Chapter 1 - Algebraic Expressions

Question 1

What does a^m x a^n equal?

Answer 1

a^m+n

It adds the powers.

Question 2

What does a^m / a^n equal?

Answer 2

a^m-n

it subtracts the powers.

Question 3

What does (a^m)^n equal?

Answer 3

a^mn

It multiplies the powers.

Question 4

What is factorising?

Answer 4

Putting an equation back into bracket form.

Question 5

What would a quadratic expression look like where ‘a’ not equal to 0?

Answer 5

ax^2 + bx + c where a b and c are real numbers.

Question 6

What does a^1/m equal?

Answer 6

m/a
/

It roots a. e.g. If m=2 it square roots.

Question 7

What does a^n/m equal?

Answer 7

m/a^n
/

It roots a then squares or cubes a depending on the value of n.

Question 8

What does a^-m equal?

Answer 8

a^m

It flips a then does the power.

Question 9

What does a^0 equal?

Answer 9

1

Anything to the power of 0 equals 1.

Question 10

What does

/ab

equal?

Answer 10

/a x /b

It multiplies the surds.

Question 11

What does /a
/—-
/ b
Equal?

Answer 11

/b

It divides the roots.

Question 12

How do you rationalise the denominator of 1 ?
—
/a

Answer 12

multiply the numerator and denominator by /a

Question 13

How do you rationalise the denominator of 1 ?
——
a+/b

Answer 13

multiply the numerator and denominator by a - /b

Flip the signs of the surd.

same goes for the reverse a + /b