Indices, Logarithms and Surds

Recapitulation of Theory of Indices

If m is a positive integer then a a a ... m times is symbolically written as am. Here a is called the base and m is the power,
index or exponent.
The above statement leads us to question like, what is a0 ? What does a-4 means, how do we understand a3/4 etc. The basic
laws of indices help us to understand these numbers better.
LAWS OF INDICES
m n
m+ n
8 a .a = a

am

am

= a m n if m > n and

( )

8 am

1
a

if m < n

nm

= a m n

8 a0 = 1
m
8a =

1
am

8 am = m a
m

am

8 (ab)m = ambm; = m
b
b
a

SOLVED EXAMPLES
Example: 1.

x b c
Evaluate a c
x

b +a

x c a
b a
x

c+b

x a b
c b
x

a +c

Sol:
The given expression is

(x

b c a + c

= x ba

) (x
b +a

ca b + a

c+b

) (x ) (x )
b+ a

cb

c+ b

2 a 2 +c2 b2 +a 2 c2

= xb

) (x
a c

a b c + b

a +c

= xb

a +c

2 a 2 c2 b 2 a 2 c2

= x0 = 1
Chapter 1 | Indices, Logarithms & Surds | BMM10233 | 1 of 204

Example: 2.
If p = 2x, q = 2y and (py. qx)z = 4, find xyz.
Sol:
(py. qx)z = [(2x)y. (2y)x]z = (2xy. 2yx)z = 22xyz
2xyz
2xyz
= 24
2 =2
2xyz = 2 or xyz = 1.

Example: 3.
If 2a =3b = 6-c, show that ab + bc + ca = 0
Sol:
Let 2a = 3b = 6 c = k
2 = k1/a, 3 = k 1/ b, 6 = k 1/c
We know that 6 = 2 3

i.e. k

1
c

= k a .k b = k a
1
c

=k

1
b

a+b
ab

1 a+b
or ab = ac + bc
=
c
ab
ac + bc + ab = 0

Example: 4.
Solve: 7 x y = 49; 7 x + y = 343
Sol:
7 x y = 49 = 7 2

x y=2

.. (1)

7 x + y = 343 = 73

x+y=3

.. (2)

solving (1) and (2) x =

5
1
,y=
2
2

Example: 5.
Simplify:

a 3 + a 3 + 3a + 3a 1
a 2 + a 2 + 2

Sol:

( )

a 3 + a 3 + 3a + 3a 1 = a 3 + a 1

( )

a 2 + a 2 + 2 = a 2 + a 1

a 3 + a 3 + 3a + 3a 1
2

a +a

+2

+ 2 a a 1 = a + a 1

(a + a )
=
(a + a )

) (

+ 3 a a 1 a + a 1 = a + a 1

1 3

1 2

= a + a 1 = a +

1
a

Chapter 1 | Indices, Logarithms & Surds | BMM10233 | 2 of 204

Example: 6.
x
If x

= x x

find x.

Sol:
xx

= x x

3
x
x2

3
x x = x x = 3/2 or x = 9/4.
2

LOGARITHMS
The operation of multiplication and division can be replaced by those of addition and subtraction using logarithms which
makes computation much simpler.
If a is a positive real number other than 1 such that ax = m then x is called the logarithm of m to the base a symbolically
written as x = log am (a > 0, a 1)
For examples 25 = 32 log2 32 = 5
In other words the logarithm of a number to a given base is the power to which the base must be raised in order to get that
number.
loga1 = 0 (a0 = 1 ) Here a > 0, a 1
logaa = 1 (a1 = a)
log a0 =
Logarithms to base 10 are called common logarithms and those to the base e are natural or Napierian logarithms [e is an
irrational number, 2 < e < 3 ]

LAWS OF LOGARITHMS

1. loga (mn) = loga m + loga n

2. loga m = loga m - logan

n

3. loga (mn) = n loga m

4. loga N = loge N/loge a

5. log a a = 1

6. logn (1/x) = - log n x

7. loga n b =

1
log a b
n

Example: 7.
Find x, if log x 36 = 2.
Sol:
logx36 = 2 x2 = 36 or x = 6
Since ve value of x is not possible so x = 6

Chapter 1 | Indices, Logarithms & Surds | BMM10233 | 3 of 204

Example: 8.
Solve: x if log x = log 5 + 2 log2
Sol:
log x = log 5 + 2 log2 = log5 + log 22 = log5 + log4 or log (5x4)
log x = log 20 or x = 20
Example: 9.
Simplify: log (x2 9) log (x + 3)
Sol:
log (x2 9) log (x + 3) = log

(x + 3)(x 3)
x2 9
= log
= log (x 3).
(x + 3)
x +3

Example: 10.
Prove that log

27
3
48
2 log + log
= log 3
16
7
147

Sol:
2

LHS: log 16 log 7 + log 147
27

48

= log

27
9
48
log
+ log
16
49
147

27 16
48
= log
+ log
147
9 49

27 49 48
= log
= log 3
16 9 147

Example: 11.
Find the values of log 6 3 216
Sol:
Let log 6 3 216 = x
1
x
x
3
3
6 = 216 = 6 = 6 3 6 x = 61

( )

Alt: log 6 3 216 = log 6 6 = 1

Example: 12.
1
1
Prove that log xy + log xy = 1
x
y

Sol:
1
1
= log xy x and
= log xy y
log x xy
log y xy

LHS = logxy x + logxy y = logxy xy =1.

Chapter 1 | Indices, Logarithms & Surds | BMM10233 | 4 of 204

Example: 13.
If log x 2 y3 = a , and log x = b , find log x and log y
y
Sol:
log x 2 y3 = a
x 2 + log y 2 = a
log

..... (1)

x
=b
y

log x log y = b

..... (2)

solve to get log x = 1 (a + 3b)

5
log y = 1 (a 2b)
5

SURDS
Irrational roots of rational numbers are called surds.
For example 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 etc are all surds.
Order of surds: If a1/m is a surd then a1/m is said to be a surd of order m.
Similar and dissimilar surds: Surds having the same base and order are called similar
surds

3, 3 3, 4 3 are similar surds.

2, 2 3, 5 are dissimilar surds.

Surds which are not similar are dissimilar surds-clearly,

Operations on surds
Addition and subtraction:
Similar surds can be added or subtracted.

For example, 3, 5 3, 8 3 can be added but 3 , 2 and 4 6 can neither be added nor subtracted.
Multiplication and division:
1
Multiplication
and division of surds are governed by the laws of indices.
x
x
3
3
6 = 216 = 6 = 6 3mn6 x =m61+ n Alt: log6 3 216 = log 6 6 = 1
i.e., a . a = a

( )

am / an = am n

Rationalizing factors:
Consider the surd

a + b . The product of ( a + b) & ( a b) yields a rational number a b.

be the rationalizing factor of

a b is said to

a + b and vice versa.

Clearly, ( a + b ) ( a - b )= a b

Note:

1
a+ b

a b
ab

Chapter 1 | Indices, Logarithms & Surds | BMM10233 | 5 of 204

To find the square roots of the surd a + b

Express the given surd in the form a + 2 c i.e. a + b = a + 2 c
Let a + 2 c = x + y , squaring both sides,
a + 2 c = x + y + 2 xy

Therefore x + y = a and xy = c which can be solved for the values of x and y.

Example: 14.
Find the square root of 12 + 128
Sol:
12 + 128 = 12 + 2 32

Let 12 + 2 32 = x + y
Squaring both sides,
12 + 2 32 = x + y + 2 xy

Therefore, x + y = 12, xy = 32

i.e., x = 4, y = 8

Hence 12 + 2 32 = 4 + 8 = 2 + 2 2
Example: 15.
Given 5 = 2.23607, find the value of
3 5
2 + 73 5

Sol:
Multiply Numerator and Denominator by the expression

2
62 5
2 + 14 6 5

5 1
3 5

1
5

5
= 0.44721
5

Chapter 1 | Indices, Logarithms & Surds | BMM10233 | 6 of 204

Practice Exercise - 1
1.

Find the value of log y x log z y log x z. (Access Code - 01301001)

(1) 0

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

(2) 1

(3) logx

(4) xyz

(5) None of these

log a 4 + log a 16 + log a 64 + log a 256 = 10. then a? (Access Code - 01301002)
(1) 4
(2) 2
(3) 8
(4) 10

(5) None of these

Solve for x: log (3x 2) = 1 (Access Code - 01301003)

(1) 3
(2) 2
(3) 5

(4) 6

(5) 4

log (12 x) = 1 (Access Code - 01301004)

(1) 11.6
(2) 12.1

(4) 11.9

(5) 13

(4) 20

(5) None of these

(4) 11.33

(5) 13.8

(3) 11

Find x if log x = log 1.5 + log 12 (Access Code - 01301005)

(1) 12
(2) 8
(3) 18
log (2x 2) log (11.66 x) = 1 + log 3 (Access Code - 01301006)
(1)

452
32

(2)

350
32

(3) 11

Direction: Read and answer the question.

if log 2 = 0.3030 and log 3 = 0.4771 find the number of digits in the following, expressions.
7.

8.

9.

10.

6012 (Access Code - 01301007)

(1) 25
(2) 22

(3) 23

(4) 24

(5) 28

729 (Access Code - 01301008)

(1) 17
(2) 20

(3) 18

(4) 15

(5) 35

27 25 (Access Code - 01301009)

(1) 38
(2) 37

(3) 36

(4) 35

(5) 40

(4) Cannot determined

(5) None of these

(4) 1

(5) 3

2 2
4
4
a 2a b + b

(1) 1

x 1

11. The value of 28 10 3

(1) 4

= (a b)2 (a + b)2 (Access Code - 01301010)

(2) 0
1

)2 (7 + 4 3 )
(2) 2

(3) 2

1
2

(Access Code - 01301011)

(3) 0

Chapter 1 | Indices, Logarithms & Surds | BMM10233 | 7 of 204

4 + 18

12.

4 48 128 + 200 8 12 + 5 8

(1) a = 14, b = 9

(2) a =

= a + b 2 from a, b one (Access Code - 01301012)

1
1
,b=
14
9

(3) a =

1
1
,b=
19
4

(4) a =

1
1
,b=
4
6

(5) None of these

13. The square root of 12 68 + 48 2 will be (Access Code - 01301013)

(1) 1 + 2

(2) 1 2

14. The value of 17 + 288

1
4

(3) 2 2

(4) 2 + 2

(5) None of these

will be (Access Code - 01301014)

(2) 1 2

(1) 1 + 2

(3) 2 + 2

(4) 2 2

(5) None of these

(4) 1+ m

(5) 0

15. If log 7 2 =m, then log 49 28 is equal to (Access Code - 01301015)

(1) 2 (1 + 2 m )

(2)

2
(3) 1 + 2 m

1+ 2 m
2

Use HB pencil only. Abide by the time-limit

SCORE SHEET
1

10

13

11

14

12

15

Chapter 1 | Indices, Logarithms & Surds | BMM10233 | 8 of 204

Practice Exercise - 2
1.

If log 4 5 = a and log5 6 = b then log3 2 is equal to (Access Code - 01301016)

(1)

2.

1
2a + 1

(2)

(2) a 2

6.

(3) 25

(2) x x y y z z =1

(2) [ k, (k 1)]

(2) a =

am

b
2

(3)

(3) [ (k + 1)]

(3) 2a = b

(5) None of these

z =1

(4) x x. y y. z z = 0

(5) None of these

(4) 0

(5) None of these

(5) 4

(4) a =

b
3

(5) a b

= (a m) n . then the value of the in team of is (Access Code - 01301022)

1

(2) (n 1) n

1
(3) m + n 1

(4) 1

(5) None of these

(3) 2

(4) 1

(5) None of these

If it w + w 2 = 0. Then (Access Code - 01301023)

(1 + w w ) (1 w + w )
2 3

(1) 0
9.

(5) 2ab 1

a + b
log e
= ( log e a + log e b ) then relation between a and b will be (Access Code - 01301021)
2

(1) n

8.

(4) 40

log110 tan1 + log10 tan 2 + ... + log10 tan 83o = (Access Code - 01301020)
(1) 0
(2) 1
(3) 2
(4) 3

(1) a = b

7.

1
2ab 1

If log a (n k) < log a 2 (n k) and a > 1 then (Access Code - 01301019)

(1) [ k, (k + 1)]

5.

(4)

If log x : log y : log z : = (y z) : (z x) : (x y) then (Access Code - 01301018)

(1) x y .y z .z x = 1

4.

(3) 2ab + 1

If log5 a log a x = 2 then x equals to (Access Code - 01301017)

(1) 125

3.

1
2b + 1

If

2 3

(2) 1

6 = 2.449, the value of

(1) 9.8

3+ 2
3 2

(2) 9.9

correct to one place decimal is (Access Code - 01301024)

(3) 9.3

(4) 9.7

(5) 9.5

Chapter 1 | Indices, Logarithms & Surds | BMM10233 | 9 of 204

10.

log a n log b n + log b n log c n + log cn log a n is :- (Access Code - 01301025)

log a n log b n log c n

(1)

log abc n

(2)

log abc n

log b n

(3)

log a n

(4) 0

log abc n

(5) None of these

Use HB pencil only. Abide by the time-limit

SCORE SHEET
1

10

Chapter 1 | Indices, Logarithms & Surds | BMM10233 | 10 of 204

Answer Key
Practice Exercise -1
1. (2)
2. (1)
3. (5)

4. (4)
5. (3)
6. (3)

7. (2)
8. (1)
9. (3)

10. (2)
11. (5)
12. (4)

13. (3)
14. (1)
15. (2)

Practice Exercise -2
1. (4)
2. (3)

3. (2)
4. (2)

5. (1)
6. (1)

7. (5)
8. (1)

9. (2)
10. (1)

Chapter 1 | Indices, Logarithms & Surds | BMM10233 | 11 of 204