Book 3A Lesson Worksheet 2A (Refer to §2.

1)

2.1A Zero Index

a0 = 1, where a ≠ 0.
e.g. 30 = 1, (–5)0 = 1, (2x)0 = 1

1. (a) Evaluate the following without using a calculator.

(i) 70 (ii) (–8)0 (iii) –90

(b) Simplify the following expressions, where b, c, d, e ≠ 0.

0
b
(i)   (ii) –5c 0 (iii) (–d 3e4)0
4

○→ Ex 2A 1, 2, 16, 17
2.1B Negative Integral Indices

1 1 –2 1 1 1
a–n = , where a ≠ 0 and n is a positive integer.
e.g. 3–1 = ,4 = 2 = , (6x)–1 =
an 3 4 16 6 x

2. (a) Evaluate the following without using a calculator.

(i) 7–1 (ii) 2–3 (iii) (–8)–2

(b) Simplify the following expressions (where r, s, t ≠ 0) and express the answers with
positive indices.
(i) r– 4 (ii) (–s)–1 (iii) (8t) –2

○→ Ex 2A 3, 4, 21
Without using a calculator, evaluate the following and give the answers in fractions. [Nos. 3–4]
3. 4–1 + 2–1 4. 3–2 × (–9)0

→
○ Ex 2A 5–9
2.1C Laws of Integral Indices

If m and n are integers and a, b ≠ 0, then

(a) am × an = am + n
(b) am ÷ an = am – n
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 (c) (am)n = am × n
(d) (ab)n = anbn
n
n
a a
(e)   = n
b b

Example 1 Instant Drill 1

Without using a calculator, evaluate Without using a calculator, evaluate
(a) 5 × 5 ,
–4 3
(b) 7 ÷ 7 .
–2 –4
(a) 65 × 6–3, (b) 9–7 ÷ 9–8.
Sol (a) 5– 4 × 53 Sol (a) 65 × 6–3
= 5– 4 + 3
am × an = am + n = 6( ) ( )
–1
=5 =
1 1
=
a–1 =
5 a

(b) 7–2 ÷ 7– 4 (b) 9–7 ÷ 9–8

= 7–2 – (– 4)
am ÷ an = am – n = 9( ) ( )
–2 + 4
=7 =
2
=7
= 49
→
○ Ex 2A 7–11
Simplify the following expressions (where p, q, r, s ≠ 0) and express the answers with positive
indices. [Nos. 5–6]
5. (a) p–8 × p 2 am × an = am + n
6. (a) q5 ÷ q–3 am ÷ an = am – n
(b) 3r × r
7 –5
(b) 16s ÷ 2s
–4 3

→
Remember to express the
answers with positive ○ Ex 2A 22–24
indices!
Example 2 Instant Drill 2
Without using a calculator, evaluate Without using a calculator, evaluate
(a) (2–3)–2, (a) (4–1)3,
−1 −1
4 5
(b)   . (b)   .
7 3
Sol (a) (2–3)–2 Sol (a) (4–1)3
= 2–3 × (–2)
( a m) n = a m × n =( )( ) ( )

= 26 =
= 64

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 −1 −1
4 5
(b)   (b)  
7 3
4 −1 a
n
an ( )( )
= −1
  = n =
7 b b ( )( )

−1
7 4 71
= −1
= =
4 7 41
→
○ Ex 2A 12–15
Simplify the following expressions and express the answers with positive indices. [Nos. 7–8]
(All the letters in the expressions represent non-zero numbers.)
−1
7. (a) (k2)–5 2 n
a a
n
m n
(a ) = a m×n 8. (a)     = n
(b) (y–3)–6 h b b
−2
 p
(b)  
q

→○ Ex 2A 25–27 →
○ Ex 2A 30
Example 3 Instant Drill 3
Simplify the following expressions (where Simplify the following expressions (where
x, y ≠ 0) and express the answers with positive r, s ≠ 0) and express the answers with positive
indices. indices.
(a) (4x)–2 (a) (–3r–1) 4
(b) (–5y–1)3 (b) (2s2)–5
Sol (a) (4x)–2 Sol (a) (–3r–1) 4
= 4–2x–2
(ab)n = anbn =( )( ) ( )( )
1 1
= 2

a–1 = =
16 x a

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 (b) (–5y–1)3 (b) (2s2)–5
= (–5)3y–1 × 3 =
= (–5)3y–3
125
=− 3
y

Simplify the following expressions and express the answers with positive indices. [Nos. 9–14]
(All the letters in the expressions represent non-zero numbers.)
9. (a) (7g4)–3 10.(a) (–hk)–9
(b) (–6t –5)2 (ab)n = anbn (b) (xy–2)–4

→
○ Ex 2A 31
24 (3d 3 ) −2
11. (a) 12.(a)
(−2s) −3 9d
(−e −1 ) 5 5f 3
(b) (b)
e6 (5 f − 4 ) 2

43
 →
○ Ex 2A 28, 29
13.(a) (4h–1k0)3 14.(a) (6rt –2)2
 − 3 p0 
−2 (b) (–5ab4)–3
(b)  − 4 
 q 

→
○ Ex 2A 32, 33
 Level Up Questions

44
15. Evaluate the following without using a calculator.
(a) 4–1 ÷ 2–3 = (2( ))–1 ÷ 2–3
=

(b) 272 × (–3)– 4 Convert 27 into the powers of

3.
i.e. 27 = 3( )

16.Simplify the following expressions (where x, y ≠ 0) and express the answers with positive
indices.
( x 5 y −4 ) −1
(a) (–x–3y2)– 4 (b)
x −6

x 0 y −7
(c)
(− x − 2 y −1 ) −5

45
New Century Mathematics (2nd Edition) 3A

2 Laws of Indices
Consolidation Exercise
2A

Level 1

Without using a calculator, find the values of the following expressions and give the answers in
integers or fractions. [Nos. 1−12]
1. −70 2. (−7)0 3. (190)−2

1
4. 5. 6−1 + (3 + 1)0 6. 3−2 × (−2−1)
8−1

7. 80 ÷ (−5)−2 8. 97 × 9–5 9. 7−3 ÷ 7−2

−1 −2
 2  3
10. −   11.  −  12. (2−2)−2
 3  5

Simplify the following expressions and express the answers with positive indices. [Nos. 13−27]
(All the letters in the expressions represent non-zero numbers.)

13. (8p)0 14. 5q0 15. −(r−9)0

16. (a3b−3)0 17. (−x0)−6 18. (−y)−9

19. c−4 × c5 20. g ÷ g−4 21. (s−3)5

−2
4  1
22. (−k −3)−4 23. 24.  5 
(5b) − 2 z 

−3 −3
 u4 
27.  −
1 
25.   26. (3c−2d)2 
 2   2mn 

46
 Level 2
Without using a calculator, find the values of the following expressions and give the answers in
integers or fractions. [Nos. 28−33]
−4
 1
28. 25−2 ÷ 5−3 29. (−4) −1 ×  −  30. 5−4 ÷ 125−4 × 25−5
 2

31. 24 ÷ 6−2 × 2−4 32. (2−4 × 1250) ÷ 12−2 33. 62 − 6–11 ÷ 6−12

Simplify the following expressions and express the answers with positive indices. [Nos. 34−45]
(All the letters in the expressions represent non-zero numbers.)

34. (x −3y −2)−3 35. (7−1a−5b3)−1 36. (−5−1r3s−2)−2

−2 −1
(m 2 n −3 ) −1  5c 0   s 0t − 2 
37. 38.  − 6  39.  −2 4 
n −4  d  s t 

− 35 x −9 (a 2b −1 ) 2
40. 41. (mn3)−2(nm−4)−1 42.
3 2 x −7 (a −1b) 3

−1 3
(−2 x 3 y 4 ) 2 (a 6 ) 2  a −5b −1   − b −5 
43. 3 −3
44. (6a ) × 45.   ×  2 −1 
  4a b 
− 4( x −5 y −1 ) − 2 ( 2a ) −6  8a   

47
Answer
Consolidation Exercise 2A
1. −1 27. −8m3n3
2. 1 1
28.
3. 1 5
4. 8 29. −4
7 1
5. 30.
6 25
1 31. 36
6. −
18 32. 9
7. 25 33. 30
8. 81 34. x9y6
1
9. 7a 5
7 35.
3 b3
10. − 25s 4
2 36. 6
25 r
11.
9 n7
37.
12. 16 m2
13. 1 d 12
38.
14. 5 25
15. −1 t6
16. 1 39.
s2
17. 1 27
1 40. − 2
18. − 9 x
y
m2
19. c 41.
n7
20. g5
a7
1 42.
21. 15 b5
s
y6
22. k12 43. − 4
x
23. 100b2
8a 9
24. z10 44.
27
8 1
25. 12 45. − 11
u 8b
9d 2
26. 4
c

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