) x
5
y
-2
x
-3
=
2
2
y
x
(e) (-2mn
-3
)
3
= (-2)
3
m
3
n
-9
=
9
3
8
n
m

(b) p
-3
p
3
= p
0
= 1 (f) (m
4
n
-5
)
-3
= m
-12
n
15
=
12
15
m
n

(c)
8
8
5
3
5
3
1
) ( b
b
b
b
b
b
= = =

(g)
4
9 4 9
2 3
2 6
8 8 16
2
b
a b a
b a
b a
= =

(d)
( )
2 2 2
2
9 ) 3 (
3
1
n m mn
mn
= =

(h) ( )
7
7
1
7
1
8
1
1
x
x x
x
x
= = =
|
|
.
|

\
|

3 Square Roots, Cube Roots, etc
4. (a) 7 7 49 = or (d) 3 27
3
=
(b) solutions no has 9 (e) 4 64
3
=
(c) 0 0 = (f) 10 1000
3
=

5. (a) If n is an even number then
n
64 has two solutions.
(b) If n is an even number then
n
64 has zero solutions.
(c) If n is an odd number then
n
64 has one solution.
(d) If n is an odd number then
n
64 has one solution.


4 Fractional Powers
6. (a) 4 4 16 16
2
1
= = or (d) solution no has 9 ) 9 (
2
1
=
(b) 2 8 8
3
3
1
= = (e) ( ) 8 2 32 32
3
3
5
5
3
= = =
(c)
125
8
5
2
25
4
25
4
3
3
2
3
=
|
.
|

\
|
=
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
|
.
|

\
|
(f) ( ) 8 ) 2 ( 32 ) 32 (
3
3
5
5
3
= = =



Gary Pocock 12/06/14 8
7. (a)
9
1
3 ) 3 (
2
3
1
6
= =

(c) 25 5 5 5
2
2
1
2
3
= =
|
|
.
|

\
|
|
|
.
|

\
|

(b)
( )
8
1
2
1
4
1
) 4 ( ) 4 (
3
3
2
3
16
3
8
= =
= =

(d) ( ) 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 4
1
3
1
3
2
3
1
3
1
2
3
1
3
1
= = = =
|
|
.
|

\
|
|
|
.
|

\
|



8. (a)
5
3
5
2
5
1
y y y = (e)
p
q
q p q p
2
2 1
2
1
2
1
4 2
2
4 ) 4 ( = =


(b)
2
1
2
1
4
3
4
1
1
x
x x x = =

(f)
2
2 1
3
1
3
1
6 3
2
8 ) 8 (
y
x
y x y x = =


(c)
3
1
3
1
3
2
a
a
a
= (h) d d
d
d
= =

1
3
1
3
2

(d)
4
6
3
2
x x =
|
|
.
|

\
|

(g)
3
4
6
2
1
3
2
y
x
y
x
=
|
|
|
.
|

\
|

5 Converting Surd Notation To Fractional Power Notation.

9. (a)
4
1
4
m m = (e) ( ) a a a a = = =
1
5
1
5 5 5

(b)
5
3
5
3
y y = (f)
n
m
n
m
n
m
2
3
2
3
4
9
2
2
1
2 2
4 2
2
4
=
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
(c) ( )
2
3
1
6 3
3
6
5 ) 5 ( 125 x x x = = (g)
4 2 2
) 4 ( y x xy
(d) ( )
2
2
1
4 2 2 4 2
4 4 16 xy y x y x = = ( )
3 2
2
1
6 4 2 6 4 2
4 4 4 y x y x y x = = =





Gary Pocock 12/06/14 9

6 Simple Indicial Equations
10. (a) 2
x
= 32 (f)
5
16 4 =
x


5
2 2
5
=
=
x
x

( )
5
2
4 4 16 4
5
2
5
1
2
5
1
=
= = =
x
x



(b)
9
1
3 =
x
(g)
27
1
3 =
x


2
3 3
2
=
=

x
x

( )
2
3
3 3 27
27
1
3
2
3
2
1
3
2
1
2
1
=
= = = =

x
x



(c) 5 5 =
x
(h) 10
x
= 1

2
1
5 5
2
1
=
=
x
x

0
10 10
0
=
=
x
x



(d)
3
7
1
7 =
x
(i)
3
25 5 =
x


3
1
7 7
3
1
=
=

x
x

( )
3
2
5 5 5
3
2
3
1
2
=
= =
x
x



(e) 32 2 =
x
(j) 6
x
= 0

( )
2
5
2 2 2
2
5
2
1
5
=
= =
x
x



No solution! A positive integer raised
to any power always gives a positive
answer.