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DP IB Maths: AA HL Your notes

1.1 Number & Algebra Toolkit

Contents
1.1.1 Standard Form
1.1.2 Laws of Indices
1.1.3 Partial Fractions

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1.1.1 Standard Form

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Standard Form
Standard form (sometimes called scienti c notation or standard index form) gives us a way of writing very
big and very small numbers using powers of 10.
Why use standard form?
Some numbers are too big or too small to write easily or for your calculator to display at all
Imagine the number 5050 , the answer would take 84 digits to write out
Try typing 5050 into your calculator, you will see it displayed in standard form
Writing very big or very small numbers in standard form allows us to:
Write them more neatly
Compare them more easily
Carry out calculations more easily
Exam questions could ask for your answer to be written in standard form

How is standard form written?

In standard form numbers are always written in the form a × 10k where a and k satisfy the following
conditions:
1 ≤ a < 10
So there is one non – zero digit before the decimal point
k ∈ℤ
So k must be an integer
k > 0 for large numbers
How many times a is multiplied by 10
k < 0 for small numbers
How many times a is divided by 10

How are calculations carried out with standard form?

Your GDC will display large and small numbers in standard form when it is in normal mode
Your GDC may display standard form as aEn
For example, 2 . 1 × 10−5 will be displayed as 2 . 1E − 5
If so, be careful to rewrite the answer given in the correct form, you will not get marks for
copying directly from your GDC
Your GDC will be able to carry out calculations in standard form
If you put your GDC into scienti c mode it will automatically convert numbers into standard form
Beware that your GDC may have more than one mode when in scienti c mode

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This relates to the number of signi cant gures the answer will be displayed in
Your GDC may add extra zeros to ll spaces if working with a high number of signi cant gures,
you do not need to write these in your answer Your notes
To add or subtract numbers written in the form a × 10k without your GDC you will need to write them
in full form rst
Alternatively you can use 'matching powers of 10', because if the powers of 10 are the same, then
the 'number parts' at the start can just be added or subtracted normally
For example
(6 . 3 × 1014 ) + (4 . 9 × 1013 ) = (6 . 3 × 1014 ) + (0 . 49 × 1014 ) = 6 . 79 × 1014
Or
(7 . 93 × 10−11 ) − (5 . 2 × 10−12 ) = (7 . 93 × 10−11 ) − (0 . 52 × 10−11 ) = 7 . 41 × 10−11
To multiply or divide numbers written in the form a × 10k without your GDC you can either write them
in full form rst or use the laws of indices

Examiner Tip
Your GDC will give very big or very small answers in standard form and will have a setting which will
allow you to carry out calculations in scienti c notation
Make sure you are familiar with the form that your GDC gives answers in as it may be di erent to
the form you are required to use in the exam

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Worked example
Your notes
Calculate the following, giving your answer in the form a × 10k , where 1 ≤ a < 10 and k ∈ ℤ .

i) 3780 × 200

ii) (7 × 105) − (5 × 104)

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Your notes

iii) (3 . 6 × 10−3) (1 . 1 × 10−5)

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Your notes

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1.1.2 Laws of Indices

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Laws of Indices
What are the laws of indices?
Laws of indices (or index laws) allow you to simplify and manipulate expressions involving exponents
An exponent is a power that a number (called the base) is raised to
Laws of indices can be used when the numbers are written with the same base
The index laws you need to know are:
(xy ) m = x my m
⎛⎜ x ⎞⎟ m x m
⎜ ⎟ = m
⎝y ⎠ y
x m × x n = x m +n
x m ÷ x n = x m −n
(x m ) n = x mn
x1 = x
x0 = 1
1
= x −m
xm
1
n
x = n x
m
x n = n xm
These laws are not in the formula booklet so you must remember them
How are laws of indices used?
You will need to be able to carry out multiple calculations with the laws of indices
Take your time and apply each law individually
Work with numbers rst and then with algebra
Index laws only work with terms that have the same base, make sure you change the base of the term
before using any of the index laws
Changing the base means rewriting the number as an exponent with the base you need
For example, 94 = (32) 4 = 32 × 4 = 38
Using the above can them help with problems like 94 ÷ 37 = 38 ÷ 37 = 31 = 3

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Examiner Tip
Your notes
Index laws are rarely a question on their own in the exam but are often needed to help you solve
other problems, especially when working with logarithms or polynomials
Look out for times when the laws of indices can be applied to help you solve a problem
algebraically

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Worked example
Your notes
Simplify the following equations:
i) (3x 2) (2x 3y 2)
.
(6x 2y )

ii) (4x 2y −4) 3 (2x 3y −1) −2 .

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Your notes

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1.1.3 Partial Fractions

Your notes
Partial Fractions
What are partial fractions?
Partial fractions allow us to simplify rational expressions into the sum of two or more fractions with
constant numerators and linear denominators
This allows for integration of rational functions
The method of partial fractions is essentially the reverse of adding or subtracting fractions
When adding fractions, a common denominator is required
In partial fractions the common denominator is split into parts (factors)
If we have a rational function with a quadratic on the denominator partial fractions can be used to
rewrite it as the sum of two rational functions with linear denominators
This works if the non-linear denominator can be factorised into two distinct factors
ax + b A B
For example: = +
( cx + d ) ( ex + f ) cx + d ex + f
If we have a rational function with a linear numerator and denominator partial fractions can be used to
rewrite it as the sum of a constant and a fraction with a linear denominator
The linear denominator does not need to be factorised
ax + b B
For example: =A +
cx + d cx + d
How do I nd partial fractions if the denominator is a quadratic?
STEP 1
Factorise the denominator into the product of two linear factors
Check the numerator and cancel out any common factors
5x + 5 5x + 5
e.g. 2 =
x +x−6 (x + 3) (x − 2)
STEP 2
Split the fraction into a sum of two fractions with single linear denominators each having unknown
constant numerators
Use A and B to represent the unknown numerators
5x + 5 A B
e.g. ≡ +
(x + 3) (x − 2) x+3 x−2
STEP 3
Multiply through by the denominator to eliminate fractions
Eliminate fractions by cancelling all common expressions
e.g. 5x + 5 ≡ A (x − 2) + B (x + 3)
STEP 4
Substitute values into the identity and solve for the unknown constants

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Use the root of each linear factor as a value of to nd the unknowns

e.g. Let x = 2: 5(2) + 5 ≡ A ( (2) − 2) + B ( (2) + 3) etc
An alternative method is comparing coe cients Your notes
e.g. 5x + 5 ≡ (A + B ) x + ( − 2A + 3 B )
STEP 5
Write the original as partial fractions
Substitute the values you found for A and B into your expression from STEP 2
5x + 5 2 3
e.g. 2 = +
x +x−6 x+3 x−2
How do I nd partial fractions if the numerator and denominator are both linear?
If the denominator is not a quadratic expression you will be given the form in which the partial fractions
should be expressed
12x − 2 B
For example express in the form A +
3x − 1 3x − 1
STEP 1
Multiply through by the denominator to eliminate fractions
e.g. 12x − 2 ≡ A (3x − 1) + B
STEP 2
Expand the expression on the right-hand side and compare coe cients
Compare the coe cients of x and solve for the rst unknown
e.g. 12x = 3Ax
therefore A = 4
Compare the constant coe cients and solve for the second unknown
e.g. - 2 = - A + B = - 4 + B
therefore B = 2
STEP 3
Write the original as partial fractions
12x − 2 2
=4+
3x − 1 3x − 1

How do I nd partial fractions if the denominator has a squared linear term?

A squared linear factor in the denominator actually represents two factors rather than one
This must be taken into account when the rational function is split into partial fractions
For the squared linear denominator (ax + b)2 there will be two factors: (ax + b) and (ax + b)2
p A B
So the rational expression becomes +
( ax + b ) 2 ax + b ( ax + b ) 2
In IB you will be given the form into which you should split the partial fractions
Put the rational expression equal to the given form and then continue with the steps above
There is more than one way of nding the missing values when working with partial fractions
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Substituting values is usually quickest, however you should look at the number of times a bracket is
repeated to help you decide which method to use
Your notes
Examiner Tip
An exam question will often have partial fractions as part (a) and then integration or using the
binomial theorem as part (b)
Make sure you use your partial fractions found in part (a) to answer the next part of the
question

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Worked example
Your notes
a) 2x − 13
Express 2 in partial fractions.
x −x−2

b) x (3x − 13) A B C
Express in the form + + .
(x + 1) (x − 3) 2 (x + 1) x−3 (x − 3) 2

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Your notes

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