Algebra Laws of Indices

Standard index laws

Standard laws of indices

a 1 =  a a m × a n =  a m + n (a m) n =  a mn

m
a n =  a × a × a × ... × a a m ÷ a n =  a n for a ≠ 0 (ab) n =  a nb n
n times a
a n  a n
a 0 =  1 =  a m - n ( )
b
= n
b
for b ≠ 0

Negative indices

1 a - 1 b
a - 1 =  
a
for a ≠ 0 ( )b
= 
a
for a ≠ 0, b ≠ 0

a - n =   1n for a ≠ 0
a
a - n   b n
( ) b
=
a ( )
1  n bn
 - n   =  a for a ≠ 0 =  for a ≠ 0, b ≠ 0
a an

Fractional indices

1 1
 =    1
-  2
a 2  =  a for a ≥ 0 a for a � 0
   a

1 1
n  =  n a
a  for a ≥ 0, n � 2 a
-  n
 =    n 1 for a � 0, n � 2
   a

m m
a  =      a m
2   for a ≥ 0 a
-  2
 =    1 m for a � 0
   a

m m
 =   n 1 m
n -  n
=     a m
n  
a  for a ≥ 0, n � 2 a for a � 0, n � 2
   a
Algebra Operations

Arithmetic rules

Commutative rule Associative rule Distributive rule

a+b=b+a (a + b) + c = a + (b + c) a(b + c) = ab + ac

a×b=b×a (a × b) × c = a × (b × c) a(b - c) = ab - ac

Expanding

Basic expansions Binomial expansions

a(b + c) = ab + ac (a + b) (c + d) = ac + ad + bc + bd
a(b - c) = ab - ac (a + b)2 = a2 + 2ab + b2
a(b + c) + d (e + f ) = ab + ac + de + df (a - b)2 = a2 - 2ab + b2

(a + b) (a - b) = a2 - b2

Factorising

Common factors Grouping in pairs

ab + ac = a(b + c) ac + ad + bc + bd = a(c + d) + b(c + d)

ab - ac = a(b - c) = (a + b) (c + d)

Perfect squares Difference of two squares

a2 + 2ab + b2 = (a + b)2 a2 - b2 = (a + b) (a - b)

a2 - 2ab + b2 = (a - b)2
Measurement Perimeter and Area 1 (of 2)

Square Rectangle

s l
Perimeter  =  4s   Perimeter  =  2l + 2w

Area  =  s 2 Area  =  lw

s w
where s  =   side length where l  =  length
w  =  width

Triangle Heron’s formula for area of a triangle

a
h b

c
b
1
Area  =   bh Area  =  s(s  -  a) (s  -  b) (s  -  c)
2

where b  =   base where s  =   1   (a  +  b  +  c)  

h  =   perpendicular height from base 2
and a, b, c are the side lengths of triangle

Parallelogram Trapezium
a

h h

b b
1
Area  =  bh Area  =    h(a  +  b )
2

where b  =   base where a and b are the lengths of the parallel sides
h  =   perpendicular height from base h  =   perpendicular height between the parallel sides
Measurement Perimeter and Area 2 (of 2)

Rhombus Kite

1 1
Area  =    xy x Area  =    xy
2 2
x
where x and y are the where x and y are the
lengths of the diagonals lengths of the diagonals
y

Circle Annulus

Circumference  =  πd r
or
d R
Circumference  =  2 πr

Area  =  πr  2 r

where r  =   radius
Area  =  π (R  2  - r  2)
d  =   diameter

where R  =   radius of larger circle

r  =   radius of smaller circle

Sector Pythagoras’ Theorem

r
c
a
θ

θ
Arc length  =    × 2πr b
360°
c =a +b
2 2 2
θ
Area  =    × πr  2 
360°
where c is the hypotenuse of a right-angled triangle
where r  =   radius and a, b are the shorter sides.
θ  =   angle at the centre (in degrees)
Measurement Surface Area and Volume

Cube Rectangular Prism

Surface area  =  6s 2  Surface area  =  2hl + 2hw + 2lw

Volume  =  s 3 Volume  =  lwh

where s  =   side length where h  =   height

s w  =   width h
l  =   length

w
l
Prism Pyramid
1
Volume = Ah Volume  =   Ah
3

where A  =   cross-sectional area where A  =   area of the base

h  =   perpendicular height h  =   perpendicular height
h

A
h A

Cylinder Cone Sphere

Surface area  =  2πr  2  + 2πrh Surface area  =  πr  2  + πrs Surface area  =  4πr  2
1 4
Volume  =  πr  2h Volume  =    πr  2h Volume  =    πr  3
3 3

where r  =   radius where r  =   radius where r  =   radius

h  =   perpendicular height h  =   perpendicular height
s  =   slant height

s
h h r

r
Measurement Unit Conversions (Metric)

Length Area Mass

1 cm  =  10 mm 1 cm2  =  100 mm2 1 g  =  1000 mg

1 m  =  100 cm 1 m2  =  10 000 cm2 1 kg  =  1000 g

1 m  =  1000 mm 1 ha  =  10 000 m2 1 t  =  1000 kg

1 km  =  1000 m 1 km2  =  1 000 000 m2

1 km2  =  100 ha

Capacity Volume Volume and capacity

1 L  =  1000 mL 1 cm3  =  1000 mm3 1 mL  =  1 cm3

1 kL  =  1000 L 1 m3  =  1 000 000 cm3 1 m3  =  1000 L

1 ML  =  1000 kL 1 m3  =  1 kL

1 ML  =  1000 m3 

Time Digital information and file size

1 minute  =  60 seconds 1 byte  =  8 bits

1 hour  =  60 minutes 1 kilobyte  =  2 10  bytes  =  1024 bytes

1 day  =  24 hours 1 megabyte  =  2 20 bytes  =  1024 kilobytes

1 year  =  365 days (in a non-leap year)* 1 gigabyte  =  2 30 bytes  =  1024 megabytes

1 year  =  366 days (in a leap year) 1 terabyte  =  2 40 bytes  =  1024 gigabytes

*Some mathematical calculations use:

1
1 year = 365 4 days
The Cartesian Plane

Midpoint of an interval Distance between two points

The midpoint, M, of an interval with endpoints The distance, d units, between two points
( x1, y1 ) and ( x2, y2 ) has coordinates: ( x1, y1 ) and ( x2, y2 ) is given by:
 x + x  y + y
(
M  =     1 2 2 , 1 2 2 ) d  =  (x2  -  x1 )2 + ( y2  -  y1 )2

Gradient of a straight line Gradient-intercept form of a straight line

The gradient, m, of a straight line joining two The equation of a straight line with gradient m
points ( x1 , y1  ) and ( x2 , y2  ) is given by: and y-intercept c is given by:

rise  y2 - y1
 
m  =   run or  
m  =   x - x
2 1
y  =  mx  +  c

Point-gradient formula for the equation of a straight line

The equation of a line with gradient m and passing through ( x1 , y1  ) is given by:

y  -  y1  =  m(x  -  x1)

Two-point formula for the equation of a straight line

The equation of a straight line joining two points ( x1 , y1  ) and ( x2 , y2  ) is given by:

 y - y1  y2 - y1
 
x - x1  = x2 - x1

Parallel lines Perpendicular lines

If two lines with gradients m1 and m2 If two lines with gradients m1 and m2
are parallel then: are perpendicular then:

m1  =  m2 m1  ×  m2  = -1 or m2  = - m1

1