Lecture: Number Systems and Equations

TOPIC 1: NUMBER SYSTEMS AND EQUATIONS

LECTURE 1 OF 6

At the end of lesson, student should be able to:

a) Define natural numbers  N , whole numbers W , integers Z , prime
numbers, rational numbers ( Q ) and irrational numbers ( Q ).
b) Represent the relationship of number sets in a real number system
diagrammatically showing N  W  Z  Q and Q  Q  R.

1.1 REAL NUMBERS

The Number Line

The set of numbers that corresponds to all points on the number line is called the set
of real number. The real numbers on the number line are ordered in increasing
magnitude from the left to the right.
2
For example for –3.5, and  can be shown on a real number line as
3

4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4

3.5 2 
3

Subset of real numbers:

Natural Numbers ( N )
 the set of counting number.
 Including both prime and non-prime number N  1, 2, 3, ...

The Whole Numbers( W )

 the set of natural numbers together with the number zero. W  0,1, 2, 3,...

Prime Number
 the natural number that greater than one and can only be divided by itself
and one. Prime number  2,3,5,7,11...

Integers ( Z )
 the whole numbers together with the negative of counting numbers, forming
the set of integers and denoted by Z .
Z   . . .  3 ,  2 ,  1, 0 , 1, 2 , 3 , . . .

Even Number
 the integers in the set ...,  6,  4,  2, 0, 2, 4, 6, ... which can be
represented in the general form {2k : k  Z}

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Odd Number
 the integers in the set  ...,  5 ,  3 ,  1, 1, 3 , 5 , ... which can be
represented in the general form {2k  1 : k  Z }

The Real Number ( R )

 the real numbers consist of rational numbers and irrational numbers.

Rational Number ( Q )
 any number that can be represented as a ratio (quotient or fraction) of two
integers
a 
 It can be written as Q   ; a and b  Z , b  0.
b 
3 2 7 20
for example , 4  , 7  and .
4 1 1 27
 rational number can also be expressed as terminating decimal
for example : 5, 1.25 and 23.137

 rational number can also be expressed as repeating decimals

for example 0.333...  0.3, 0.232323...  0.23 and 3.261261261 ...  3.261

Irrational Number Q  
 the set of numbers whose cannot be written as a fraction.
 their decimal representations are neither terminating nor repeating,
for example 3 , 5 , 1.41421356…, exponent e  and  .

Example 1
a) List all prime numbers less than 40.

b) Write the set of integer positive.

Example 2
1
Given S = {-9, 7 , , 2, 0, 3, 4, 5.1212…}, identify the set of
3
a) whole numbers

b) integers

c) rational numbers

d) irrational numbers

e) prime number

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Example 3
Rewrite the following numbers into decimal numbers.

a) 0 .13

b) 1 . 2 36

Example 4
Rewrite the following numbers into bar form.

a) 0.454545 ...

b) 2 .5373737 ...

Relationship of Number Sets

The set of real numbers, denoted by the symbol R , consists of all rational numbers
and irrational numbers. Relationships among the subsets of real numbers are
illustrated in the diagram below.


Q  Q 

W
 0   
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The relationship of number sets in a real number system can also be represented by
the following Venn Diagram

 W N Q

From the diagram, we can see that:

1. N W  Z  Q  
2. Q  Q  R

Example 5
Determine whether each statement is true or false.
a) N  W

b) ZN

c) 3 Q

d) 8.2525 ...  Q

e) 2.2121221  Q

f) 0.25  Q

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LECTURE 2 OF 6

At the end of lesson, student should be able to:

a) Define an index
b) State and apply the rules of indices
c) Solve equations involving indices.

1.2 INDICES

Index indicates the number of times the base is used as a factor.

In the expression a n , a is called the base, n is called the power, or the index
(plural indices), or the exponent. an is read as ‘a’ to the power ‘n’.

Rules of Indices
Let m and n be rational numbers. For non-zero real numbers a and b.
1. a m  a n  a m  n
am
2. am  an  n
 a mn
a
3. a m n
 a mn
4. ab m  am  bm
m
a am
5.    m
b b
m m
a b
6.    
b a
 m 1
7. a 
am
1
8. am  n a

 a
m
m
9. a n
 n am  n

10. a m  a n , then m  n
11. a 0  1
12. 0 0 undefined

Example 1
Without using calculator, find:

a) 5 2  5 3
1
b) 216 3
3

c) 36 2

3
d) 0.04 2

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Example 2
Simplify:
35  36
a)
34
1
b) 49 x 2
y 4  2

27 a 
1
3 3
c)

(a 3b ) 2
d)
a 8b 2

1 1
3 
e) 3  27  3 4 4

Example 3
Find the value of x for the following equation:
x
a) 5  125

b) 27 x 1  9 x 1

Example 4
Solve the following equation:
a) 5 2 x 1  65 x   1

b) 4 x  6(2 x )  16

c)
6 x  7 6x 
3
2

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LECTURE 3 OF 6

At the end of lesson, student should be able to:

a) Explain the meaning of a surd and its conjugate.
b) Express surd in simplified form.
c) Perform algebraic operations on surds.

1.2 SURD
A surd is an expression that one or more irrational roots for example 2, 3 or 5
and we normally express surd in its simplest such that 18  3 2 and 48  4 3 .

For example,
4  2 and 3 27  3 , is call radical and not a surd.

Rules of Surds
1. a  a  a
2. a b  ab a, b  0
3. a a , a  0, b  0

b b
4. a b  c b  a  c b
5. a b  c b  a  c b

   a  2 ab  b
2
6. a b

7.  a b  a  b    a    b 
2 2
ab
1
8. a 1
a
Caution
1.  a b 
2
 a  b
2 2

2. a  b  ab
3.  a   b  ab
4. a  b  2
 a2  b
5. 4  2 , 42
6. a  xb  2
 a 2  x  b 
2

Example 1
Simplify:
a) 27

b)  8  10 
c) 7 3  5 12

d) 5 6 3 2

e)  32 2  3 2 
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Rationalizing The Denominator

It is a process to create a rational number in the denominator of a surd expression.
To rationalize, conjugates are used usually. The conjugate of a  b is a  b
where  a  b  
a  b  a  b is a rational number.

To rationalize a denominator
Multiply the numerator and the denominator of the same expression that will result in
the denominator to become a rational number.

If Denominator contains Multiply by

the factor its conjugate
a a
1 a 1 a
a b a b
a b a b
a b a b

Example 2
Rationalize the denominator and simplify each of the following:
8
a)
5 3

7
b)
3

1
c)
7 2

2 3
d)
2 3

e) 5  3 1 3

5  3 1 3

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Example 3
1 2
Write in the form of a  b 2 . Hence, state the values of a and b.
3  2 2

LECTURE 4 OF 6

At the end of lesson, student should be able to:

a) Solve equations involving surds.

Surd Equation
The method used is to isolate one square root on one side of the equation and then
to square both sides. But in the process of squaring, we might add some additional
roots into the solution, so we have to check the roots with the original equations one
by one in order to select the genuine roots of the original equations.

Example 1
Solve each of the following equation:
a) - 2 x  4  3

b) 2 3x  1  2  x

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c) x  x2 2

d) x  7  x  2  2x  3

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LECTURE 5 OF 6

At the end of lesson, student should be able to:

a) State the laws of logarithms such as:
i) log a MN  log a M  log a N
M
ii) log a  log a M  log a N
N
iii) log a M N  N log a M
log b M
iv) log a M 
log b a
b) Solve equations involving logarithms.

1.2 LOGARITHMS
Logarithm is a number y , ( y  0) for any given base a  a  0  and is written as
x
log a y  x where y  a and x  R.

Common Logarithm
Common logarithm is a number y (y > 0) for base 10 and is written as log10 y  x
where y  1 0 x
and x  R.

Note :  lo g 1 0 y  lo g y  lg y 

Natural Logarithm of x
The natural logarithms is a number y for base e and is written as log e y  x where
y  e x
and x  R.

Note : log e x  ln x

Example
a) ex  3 b) 2x  7
log e 3  x log 2 7  x
 x  ln 3  x  2.8074

Example 1
Write in the logarithmic form
a) 2 3  8

b) 10 1  0.1

Example 2
Write in the indices form
a) log 2 16  4

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1
b) log 4  3
16

Rule of Logarithms
1. log a MN  log a M  log a N
M
2. log a  log a M  log a N
N
3. log a M N  N log a M
log b M
4. log a M 
log b a

Other important properties for logarithmic form.

1. log a 1  0
2. log a a  1
3. log a a x  x
1
4. log a    log a N 1   log a N
N
log a N
5. a N
6. log a M  log a N , then M  N

Caution
1. log1  x   log1  log x
2. log a b2  2 log a b
log b b
3. 
log a a

Note :
The logarithms of a negative number does not exist, and logarithms of 1 to any base
is zero.

Example 3
Express as a single logarithm.
a) 2 log 3 a  log 3 4a

b) 2 log a x  3  log a 3 x

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Example 4
Rewrite each expression as a sum or difference of multiples of logarithms:

a) log x 4 y 3 

 x3 
b) log 2  
 x 1 

 x 1 x 
c) log 2 

 x  3 

Example 5
Given log 2  0.30103 , log 3  0.47712 , find log 12 .

Change of Base
log b M
a) log a M 
log b a
1
b) log a M 
log M a

Example 6
Find the following expression to four decimal places.
a) log 3 5

b) log 5 10

Example 7
Solve equations involving logarithms.
a) log( x  2)  log( x  10)  lg 2

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 Lecture: Number Systems and Equations

b) log 2 x  log 2 ( x  7)  3

c) log10 x  4 log x 10  3

LECTURE 6 OF 6

At the end of lesson, student should be able to:

a) Solve equations involving indices, surds and logarithms.

Example 1
Solve the following equation:
a) 2 2 x  3  25  2 x   3  0

b)    
2 3 2 x 1  7 3 x  3  0

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c) 3x  4  2  2 x  4

d) log3 x  4logx 3  3  0

e) 2 ln 4 x  2  ln 9

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 Lecture: Number Systems and Equations

EXERCISE:

1. Simplify
3
18 x 2 y 5  a 2b  3   x  2b 1 
a) b)   1 2   
3x 4 y  x y   a y
2 3

1 1

x 2
 x 2
(3 x 2 y 3
)3
c) 1
d) 4
27 x
x 2
p 1  q 1
e)
p 2  q 2

2. Find the value of x for the following equation:

2
2 1
a) x  4
3
b) 49 x  3x2
7

3. Write the following as single logarithms:

a) 1 log 25  2 log 3  2 log 6 b) 2 l n x  7  ln x
2
c) log a 3 xy  5 log a y  2

4. Solve the following equation:

 
a) 4 x 1  5 2 x  1  0 b) 2 x 1  3 x
5 3 ln x
c) e 2 x  3e x  4  0 d) x e  4x  21
e) 5 x  10 f) ln  x  2  ln  3x  16
g) log8 x 3  logx 8  2 , x  8

5. Simplify:
a) 45 b) 6 7  2 7
c) 3 6  5 7 d) 3  4 7  3 
6. Rationalize and simplify:
12 3 2 5
a) b) c)  5
2 2 3 3 5

7. Solve the following equation:

2x 1  5  0

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Answers :

6y4 a4x x 1 1 pq
1. a) , b) , c) , d) 10 9 , e)
x2 10 9
b y x x y q p
1
2. a) x  8 b) x  or x  2
2
 x  7 2   3xa 2 
3. a) log 20 b) ln   c) log a  4 
 x   y 
4. a) x  2or x  0 b) x  1.7095 c) x  ln 4
1
d) x  3 e) x  1.4307 f) x  9 g) x 
2
5. a) 3 5 b) 8 7 c) 5 42 d) 4 21  3
3 1 5 5
6. a) 6 2 b) x  c) 
2 4 4
7. x  13

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