Math Is Fun Forum

Alive

Member

Registered: 2010-08-14

Posts: 92

Exponential Functions and Logarithms?

Where's the best site to understand this topic? I need help and can only understand some parts of it.

For example for my homework given by my teacher I must simplify giving the answer with positive index:

a^2 b^3 / ab X a^2 b^5 /a^2 b^2

and another question:
a^1/4 X a^2/5 X a^-1/10

and questions like:
write 2^n X 8^n / 2^2n X 16 in the form 2^an+b

There's lots more like these then to the sketch graphs which want us to give equations of asymptopes and the axes intercepts etc. Transformations..

Any recommended website that teaches you this in detail?

Thanks.

---

All things can be forgiven if we can progress.
Yusuf Islam (formerly known as Cat Stevens)

bobbym

bumpkin

From: Bumpkinland

Registered: 2009-04-12

Posts: 109,606

Re: Exponential Functions and Logarithms?

Hi Alive;

This is a good site for all of that. But if I were teaching you the first thing would be how to format expressions so that others can read them.

a^2 b^3 / ab X a^2 b^5 /a^2 b^2

and another question:
a^1/4 X a^2/5 X a^-1/10

and questions like:
write 2^n X 8^n / 2^2n X 16 in the form 2^an+b

Honestly I would love to assist but I can't read any of that. No parentheses,  and non standard symbols are the biggest problem with people trying to learn math. You can't get helped when it is difficult to decipher your questions.

---

In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.
Always satisfy the Prime Directive of getting the right answer above all else.

Alive

Member

Registered: 2010-08-14

Posts: 92

Re: Exponential Functions and Logarithms?

I'm sorry for the format.

^ = to the power
----------- = divided by

1. Simplify giving your answer with positive index

a^2 b^3
---------
ab

times this

a^2 b^5
----------
a^2 b^2

2.

a^1/4 X a^2/5 X a^-1/10

3.

Write

2^n X 8^n
-------------
2^2n X 16

in the form 2 ^ an + b

Last edited by Alive (2010-08-14 22:16:40)

---

All things can be forgiven if we can progress.
Yusuf Islam (formerly known as Cat Stevens)

bobbym

bumpkin

From: Bumpkinland

Registered: 2009-04-12

Posts: 109,606

Re: Exponential Functions and Logarithms?

Hi Alive;

For 1)

Did I read the problem correctly?

2)

Is this what you want for the left hand side?

---

In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.
Always satisfy the Prime Directive of getting the right answer above all else.

Alive

Member

Registered: 2010-08-14

Posts: 92

Re: Exponential Functions and Logarithms?

Yes but how did you get that? Or what formula did you use and how did you use the formula?

---

All things can be forgiven if we can progress.
Yusuf Islam (formerly known as Cat Stevens)

bobbym

bumpkin

From: Bumpkinland

Registered: 2009-04-12

Posts: 109,606

Re: Exponential Functions and Logarithms?

First let me see If I can understand your notation then we can go over the answers. For 3) If you mean

2 ^ an + b = 2^(an + b) then the answer is:

3)

Did I read the your notation correctly?

---

In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.
Always satisfy the Prime Directive of getting the right answer above all else.

Alive

Member

Registered: 2010-08-14

Posts: 92

Re: Exponential Functions and Logarithms?

Yes And the answer is in the form 2 ^ an+b Just need to know how to do this. I don't know much about the rules or formula.

---

All things can be forgiven if we can progress.
Yusuf Islam (formerly known as Cat Stevens)

bobbym

bumpkin

From: Bumpkinland

Registered: 2009-04-12

Posts: 109,606

Re: Exponential Functions and Logarithms?

Hi;

Start with 1). What are you not understanding?

---

In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.
Always satisfy the Prime Directive of getting the right answer above all else.

Alive

Member

Registered: 2010-08-14

Posts: 92

Re: Exponential Functions and Logarithms?

I don't understand what we have to do next? Cross out things the letters, numbers? Is there like a rule we have to follow or do? like how do we divide a ^ 2 b ^ 3 with ab first?

---

All things can be forgiven if we can progress.
Yusuf Islam (formerly known as Cat Stevens)

bobbym

bumpkin

From: Bumpkinland

Registered: 2009-04-12

Posts: 109,606

Re: Exponential Functions and Logarithms?

Hi; For the first part of one you just do some cancelling:

---

In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.
Always satisfy the Prime Directive of getting the right answer above all else.

Alive

Member

Registered: 2010-08-14

Posts: 92

Re: Exponential Functions and Logarithms?

Thanks so much for that!

Looks like I don't understand the signs.

How do you express these out like you did with that. Like a ^ 2 was aa... I guess i just need to know how to do that. I'm not having problem with the question itself just the signs.

(2a)^2 ?

8b^2 ?

8a^2 b^3 ?

(2 ^ 1/3) ^ 2 ?

and please simplify this showing the steps like you did for the cancelling:

3√a^3 b^2

Thank you..

---

All things can be forgiven if we can progress.
Yusuf Islam (formerly known as Cat Stevens)

bobbym

bumpkin

From: Bumpkinland

Registered: 2009-04-12

Posts: 109,606

Re: Exponential Functions and Logarithms?

Hi;

Your last one is confusing please put parentheses around what you want raised to a power.

---

In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.
Always satisfy the Prime Directive of getting the right answer above all else.

Alive

Member

Registered: 2010-08-14

Posts: 92

Re: Exponential Functions and Logarithms?

Could you please do this for me and show me how to,

√a^3 b^2 .......................√a^-4 b^2
__________.........X.......___________ X √a^3 b^-1

a^2 b^-1 c^-5.................a^3 b^-1

Key: √ = Square root
^ = power of
_____ = Divided by
........ = Just to fill the gaps in

---

All things can be forgiven if we can progress.
Yusuf Islam (formerly known as Cat Stevens)

bobbym

bumpkin

From: Bumpkinland

Registered: 2009-04-12

Posts: 109,606

Re: Exponential Functions and Logarithms?

Hi Alive;

√a^3 b^2 .......................√a^-4 b^2
__________.........X.......___________ X √a^3 b^-1

a^2 b^-1 c^-5.................a^3 b^-1

Key: √ = Square root
^ = power of
_____ = Divided by
........ = Just to fill the gaps in

I am sorry but I can't understand what you want. Please use some parantheses to bracket off terms. For instance:

√a^3 b^2 does this mean:

or

---

In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.
Always satisfy the Prime Directive of getting the right answer above all else.