Laws of Indices & Surds (Edexcel A Level Maths: Pure): Exam Questions

2 hours38 questions
1
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3 marks

Without using a calculator, write down the values of

(i) 81 to the power of 1 fourth end exponent

(ii) 8 to the power of 2 over 3 end exponent

(iii) 5 to the power of negative 2 end exponent

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2
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3 marks

Simplify the following expressions:

(i) x cubed cross times x to the power of 5

(ii) a squared over a to the power of 4

(iii) fraction numerator y to the power of 5 over 7 end exponent cross times space y to the power of 1 over 7 end exponent over denominator y to the power of 3 over 7 end exponent end fraction

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3
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3 marks

Show how to write the following in the form a square root of b without using a calculator, where a and b are integers to be found:

(i) square root of 2 plus square root of 8

(ii) 4 square root of 3 minus square root of 12 plus 4 square root of 48

(iii) open parentheses 2 square root of 2 close parentheses cubed plus 3 square root of 2

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4
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1 mark

Show how to write fraction numerator 3 over denominator square root of 2 end fraction in the form fraction numerator a square root of 2 over denominator b end fraction without using a calculator, where a and b are positive integers to be found.

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5
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2 marks

Show how to write

begin mathsize 16px style fraction numerator 2 over denominator 3 plus square root of 5 end fraction end style

in the form

fraction numerator a plus b square root of 5 over denominator 2 end fraction

without using a calculator, where a and b are integers to be found.

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6
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1 mark

Write

fraction numerator 6 x squared plus 5 x cubed over denominator x to the power of 4 end fraction

in the form

a x to the power of m plus b x to the power of n

where a comma space b comma space m space and space n are integers to be found.

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7
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2 marks

Expand and simplify

open parentheses p plus 2 square root of 5 close parentheses open parentheses p minus 2 square root of 5 close parentheses

giving your answer in terms of p.

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8
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2 marks

Write

fraction numerator 28 x squared open parentheses 2 x squared plus 3 close parentheses over denominator 7 x to the power of begin display style 1 half end style end exponent end fraction

in the form

a x to the power of m plus b x to the power of n

where a and b are integers to be found and where m and n are rational numbers to be found.

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9a
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1 mark

Without using a calculator, show how to write 

27 to the power of 1 third end exponent

as an integer.

9b
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2 marks

Use your answer to part (a) to show that 27 to the power of 2 over 3 end exponent equals 9.

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10a
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1 mark

Given that

a to the power of 1 third end exponent equals 2

find the value of a.

10b
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2 marks

Simplify x squared divided by x to the power of 5 over 3 end exponent

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11a
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1 mark

Write

4 x squared cross times 3 x to the power of negative 1 end exponent

in the form

k x to the power of n

where k and n are integers to be found.

11b
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2 marks

Write

24 x cubed divided by 8 x to the power of 11 over 5 end exponent

in the form

k x to the power of n

where k and n are constants to be found.

11c
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2 marks

Simplify fully

15 x to the power of negative 2 over 3 end exponent divided by 10 x to the power of negative 2 over 3 end exponent

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12a
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1 mark

Simplify

3 square root of 5 plus 4 square root of 3 minus 7 square root of 3 plus square root of 5

12b
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2 marks

Show how to write

open parentheses square root of 3 minus 5 close parentheses open parentheses square root of 3 plus 5 close parentheses

as an integer, without using a calculator.

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13a
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1 mark

Show how to write 

64 to the power of 1 third end exponent

as an integer, without using a calculator.

13b
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1 mark

Use your answer to part (a) to find the value of 

64 to the power of negative 2 over 3 end exponent

without using a calculator.

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14a
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1 mark

Given that

a to the power of 1 third end exponent equals negative 4

find the value of a.

14b
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2 marks

Write 

x to the power of 11 over 6 end exponent divided by x to the power of 4 over 3 end exponent

in the form

x to the power of n

where n is a constant to be found.

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15a
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2 marks

Show how to write

2 square root of 3 plus 4 square root of 12 minus 3 square root of 75

in the form

negative p square root of q

without using a calculator, where p and q are prime numbers to be found.

15b
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2 marks

Expand and simplify

open parentheses square root of 3 minus 5 close parentheses open parentheses 5 minus square root of 3 close parentheses

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1
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3 marks

Show how to write

fraction numerator 3 minus 2 square root of 3 over denominator 4 minus square root of 3 end fraction

in the form

fraction numerator a plus b square root of 5 over denominator c end fraction

without using a calculator, where a, b and c are integers to be found.

Give your answer in simplest form.

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2a
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1 mark

Given that

y equals 1 over 16 x to the power of 4

write

space y to the power of 1 half end exponent

in the form a x to the power of n where a and n are constants to be found.

2b
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1 mark

Given that

y equals 1 over 16 x to the power of 4

write

space y to the power of negative 1 end exponent

in the form a x to the power of n where a and n are constants to be found.

2c
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2 marks

Given that

y equals 1 over 16 x to the power of 4

write

space y to the power of negative 3 over 2 end exponent

in the form a x to the power of n where a and n are constants to be found.

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3a
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1 mark

A student believes that 

square root of a plus square root of b equals square root of a plus b end root

for all values of a and b.

By substituting in two different square numbers for a and b, show that the student is not correct.

3b
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2 marks

Show how to write 

fraction numerator 14 over denominator 4 plus square root of 2 end fraction

in the form

a minus square root of b

without using a calculator, where a and b are integers to be found.

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4
Sme Calculator
3 marks

Solve the equation 

6 minus x square root of 7 equals fraction numerator 2 x over denominator square root of 7 end fraction

giving your answer in the form

x equals fraction numerator a square root of 7 over denominator b end fraction

where a and b are non-zero integers to be found and your answer is in simplest form.

You must show the steps in your working clearly.

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5
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3 marks

A rectangle has an area of 14 m2 and a length of open parentheses 3 minus square root of 2 close parentheses m. 

Without using a calculator, find the exact width of the rectangle,showing the steps in your working clearly.

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6a
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2 marks

Expand and simplify

open parentheses 3 minus square root of x close parentheses squared over x

giving each term in simplest form.

6b
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2 marks

Use a non-calculator method to solve the equation

128 square root of 2 equals 2 to the power of a

to find the exact value of a.

Show the steps in your working clearly.

6c
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2 marks

Write 

fraction numerator x open parentheses 2 x to the power of 4 minus square root of x close parentheses over denominator square root of x end fraction

in the form

a x to the power of b minus x to the power of c

where a, b and c are constants to be found.

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7
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2 marks

Solve the equation

1 over 9 x to the power of 4 over 5 end exponent equals 9

showing clearly the steps in your working.

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8a
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1 mark

Write

7 x to the power of negative 3 end exponent divided by 2 x to the power of negative 1 third end exponent

in the form

a x to the power of k

where a and k are constants to be found.

8b
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1 mark

Write

2 over 3 x to the power of 7 over 6 end exponent cross times 5 over 2 x to the power of negative 5 over 3 end exponent

in the form

p x to the power of q

where p and q are constants to be found.

8c
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2 marks

Write

open parentheses 3 x to the power of negative 2 over 3 end exponent close parentheses squared divided by 6 x to the power of negative 1 over 6 end exponent

in the form

m x to the power of n

where m and n are constants to be found.

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9a
Sme Calculator
1 mark

Given that

space y equals 8 over 27 x to the power of 6

write

space y to the power of 1 third end exponent

in the form a x to the power of n where a and n are constants to be found.

9b
Sme Calculator
1 mark

Given that

space y equals 8 over 27 x to the power of 6

write

space y to the power of negative 1 end exponent

in the form a x to the power of n where a and n are constants to be found.

9c
Sme Calculator
2 marks

Given that

space y equals 8 over 27 x to the power of 6

write

space y to the power of negative 4 over 3 end exponent

in the form a x to the power of n where a and n are constants to be found.

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10a
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1 mark

A teacher claims that

square root of a plus b end root equals square root of a plus square root of b

for some values of a and b.

Is the teacher correct? Show your reasoning clearly.

10b
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2 marks

Show how to write

fraction numerator 3 over denominator 1 plus square root of 7 end fraction 

in the form

a plus b square root of 7

without using a calculator, where a and b are rational numbers to be found.

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11a
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1 mark

Show how to write 

256 to the power of 1 fourth end exponent

as an integer, without using a calculator.

11b
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2 marks

Use your answer to part (a) to find the value of 

1 divided by 256 to the power of negative 3 over 4 end exponent

without using a calculator.

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12a
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2 marks

Given that

a to the power of 2 over 3 end exponent equals 16

find the possible values of a.

12b
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1 mark

Write

x to the power of negative 2 over 3 end exponent divided by x to the power of negative 3 over 4 end exponent

in the form

x to the power of 1 over n end exponent

where n is an integer to be found.

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13a
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2 marks

Simplify

2 square root of 18 plus square root of 50 minus 5 square root of 32 space

without using a calculator.

13b
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3 marks

Expand and simplify

open parentheses square root of 12 minus 3 close parentheses open parentheses 2 minus square root of 75 close parentheses

without using a calculator.

Show the steps in your working clearly.

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14
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3 marks

Show how to write

fraction numerator 2 minus square root of 3 over denominator 1 plus square root of 3 end fraction

in the form

a plus b square root of 3

without using a calculator, where a and b are constants to be found.

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13 marks

In this question you should show all stages of your working.

Solutions relying on calculator technology are not acceptable.

Given

9 to the power of x minus 1 end exponent over 3 to the power of y plus 2 end exponent equals 81

express y in terms of x, writing your answer in simplest form.

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2
Sme Calculator
3 marks

Solve the equation

66 plus x square root of 75 equals fraction numerator 4 x over denominator square root of 3 end fraction

giving your answer in the form

x equals a square root of b

where a and b are integers to be found and your answer is in simplest form.

You must show the steps in your working clearly.

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3
Sme Calculator
4 marks

A trapezium has the following properties:

  • The two parallel sides have lengths open parentheses 4 plus square root of 3 close parentheses cm and open parentheses 6 minus 3 square root of 3 close parentheses cm

  • The area is open parentheses 10 square root of 3 minus 6 close parentheses cm2

Without using a calculator, find the perpendicular distance between the two parallel sides of the trapezium, showing the steps in your working clearly.

Give your answer in the form a square root of b where a and b are integers to be found and your answer is in simplest form.

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4a
Sme Calculator
3 marks

Use a non-calculator method to solve the equation

fraction numerator 729 over denominator 4 square root of 3 minus square root of 27 end fraction equals 3 to the power of a

to find the value of a.

Show the steps in your working clearly.

4b
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2 marks

Expand and simplify

fraction numerator open parentheses 5 plus 2 square root of x close parentheses squared over denominator square root of x end fraction 

giving each term in simplest form.

4c
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3 marks

Show that

fraction numerator 2 square root of x over denominator square root of 2 end fraction open parentheses square root of 8 x end root plus 6 x close parentheses

can be written in the form

2 y squared plus 3 y cubed

where y is a function of x which you should state.

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5a
Sme Calculator
2 marks

Given that

y equals 81 over 16 x to the power of negative 12 end exponent

write

space y to the power of 3 over 4 end exponent

in the form a x to the power of n where a and n are constants to be found.

5b
Sme Calculator
1 mark

Given that

y equals 81 over 16 x to the power of negative 12 end exponent

write

space y to the power of negative 1 half end exponent

in the form a x to the power of n where a and n are constants to be found.

5c
Sme Calculator
2 marks

Given that

y equals 81 over 16 x to the power of negative 12 end exponent

write

open parentheses y to the power of 1 half end exponent close parentheses to the power of negative 3 end exponent

in the form a x to the power of n where a and n are constants to be found.

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6
Sme Calculator
4 marks

Solve the equation

 square root of 20 plus fraction numerator square root of 5 over denominator 2 x end fraction equals fraction numerator 1 over denominator x square root of 45 end fraction

giving your answer in simplest form.

You must show the steps in your working clearly.

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13 marks

Given

2 to the power of x cross times 4 to the power of y equals fraction numerator 1 over denominator 2 square root of 2 end fraction

express y as a function of x.

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2a3 marks

Write

open parentheses 2 over 9 x to the power of 1 half end exponent cross times 1 over 18 x to the power of negative 3 over 4 end exponent close parentheses to the power of negative 1 fourth end exponent

in the form

a x to the power of 1 over n end exponent

where a and n are integers to be found.

2b
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2 marks

Write

open parentheses 8 x squared close parentheses to the power of negative 1 third end exponent cross times 1 fourth x to the power of negative 1 third end exponent

in the form

a x to the power of k

where a and k are constants to be found.

2c
Sme Calculator
3 marks

Show that

open parentheses 8 x to the power of negative 2 over 3 end exponent close parentheses to the power of 2 over 3 end exponent over open parentheses 64 x to the power of negative 1 third end exponent close parentheses to the power of 1 third end exponent

can be written in the form

x to the power of k

where k is a constant to be found.

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37 marks

A square has an area of open parentheses 49 plus 12 square root of 5 close parentheses m2 and a side length of open parentheses a plus b square root of 5 close parentheses  m, where a greater than 0 and b greater than 0.

Use algebra to find a and b.

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