Crescent Girls School

Secondary 3 Mathematics D
Past Years Examination Questions
(1997 2001)

Topic: Indices

1. Evaluate the following

(a) 3 4 3 2 3 3
3 4 16 1
(b) ( ) 2 ( ) 3 ( ) (2000 Mid SA Q8)
4 9 27

2(a) If x 4 64 , calculate the value of x 2 .

2 4x
3x 1
(b) Calculate the value of x if . (1999 Final SA Q5)
9
27

25.3 12.4 2.53 1.24

3(a) Given that 28.3 , find the value of , giving your
4.1 2.7 41 2.7
answer correct to 2 significant figures.
(b) A very large pipe has a radius of 5.4 10 2 cm. A very small tube has a radius
of 9 10 3 cm. Find, giving your answer in standard form, the ratio of the
radius of the large pipe to the radius of the small tube. (2000 Mid SA Q5)

4. Evaluate each of the following, expressing your answer in the standard form.
(a) (5.7 10 5 ) (7.5 10 6 )
(b) (9 10 3 ) 2
(c) (64 10 3 ) ( 4 10 5 ) (2000
Final SA Q1)

2
9
5(a) Evaluate 0.064 1 3
.
16
14.87 3.097
(b) Estimate the value of to two significant figures.
2.5
(c) Evaluate 3( 4 10 3 ) 2 , expressing your answer in standard form.
(1997 Final SA Q1)

1
6. Solve (6 x 2 ) 3 . (2000 Mid SA Q9)
6

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 0
1 1
7. Find the value of 0.027 3 16 0.75 . (1997 Mid SA Q2b)
2 1

8. Evaluate
(a) 0.0485 0.05
(b) (3.2 10 6 ) ( 2.7 10 8 ) giving your answer in standard form (1997 Mid SA
Q4)

9. Evaluate without a calculator, giving your answer in the standard form.

(a) 1.23 10 3 4.2 10 2 8.8 10 2
(b) (7 10 6 ) (6 10 5 )
(c) ( 2.7 10 2 ) (3 10 3 ) (1998 Final SA Q1)

10(a) Using as much of the information given as necessary, evaluate 86500 .

( 86.5 9.30, 8.65 2.94)
8.05 24.78
(b) Find the approximate value of . (1997 Mid SA Q3)
1.984

11(a) Using as much of the information given as necessary, find the value of
1
0.129 , giving your answer correct to 2 significant figures.
12.9
1
( 12.9 3.59, 1.29 1.13, 0.78)
1.29
(b) Evaluate, giving your answer in standard form
0.699 30 (1999 Mid SA Q3)

12. Express
(i) 0.00452 correct to 2 significant figures
(ii) 85486 cm2 correct to the nearest 100 cm2
(iii) 898.76 x 10-8 in the standard form (1999 Final SA Q1)

1
3 0
13. Evaluate 1 2 2 2 . (1999 Final SA Q2a)
3
9 3 3

14. Given that p 8 10 9 and q 4 10 7 , find the value of each of the following,
expressing your answers in standard form.
(a) pq
(b) q 4p

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 3 p 2q
(c) q2
(2001 Mid SA Q1)

15. Evaluate the following expressions.

1 3 1
(a) 9
3
2
9
1
4
9
4
4

3
1

3 1 1 0
8
(b) (2001 Mid SA Q2)
27

16. Simplify the following, giving your answers with positive indices.
(a) ( pqr 2 ) 2 ( p 2 r 2 q ) 5
(b) 2 x
1 2
3
(2001 Mid SA Q3)

17. Evaluate each of the following, expressing your answer in the standard form.
(a) (3 10 2 ) 3
(b) ( 27 10 3 ) ( 4 10 2 ) (2001 Final SA Q1)

18. Simplify the following, giving your answers with positive indices.
2
a 4
(a) 3
b 2 3

cb
(b) 3
a 2b b 3 (2001 Final SA Q2)

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