1.

3 Working with Exponents

1.3.1 Index Laws and their application

1.3.2 Fractional and Rational Exponents

1.3.3 Exponential Equations

1.3.4 Natural Exponents

Introduction
Indices, or powers, provide a convenient notation when we need to multiply a number by itself
several times. In this Section, we explain how indices are written and state the rules which are
used for manipulating them.

Learning Outcomes.
 Perform calculations using indices
 State and use the laws of indices
 State and use fractional and negative indices
 Solve exponential equations using the same base
 Solve exponential equations by reducing to quadratic equation
 State and use the natural exponent

1. Index notation
The number 4 × 4 × 4 is written, for short, as 4 and read ‘4 raised to the power 3’ or ‘4 cubed’.
Note that the number of times ‘4’ occurs in the product is written as a superscript. In this context
we call the superscript 3 an index or power. Similarly, we could write

5 5 5 , read ‘5 to the power 2’ or ‘5 squared’

and
7 7 7 7 7 7 𝑎 𝑎 𝑎 𝑎 , 𝑚 𝑚 𝑚 𝑚 𝑚

More generally, in the expression 𝑥 , 𝑥 is called the base and 𝑦 is called the index or power.
The plural of index is indices. The process of raising to a power is also known as
exponentiation because yet another name for a power is an exponent. When dealing with
numbers, your calculator is able to evaluate expressions involving powers, probably using the 𝑥
button.
Use a calculator to evaluate 3 .

Identify the index and base in the following expressions.

Expression Index Base

Exercises 1.3.1
1. Evaluate, without using a calculator,
𝑎 3

𝑏 2

𝑐 0.2

2. Evaluate without using a calculator. Leave any fractions in fractional form.

2
𝑎
3
3
𝑏
4
𝑐 0.1

3. Write each of the following using index notation:

𝑎 7 7 7 7 7

𝑏 2 2 3 3 3
 
1 1 1 1 1 1
𝑐
2 2 2 2 7 7
2. Laws of indices
There is a set of rules which enable us to manipulate expressions involving indices. These rules
are known as the laws of indices, and they occur so commonly that it is worthwhile to memorize
them.

Examples of the first rule

When the product of the two terms is presented in expanded form, the rule is seen to operate.
𝑎 𝑎 𝑎 𝑎 𝑎 𝑎 𝑎 𝑎 𝑎 𝑎
𝑎
𝑎

The sum rule is extended when there are three terms with the same base
𝑏 𝑏 𝑏 𝑏 𝑏 𝑏 𝑏 𝑏 𝑏 𝑏 𝑏 𝑏
𝑏
𝑏

Remember, this rule applies to terms with the same base

2𝑥 𝑥 2 𝑥 𝑥 𝑥 𝑥 𝑥 𝑥 𝑥 𝑥
2 𝑥
2𝑥

Examples of the second rule

𝑏 𝑏 𝑏 𝑏 𝑏 𝑏 𝑏 𝑏 𝑏
𝑏 𝑏 𝑏 𝑏 𝑏
𝑏
𝑏 𝑏 𝑏 𝑏
𝑏

𝑏 𝑏 𝑏 𝑏 𝑏
𝑏 𝑏 𝑏 𝑏 𝑏
𝑏

𝑏
Key point
Any non-zero number raised to the power 0 has the value 1, that is a0 = 1
Any number raised to power 1 is itself, that is a1 = a

Example of the third rule

8 8 8 8
8 by applying the first rule
8
8

Further generalization of the third rule

Examples of these generalizations

3𝑥 3 𝑥 3 𝑥 3 𝑥
3 3 3 𝑥 𝑥 𝑥
3 𝑥
3 𝑥
And, as seen in the first set of questions
2 2 2 2
3 3 3 3
2 2 2
3 3 3
2
3

Negative exponent

A negative index can be used to indicate a reciprocal. The product of a number and the
reciprocal of a number is equal to 1. 1
Or the reciprocal of the number is equal to 1 divided by the number. Reciprocal
Examples of negative exponent

1
2
2
1 1
4 1
4
4

Examples of problem involving negative exponent

2 2 2 by using the first rule

Then 2 2 2

If the problem requires a positive index, then the rule using the negative exponent needs to be
applied. 2

Complete the worksheet on the next page

1.3.2 Fractional or Rational Exponents

So far we have used indices that are whole numbers. Now we consider fractional powers.

Consider the expression 16

We know by the third law of indices 𝑎 𝑎 .

So, we can write 16 16 16 16.

Thus, we can say 16 √16 4

Definition

𝑎 √𝑎
Similarly,

8 8 8 8

8
8
Definition

𝑎 √𝑎
In general,
1
𝑎 √𝑎 𝑎
√𝑎

How many answers are there for the roots of an equation?

Complete the following questions on simplifying rational indices.
Exercise 1.3.2
Evaluate each
64 100
expression

1 16
4 25
Express the
9 49
value as a
121
fraction
Evaluate
16 4

9 36

8 64

81 32

27 64
64 125

27 27
1000 64

Determine the solution for these problems

1. 𝑥 64
2. 𝑥 16
3. 𝑥 27
4. 125𝑥 27
5. 16𝑥 81

6. 125

7. 64
1.3.3 Exponential Equations (with the same base)

An exponential equation is an equation in which the unknown occurs as part of the index (or
exponent).

For example: 3 27 or 4 3 108

Notice if 3 27 then 3 3 .
Since the base of the exponent on each side is 3, then the exponents of the two sides must be the
same. Thus 𝑥 3, is the solution to the exponential equation.

Exercises 1.3.3 A
Make the bases the same for both sides of the equation and solve for 𝑥
2 1
1
2
2
1
2
8
2 8
 1
2
4
1
3
27
4 32
1
25
5
1
8
4
1
2
2
1
9
3
1
8
4

Equations reducible to quadratic equations

Some problems involving exponents can be reduced to quadratic equations to help find the
solution.
Example.
Solve 2 2 6 0
This is reducible to quadratic because 2 can be expressed as 2 using the third rule of the
indices.
2 2 6 0
To help recognize the form of the quadratic we can substitute 𝑈 2
𝑈 𝑈 6 0
𝑈 3 𝑈 2 0
So 𝑈 3 or 𝑈 2
But, 𝑈 2 so we replace 𝑈 with the original expression, and have
2 3 or 2 2
2 3 but 2 2 so 𝑥 1 is the only solution.
Exercises 1.3.3 A
Some equations with three terms can be simplified to equations with two terms and solved like
before.
1. 2 2 8

2. 3 3 72

3. 5 5 150

4. 2 2 48

5. 5 5 600

Solve the following equations by reducing the equations to quadratic form and then solve for the
exponential equations.

1. 3 4 3 3 0

2. 5 30 5 125 0

3. 2 7 2 8 0

4. 7 8 7 7 0

5. 3 6 0

6. 2 12

Further problems

1. 𝑥 3 𝑥 2 0

2. 𝑥 3 𝑥 2 0

3. 𝑥 3𝑥 2 0
4. 𝑥 𝑥 20 0
5. 𝑥 3𝑥 4 0
1.3.4 Natural Exponent

The exponential function 𝑓 𝑥 𝑎 where the base 𝑎 is a special constant 𝑒, where

𝑒 2.7182818 …
The approximate value of e is stored in most calculators.

There are numerous ways of calculating 𝑒.

For example, it can be shown that the value of 𝑒 is the end point of the sequence of numbers:

2 3 4 …
,… ,…
1 2 3

This is slowly converging sequence. However, it does lead to a precise definition for the value 𝑒
𝑛 1
𝑒 lim
→ 𝑛

Use a calculator to determine the values in the table correct to 2 decimal places

.
𝑒

The rules of exponents are already understood. See details at the start of the pack.

Exercise 1.3.4

Express as 1
exponents of 𝑒 √𝑒
√𝑒
1
𝑒√𝑒
𝑒
Simplify
.
𝑒 𝑒 .

. .
𝑒 𝑒
Expand and Simplify
1. 𝑒 1

2. 1 𝑒 1 𝑒

3. 𝑒 𝑒 3

Solve for 𝑥

1. 𝑒 √𝑒

2. 𝑒

Further Problems

1. Simplify

2. Write as powers of 5 in the simplest form

a. 1

b. 5√5

c.
√

d. 25

3. Expand and Simplify

a. 2 5

b. 𝑥 7 𝑥 7

4. Solve for 𝑥

a. 6 2 192

b. 4 324

c. 4