Approach to Indices

● Look for common roots & possible simplifications of power expressions.

e.g. 9 y  3 2 y =32y
use brackets to make sure

● Simplify where possible using rules/identities.

b d b d bd
e.g. ax cx =acx x =acx
remember, each multiplicative term "commutes"

1 −b
e.g. ab c =a bc and b
=a
a 

● If in doubt of an identity, or your working so far, substitute real numbers to check.

● Repeat the above steps until finished.

Approach to Surds

● For simplification of surds of the form 1/a  b use

1
=
1
×
a  b a  b a− b
= 2

a− b a−  b
a −b 
this term = 1, so not changing value of expression!

● Simplify any  expressions using  ab= a  b ,  a /b= a /  b and  x n =  x n

e.g.  8= 2×4= 2  4=2  2
● Rearrange to the form ab  c unless otherwise specified.

a−  b a b
e.g. = −
ab ab ab

Equivalence between indices & surds

● Equivalences between surds and indices can be worked out logically from the identities
1 −1 1
a 1/ 2= a , a n =n a and a = .
a
3 3

e.g.
−3/ 2
   
1
−1/ 2 3
x = x  = 1/ 2 =
x
1
x x
= 3
1

3 3
Either of the last two expressions are fine
e.g.
1
4 3
= 4
x x
1
  
x
1
= 1 /4 = x −1 /4 =x −3 / 4

● These are the logical steps needed but once your confident you can go from step 1 to the end
directly.
 Approach to Quadratic Equations

● General form of quadratic equations is y=ax 2bx c this can be solved for y=0
−b±  b2−4ac
using the formula x = or by completing the square.
2a
b 2 b2
To complete the square we write y=a x   − c
2a 4a
Note that what we have done is represent the original quadratic in the form
y=a x b2 which is easy to solve, plus some "leftovers".

● The significance of completing the square can be shown graphically. In the graph below are
b 2
shown y =ax 2bx c and y =a x  , a and b are positive and c is negative.
2a

−b
x=
2a

−b−  b −4ac
2
−b  b −4ac
2
x= x=
2a 2a

b2
− c
4a

● It can be seen from this graph that completing the square provides an easy way to locate the
minimum or maximum of a quadratic equation. The completed square graph is identical to
2
b
the original quadratic, just shifted vertically by −c .
4a
● To fully understand this graph, first label the point at which each quadratic crosses the y
-axis and produce your own graphs for a negative, and then for b negative.
 Approach to Transformations

● The graph below shows the main transformations performed on the equation
f  x =2 x−1 for a=2.

f  x =2 x−1

centred on y=0
Stretch by a
a f  x =4 x−2
f  x a=2 x1
f  xa =2 x3
f ax =4 x −1
Stretch by 1/a
centred on x=0

Translate by a
in y-direction

Translate by -a
in x-direction
 Approach to Circles
● The equations representing a circle is usually in one of the two following forms,
 x−a2 y−b2=r 2 or x 2 y 22gx2fyc=0
● The former is the most useful representing a circle of radius r centred at (a,b). The latter can
be rearranged to the former by completing the square for x and then y.

A
P Chord

Tangent
Radius

● The properties of a circle are summarised in the diagrams above.

○ A triangle made with the diameter and an arbitrary point P on the circumference, is a
right angled triangle at P.
○ The radius is always perpendicular to a tangent at the same point, e.g. B on the diagram.
○ A line taken from the circle centre, to an arbitrary chord will bisect that chord.

● Be familiar with these properties as they will come up in in questions in an indirect manner.
E.g. being given several Cartesian points and being asked to form a circle from them.