A surd is an irrational number which is the root of a rational number.

Eg. √3, √14, √27 → 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑 𝑜𝑟𝑑𝑒𝑟 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑖𝑡𝑠 𝑎 𝑠𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑟𝑜𝑜𝑡.
Order of
surd
coefficient
𝑛
The simplest form : 𝑘 √𝑎 𝑘 √𝑎
radicand

For a and b are positive numbers

√𝑎𝑏 = √𝑎√𝑏
The square root of a product of positive numbers = the product of the
square root of the numbers.

𝑎 √𝑎
√ =
𝑏 √𝑏
The square root of a quotient of positive numbers = the quotient of the
square root of the numbers.

Eg. √75
= √25 × 3
= √25√3
= 5√3
 27
Eg.√
9

9 ×3
= √
9

√9√3
=
√9
= √3

3
Eg. √64
3
= √ 43
=4
Keep in mind the following square numbers: 1, 4, 9, 16, 25, 36, 49,
64, 81, 100, 121, 144, 169, 196, 225, 256, 289, 324, 361 and 400.
Also, the following cubed numbers: 1, 8, 27, 64, 125, 216, 343, 512,
729, 1000.

Like surds are of the same order and have the same radicand. Like
surds can be added or subtracted.
Eg. 2√5 + 7√5 + 4√5
= 13√5
Eg. 5√2 + 6√2 − 4√2
= 7√2
Eg. √75 − √48 + √27
= √25 × 3 − √16 × 3 + √9 × 3
 = 5√3 − 4√3 + 3√3
= 1√3 + 3√3
= 4√3

Surds of the same order can be multiplied.

Eg. √𝑎 × √𝑏 = √𝑎𝑏
Eg. 3√2(4√3 + 7√5)

= 12√2 × 3 + 21√2 × 5
= 12√6 + 21√10

Eg. −3√5(2√7 − 4√2)

= −6√35 + 12√10

Eg. (3√10 + 2√7)(3√10 − 2√7)

2 2
= 9(√10) − 6√70 + 6√70 − 4(√7)
= 9(10) − 4(7)
= 90 − 28
= 62
2
Eg. (5√2 − 4)

= (5√2 − 4)(5√2 − 4)

= 25(2) − 20√2 − 20√2 + 16

= 66 − 40√2
When the denominator has one term(surd), multiply both the
numerator and denominator by the term. However, when the
denominator has two terms, multiply both numerator and denominator
by the conjugate of the denominator.
(√𝑎 + √𝑏) 𝑖𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑗𝑢𝑔𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑜𝑓 (√𝑎 − √𝑏) 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑣𝑖𝑐𝑒 𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑎.
4
Eg.
√5

4 √5
= ×
√5 √5
4√5
=
5
4
= √5
5
2
Eg. √
3

√2
=
√3
√2 √3
= ×
√3 √3
√2√2
=
3
√6
=
3
 4
Eg.
√3+2

4 √3 − 2
= ×
√3 + 2 √3 − 2
4√3 − 8
=
3−4
= −4√3 + 8
2√3+4√5
Eg.
5√3−2√5

2√3 + 4√5 5√3 + 2√5

= ×
5√3 − 2√5 5√3 + 2√5
10(3) + 4√15 + 20√15 + 8(5)
=
25(3) − 4(5)
30 + 24√15 + 40
=
75 − 20
70 + 24√15
=
55

𝑎𝑚 × 𝑎𝑛 = 𝑎𝑚+𝑛
𝑎𝑚 ÷ 𝑎𝑛 = 𝑎𝑚−𝑛
(𝑎𝑚 )𝑛 = 𝑎𝑚𝑛
(𝑎𝑏)𝑚 = 𝑎𝑚 𝑏 𝑚
𝑎 𝑚 𝑎𝑚
( ) = 𝑚
𝑏 𝑏
𝑎0 = 1
 1
𝑎−𝑛 =
𝑎𝑛
𝑎 𝑚 𝑎𝑚
( ) = 𝑚 = 𝑎𝑚 𝑏 −𝑚
𝑏 𝑏
1
𝑛
𝑎 𝑛 = √𝑎
𝑚 1 1 𝑚 𝑚
𝑎𝑛 ×𝑚
𝑛
𝑎𝑛 = = (𝑎𝑛 ) = ( √𝑎)

Eg. 2−3
1
=
23
1
=
2 ×2 ×2
1
=
8

1
Eg. 42
= √4
=2

2
−3
Eg. 16 =
1 3
−2
(16 )
3
1
= ( 1)
162
3
1
= ( )
√16
 1 3
= ( )
4
1
=
64

1
8
81𝑎 𝑏 −4 4
Eg. ( )
16𝑎−4 𝑏2
4 4 4
√81 √𝑎8 √𝑏 −4
= 4 4 4
√16 √𝑎−4 √𝑏 2
3𝑎2 𝑏 −1
= 1
−1 2
2𝑎 (𝑏 )4
3 3 −3
= 𝑎 𝑏 2
2
3𝑎3
= 3
2𝑏 2
𝑜𝑟
1 8 1 −4 1
814 𝑎1×4 𝑏 1 ×4
1 −4 1 2 1
164 𝑎 1 ×4 𝑏 1×4
3𝑎2 𝑏 −1
= 1
−1
2𝑎 𝑏 2
3 2−−1 −1−1
= 𝑎 𝑏 2
2
3𝑎3
= 3
2𝑏 2
An exponential equation is an equation that has an unknown in the
index(exponent).
Eg. 2𝑥 = 128
2 𝑥 = 27
𝑆𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑏𝑎𝑠𝑒𝑠 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑎𝑚𝑒
𝑥=7
Eg. 9𝑥 = 243
(32 )𝑥 = 35
32𝑥 = 35
∴ 2𝑥 = 5
5
𝑥=
2
1
𝑥=2
2
Eg. 22𝑥+1 = 5(2𝑥 ) + 12
22𝑥 × 21 = 5(2𝑥 ) + 12
𝐿𝑒𝑡 𝑦 = 2𝑥
𝑦 2 × 2 = 5𝑦 + 12
2𝑦 2 − 5𝑦 − 12 = 0
(2𝑦 + 3)(𝑦 − 4) = 0
𝐸𝑖𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 2𝑦 + 3 = 0
2𝑦 = −3
3
𝑦= −
2
 3
2𝑥 = − 𝑖𝑚𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑏𝑙𝑒
2
𝑂𝑟 𝑦−4=0
𝑦=4
2𝑥 = 4
2 𝑥 = 22
∴𝑥=2