Pre-Module Foundations

• Number and Operation

• Ratio and Percentage

• The Cartesian Plane

Number and Operation
The Decimal Form
• The number 2,345.678 is an example of a decimal number.

• It has an integer part (2,345) and a decimal part (0.678).

• We understand that the value of this sequence of 7 numerals laid side by

side with the inclusion of a decimal point is actually a seven term sum:

6 7 8
2,345.678 = 2000 + 300 + 40 + 5 + + +
10 100 1000
= 2 × 103 + 3 × 102 + 4 × 101 + 5 × 100 + 6 × 10−1 + 7 × 10−2 + 8 × 10−3

• The lesson learned here is that the value of a number is interpreted using
numerals and various mathematical operations such as +, −, ×, ÷
Rounding Decimal Numbers
• Rounding is the process of reporting a decimal number to a lesser degree
of precision.

• The convention is that the numerals 5,6,7,8,9 are rounded up to 10

whereas the numerals 1,2,3,4 are rounded down to zero.

• Q: Round the number 2,345.678 to To the nearest Result

Result
Hundredth (or 2 decimal places) 2,345.68
the indicated degree of precision: Tenth (or 1 decimal place) 2,345.7
Whole number (or zero dp’s) 2,346
Ten 2,350
Hundred 2,300
Thousand 2,000
Ten thousand 0
The Rational Form
• A number that is formed by dividing one integer (whole number) by another integer is said to be in
𝒂 1 13 5
rational form 𝒃 (read as “a over b”). Here are a few examples: , , − 100. These numbers are
4 6

also called fractions. The number at the top is called the numerator whereas the number at the
bottom is called the denominator.

• A fraction is said to be written in least terms when there are no common factors shared between
the numerator and the denominator. The first two examples are in least terms but the third is not

5
• Q: Rewrite − 100 i) as a fraction in least terms and ii) as a decimal number.

5 5×1 1 5
• A: i) − 100 = − 5×20 = − 20 ii) − 100 = −0.05

11
• Q: Rewrite 3
i) as a decimal number with a repeating decimal part and ii) rounded to 4 dp’s.

11 11
• A: i) = 3. 6ሶ = 3.666 … (dot on 6 means 6 is repeated indefinitely) ii) ≅ 3.6667 (4 dp)
3 3
The Exponential Form
• A number that is formed by raising one number to the power of another number is said to be in
exponential form 𝒂𝒃 (read as “a to the power of b”) e.g. 5−0.25 . The number written in larger font is
called the base whereas the superscript is called the exponent / power / index.

• When the power 𝑏 = 2,3,4, …, then the value of the exponential number can be explained in terms of
a repeated multiplication of the base into itself: 𝒂𝒃 = 𝒂 × 𝒂 × ⋯ × 𝒂 𝒃 − 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒔. For example,
25 = 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 2.

2100 ×298
• Q: Without using a calculator, rewrite as a fraction in least terms.
2201

2100 ×298 2100 ×298 ×1 1 1

• A: = = 23 = 8
2201 2100 ×298 ×23

• Q: Use your calculator to rewrite 5−0.25 as a decimal number rounded to 3 dp’s.

• A: 5−0.25 = 0.6687 … ≅ 0.669 (3 dp)

The Surd Form
• Taking the b-th root of a number is the inverse operation of raising a number to the power of b
𝒃 3 3
where 𝑏 = 2,3,4, …, i.e. 𝒂𝒃 = 𝒂. For example, 8 = 23 = 2 and we say that 2 is the 3rd (or cubic)
root of 8. When the order of the root (the value of b) is not specified, then the implication is that it
2
is the 2nd (or square) root. For example, 49 = 72 = 7.

• When ‘𝑎’ is not a square number (𝑎 ≠ 0,1,4,9,16,25,36, …), then the square-root of ‘𝑎’ is called a
surd. Here are a few examples: 2, 11, 75.

• When ‘𝑎’ is has no square factors, then the square-root of ‘𝑎’ is called a simple surd. 2 and 11
are simple surds but 75 is not since 75 = 25 × 3. We can simplify a surd by extracting any
square factors underneath the square root: 75 = 25 × 3 = 25 × 3 = 5 3.

• A number that is written in terms of simplified rational numbers and simplified surds is said to be in

29−3 15
simplified surd form e.g. − 11 and 4 + 6 7 and .
2
The Surd Form (continued)
• Q: Without using a calculator, simplify 80.

• A: 80 = 16 × 5 = 4 5

26− 80
• Q: Hence, express as a simplified surd.
2

26− 80 26−4 5
• A: = = 13 − 2 5
2 2

• Q: Use your calculator to find the two decimal place approximation of 13 − 2 5.

• A: 13 − 2 5 ≅ 8.53
Precedence of Operations
• Precedence of operations refers to the order in which operations are carried out in mathematical
expressions involving several operations. One acronym summarising precedence is BEDMAS:
Brackets then Exponents then Division/Multiplication then Addition/Subtraction. When operations
have equal precedence, then proceed from left to right. Note that your calculator will obey
precedence as well.

• Q: Evaluate each of these numerical expression without using a calculator

Expression Evaluation
7−4÷2 5
(7 − 4) ÷ 2 3/2
7×4÷2 14
7÷4×2 7/2
7 ÷ (4 × 2) 7/8
25 + 25 × −2 − (−2) −23
Ratio and Percentage
Ratio
• Ratio is a quantitative relationship between two amounts showing the number of times
one amount is contained within the other. For example, if the ratio of ‘a’ to ‘b’ is 3 to 2,
𝑎 3 3 2
then 𝑎: 𝑏 = 3: 2 ⟺ = ⟺ 𝑎 = 𝑏 𝑜𝑟 𝑏 = 𝑎.
𝑏 2 2 3

• If two variables (say x and y) change while maintaining a constant ratio among one
another, then the two variables are said to be directly proportional and we write
𝒚
𝒚 ∝ 𝒙 ⟺ = 𝒌 ⟺ 𝒚 = 𝒌𝒙 where ‘k’ is called the constant of proportionality.
𝒙

• Q: The ratio of boys to girls in a class of 28 students is 3:4. What is the ratio of i) girls to
boys? ii) girls to students? iii) boys to students?

• A: i) g:b = 4:3 ii) g:s = 4:7 iii) b:s = 3:7

• Q: How many of the students are girls and how many are boys?
4 3
• A: 𝑔 = × 28 = 16 and 𝑏 = × 28 = 12
7 7
Percentage
• Percentage (%) is a portion of a whole when the whole is regarded as being made up of 100 equal parts. If
𝒂
‘a’ and ‘b’ are any two positive numbers, then ‘a’ expressed as a percentage of ‘b’ is 𝒃
× 𝟏𝟎𝟎 %. The number
2
in the denominator (b) is called the base number. For example, 2 as a percentage of 5 is × 100 = 40%.
5
Clearly, any number expressed as a percentage of itself would be 100%.

• Q: You scored 16.5 out of 20 on your last quiz. Express your score as a percentage (of the maximum mark).
16.5
• A: × 100 = 82.5%
20

• Q: The ratio of boys to girls in a class is 3:4. What is the percentage of boys in the class?
3
• A: 7
× 100 ≅ 42.86% (2 dp)

• Q: The company’s profit this year is £14,780,000. Five percent of the profit will be distributed as dividends
among the shareholders and the rest will be re-invested. How much money will be re-invested?

• A: The ‘rest’ is 95% of £14,780,000 which is 0.95 × 14,780,000 = £14,041,000

 Measuring Change
• When a variable quantity (say 𝑥) changes from some initial value 𝑥1 to some final value 𝑥2 , then
the absolute change is simply the difference ∆𝒙 = 𝒙𝟐 − 𝒙𝟏 . The relative change is the
∆𝒙
absolute change measured in relation to it’s initial value i.e. . The percent change is the
𝒙𝟏
∆𝒙 𝒙𝟐 −𝒙𝟏 𝒙𝟐
relative change expressed as a percentage × 𝟏𝟎𝟎 = × 𝟏𝟎𝟎 = ( − 𝟏 ) × 𝟏𝟎𝟎. Note
𝒙𝟏 𝒙𝟏 𝒙𝟏
that if the variable quantity decreases i.e. 𝑥2 < 𝑥1 , then the absolute, relative and percent
changes will all be negative.

• Q: The air temperature at noon was 24 C and at midnight it dropped to 9 C? Calculate i) the
absolute change ii) the relative change iii) the temperature at midnight as a percentage of that
at noon iv) the percent change.
−15 5 9
• A: i) 9 − 24 = −15 ii) 24
= − 8 iii) 24 × 100 = 37.5% iv) 37.5 − 100 = −62.5%

• Q: Noon next day, the air temperature climbed back to 13.5 C. Calculate the percent increase.
13.5−9
• A: 9
× 100 = 50%
The Cartesian Plane
The Cartesian Plane
Y

• X-axis: A scaled reference

horizontal line extending to ±∞.
Quad-2 Quad-1
(-,+) (+,+)
• Y-axis: A scaled reference vertical
line extending to ±∞.
X
(0,0)
• Origin: The point of intersection of
Quad-3 Quad-4
the two axes, (0,0). (-,-) (+,-)

• Quadrants: The 4 “quarters” of the

X-Y plane.
Describing a point in the X-Y plane
Y

• Vertical lines are described by an

equation of the form 𝑥 = 𝑎. y=2
(-1.5,2)
• Horizontal lines are described by an
equation of the form 𝑦 = 𝑏. X
(0,0)

• Points are described by the

x = -1.5
intersection of a V-line with an H-line
as an ordered pair of coordinates
𝑥, 𝑦 = (𝑎, 𝑏).
 The Mid-Point Formula
Y

• The Midpoint (M) bisects the line

segment connecting P to Q. P (x1 , y1)

• The coordinates of M are given by

M (xM , yM)
𝒙𝟏 +𝒙𝟐 𝒚𝟏 +𝒚𝟐 X
𝒙𝑴 , 𝒚𝑴 = ( , )
𝟐 𝟐

• Q: Find the midpoint of (10,3) and (2, −8) Q (x2 , y2)

10+2 3+(−8) 5
• A: , = (6, − )
2 2 2
 The Distance Formula
• The Distance (S) between P and Q is the Y

length of line segment connecting them.

• S can be calculated using the formula P (x1 , y1)

𝑺 = |𝑷𝑸| = 𝒙𝟐 − 𝒙 𝟏 𝟐 + 𝒚𝟐 − 𝒚𝟏 𝟐

• Q: Find the exact distance between (10,3) X

and (2, −8). Then, report the distance as a
Q (x2 , y2)
decimal number rounded to 2 dp.

• A: 𝑆 = 2 − 10 2 + −8 − 3 2 = 185

• 185 = 13.601 … ≅ 13.60