Numerical Approximations, Scientific, Notation and Indices

Numerical Approximations
Decimal Places
When rounding off a number to n places:
 If the (𝑛 + 1)𝑡ℎ number is ≥ 5, add 1 to the 𝑛𝑡ℎ digit and drop the remaining
digits.
 If the (𝑛 + 1)𝑡ℎ number is < 5, keep the 𝑛𝑡ℎ digit and drop the remaining
digits.
Example 1 - 22.7843
To 1 d.p. 22.7|843 = 22.8
To 2 d.p. 22.78|43 = 22.78
To 3 d.p. 22.784|3 = 22.784
Example 2 – 0.005268
To 2 d.p. 0.00|5268 = 0.01
To 3 d.p. 0.005|268 = 0.005
To 4 d.p. 0.0052|68 = 0.005
Group 2 MATH 1115 Sem I 2019/2020

Significant Figures
When rounding off a number to n places:

 If the (𝑛 + 1)𝑡ℎ number is ≥ 5 and lies right of the decimal point, add 1 to
the 𝑛𝑡ℎ digit and drop the remaining digits.
 If the (𝑛 + 1)𝑡ℎ number is ≥ 5 and lies left of the decimal point, add 1 to the
𝑛𝑡ℎ digit and replace remaining digits with zeroes.
 If the (𝑛 + 1)𝑡ℎ number is < 5, and lies right of the decimal point, keep the
𝑛𝑡ℎ digit and drop the remaining digits.
 If the (𝑛 + 1)𝑡ℎ number is < 5, and lies left of the decimal point, keep the
𝑛𝑡ℎ digit and replace remaining digits with zeroes.
 Also note that the first significant figure cannot be zero, although zero can be
a significant figure otherwise.
Example 1 - 22.7843
To 1 s.f. 2|2.7843 = 20.0000 (20)
To 2 s.f. 22|.7843 = 23
To 3 s.f. 22.7|843 = 22.8
Example 2 – 0.005268
To 1 s.f. 0.005|268 = 0.005
To 2 s.f. 0.0052|68 = 0.0053
To 3 s.f. 0.00526|8 = 0.00527
Group 2 MATH 1115 Sem I 2019/2020

Scientific Notation/Standard Form
Any real number can be expressed in the form 𝑎 × 10𝑛 , 1 ≤ 𝑎 < 10 and 𝑛 ∈ 𝑍.
 Place a decimal point after the first non-zero digit.
 Count the number of places (𝑛), that must be moved to get back to the
original decimal position.
 If the movement is to the left, then 𝑛 is negative.
 If the movement is to the right, then 𝑛 is positive.
 If there is no movement, then 𝑛 is equal to 0.
Example:
i. Expressing 20.8634 in standard form is 2.08634 × 101 .
ii. Expressing 0.005268 in standard form is 5.268 × 10−3 .
iii. Is 0.24 × 102 in standard form? No, because 𝑎 needs to be 1 ≤ 𝑎 < 10
and 0.24 is not.
Indices
If 𝑎 > 0 (positive) and 𝑛 ∈ 𝑍 + , 𝑎𝑛 means 𝑎 multiplied by itself 𝑛 times.

Index, power or exponent
𝑎𝑛
base
Rules of Indices
Let 𝑎 > 0: 𝑎 ∈ 𝑅, 𝑏 > 0; 𝑏 ∈ 𝑅 and let 𝑚, 𝑛 ∈ 𝑍 +
Group 2 MATH 1115 Sem I 2019/2020

i. 0𝑛 = 0, 1𝑛 = 1, 𝑎0 = 1, 𝑎1 = 𝑎
ii. 𝑎𝑚 × 𝑎𝑛 = 𝑎𝑚+𝑛
iii. 𝑎𝑚 ÷ 𝑎𝑛 = 𝑎𝑚−𝑛
iv. (𝑎𝑚 )𝑛 = 𝑎𝑚×𝑛 = 𝑎𝑚𝑛
1
v. 𝑎−𝑛 = 𝑛
𝑎
vi. (𝑎𝑏)𝑛 = 𝑎𝑛 𝑏 𝑛
1
𝑛
vii. 𝑎 𝑛 = √𝑎
𝑛 𝑛 𝑚
viii. 𝑎𝑚/𝑛 = √𝑎𝑚 = ( √𝑎)
𝑎 𝑛 𝑎𝑛
ix. (𝑏 ) = 𝑏 𝑛
x. 𝑎𝑛 = 𝑎𝑚 ⟹ 𝑛 = 𝑚
Examples
a) 3−3
1
= Using rule (v)
33
1 3
=( )
3
1 1 1
= × ×
3 3 3
1
=
27
1 −2 1 2
b) ( ) this is the reciprocal (inverse) of ( )
2 2
1
= 1 2
Using rule (v)
( )
2
2 2
=( )
1
2
2
= 2=4
1
1
c) 27−3
Group 2 MATH 1115 Sem I 2019/2020

1 Using rule (v)
= 1
273
1
= 3 Using rule (vii)
√27
1
=3
3
d) (121)2 Using rule (viii)
2
= √1213
= 1331
1 1
83 ×163
e) 1
−
(32) 3
Note that 8, 16 and 32 are all multiples of 2 and so can be written in the form of
2𝑛 .
8 = 2 × 2 × 2 = 23 ;
16 = 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 = 24 ;
32 = 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 = 25
Using the above to simplify the expression:

1 1
(23 )3 × (24 )3
1
(25 )− 3
4
1 Using rule (iv)
2 × 23
= 5
−
2 3
7
23 Using rule (ii)
= 5
2−3
7 5
−(− ) Using rule (iii)
= 23 3
7 5
+
= 23 3
Group 2 MATH 1115 Sem I 2019/2020

12
= 23
= 24
= 16
f) Solve 3𝑥 = 9(3−𝑥)
3𝑥 = 32(3−𝑥)
𝑥 = 2(3 − 𝑥) Using rule (x)
𝑥 = 6 − 2𝑥
3𝑥 = 6
𝑥=2
g) Show that 𝑎−𝑚 × 𝑎−𝑛 = 𝑎−𝑚−𝑛
Using the LHS of the equation:
1 1
𝑎−𝑚 × 𝑎−𝑛 = 𝑚 × 𝑛 Using rule (v)
𝑎 𝑎
1
= 𝑚
𝑎 × 𝑎𝑛
1 Using rule (ii)
= 𝑚+𝑛
𝑎
= 𝑎−(𝑚+𝑛)
Using rule (v)
= 𝑎−𝑚−𝑛
⌑
Group 2 MATH 1115 Sem I 2019/2020

Numerical Approximations, Scientific, Notation and Indices

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Numerical Approximations

Group 2 MATH 1115 Sem I 2019/2020

When rounding off a number to n places:

Group 2 MATH 1115 Sem I 2019/2020

If 𝑎 > 0 (positive) and 𝑛 ∈ 𝑍 + , 𝑎𝑛 means 𝑎 multiplied by itself 𝑛 times.

Group 2 MATH 1115 Sem I 2019/2020

Group 2 MATH 1115 Sem I 2019/2020

Using the above to simplify the expression:

Group 2 MATH 1115 Sem I 2019/2020

g) Show that 𝑎−𝑚 × 𝑎−𝑛 = 𝑎−𝑚−𝑛

Using the LHS of the equation:

Group 2 MATH 1115 Sem I 2019/2020

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