NUMBER SYSTEM AND

EQUATIONS
CHAPTER 1
3 HOURS OF LECTURE
3 HOURS OF PREPARATION
1.1 REAL NUMBERS
a) Define natural numbers ℕ , whole numbers 𝐖 , integers ℤ , prime
numbers, rational numbers ℚ and irrational numbers ℚ ഥ .
b) Represent the relationship of number sets in a real number system
diagrammatically showing ℕ ⊂ 𝐖 ⊂ ℤ ⊂ ℚ and ℚ ∪ ℚ ഥ = ℝ.
c) Represent open, closed and semi-open intervals and their
representations on the number line.
d) Find union, ∪, and intersection, ∩, of two or more intervals with the aid of
number line.
NUMBER SYSTEM
• Modern number system comprises of two types of numbers
which are real numbers and complex numbers.
• In this syllabus, we will give a clear focus towards real numbers.
• Basically, real numbers can be classified into few groups:
• Natural numbers
• Whole numbers
• Integers
• Rational numbers
• Irrational numbers
NUMBER SYSTEM (cont.)
Types of Real Mathematical
Definition Example
Numbers Notation
Positive numbers that
are used for
Natural number ℕ counting, not
including zero.

Natural numbers
Whole number W including zero.

Whole numbers
Integers ℤ including their
negatives.
NUMBER SYSTEM (cont.)
• After we define the integers, we shall define the rational
numbers, ℚ.
• A number as a ratio of two integers.
• The formal definition of a rational number is

The symbol ℚ means “quotient”.

The formal definition of the rational numbers is
𝑎
ℚ = , where 𝑎, 𝑏 ∈ ℤ and 𝑏 ≠ 0
𝑏
NUMBER SYSTEM (cont.)
• Few examples of rational numbers, ℚ:

ഥ on the other hand is a non-rational number.

• Irrational number, ℚ
• It means you cannot write it as a ratio of two integers.
• Few examples of irrational numbers, ℚ ഥ:
 Example 1

Given the set of some real numbers, X as follows:

1 11
𝑋 = −6, − , −1.1,0,2,3, 10, 𝜋, 16,
3 2

Identify the set of natural numbers, whole numbers, integers, rational and irrational numbers.
PRIME NUMBERS
• Prime numbers are natural numbers, ℕ which can be divided by
1 and itself only.
• The list of prime numbers:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40
41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50
INTEGERS (IN TERMS OF DIRECTION)
• In terms of direction, integers can be divided into two types
which are positive integers and negative integers.

Positive Integers Negative Integers

+ −
ℤ ℤ
INTEGERS (IN TERMS OF MULTIPLES)
• In terms of multiples, integers can be divided into two types
which are odd numbers and even numbers.

Even Numbers Odd Numbers

2𝑘, 𝑘 ∈ ℤ 2𝑘 + 1, 𝑘 ∈ ℤ
*Multiple of two *(Multiple of two) plus one
DECIMALS
• Decimals can be divided into several types. We shall look into
two types which are terminating decimal and recurring decimal.

Terminating Decimal Recurring Decimal

Recurring decimal is a
Terminating decimal is a
number with repeating digits
number that has finite digits
after a decimal point
after a decimal point.
(for example: 0. 13)
RELATIONSHIP OF NUMBER SETS

ℝ
ഥ
ℚ

ℚ ℤ
W ℕ
 Real Numbers, ℝ

Rational Numbers, ℚ ഥ
Irrational Numbers, ℚ

Integers, ℤ ഥ
Non-Integers, ℤ

Positive Negative
Zero, 0
integers, ℤ+ integers, ℤ−

Whole Numbers, W

Natural Numbers, ℕ
RELATIONSHIP OF NUMBER SETS
• The relationship in the set notation is given as

ഥ =ℝ
ℕ ⊂ 𝐖 ⊂ ℤ ⊂ ℚ and ℚ ∪ ℚ
REAL NUMBER LINE (RNL)
Real Number Line (RNL)
Interval Notation Description
Representation

𝑎, 𝑏 Open interval

(𝑎, 𝑏] Half-open interval

(or half-closed
[𝑎, 𝑏) interval)

𝑎, 𝑏 Closed interval
REAL NUMBER LINE (RNL)
Interval Notation Real Number Line (RNL) Representation

𝑎, ∞

[𝑎, ∞)

−∞, 𝑏

(−∞, 𝑏]
UNION OF TWO INTERVALS
Consider two set of real numbers
𝑋 = −5,8 and 𝑌 = (−3,9]

The shaded part in the diagram is the union between X and Y 

𝑋∪𝑌
INTERSECTION OF TWO INTERVALS
Consider again two set of real numbers
𝑋 = −5,8 and 𝑌 = (−3,9]

The shaded part in the diagram is the intersection between X and

Y𝑋∩𝑌
SOLUTION FORMAT

Solution interval is in the format of interval, for example (−3,8]

Solution set is in the format of set, for example 𝑥: −3 < 𝑥 ≤ 8

 Example 2

Given the set of numbers

1
𝐴 = 𝑥: 𝑥 ≤ , 𝐵 = 𝑥: −3 ≤ 𝑥 < 5 and 𝐶 = 𝑥: 𝑥 ≥ 0
2

Draw the number line representing all sets A, B and C.

Hence find the interval of
(a) 𝐴∩𝐵
(b) 𝐵∪𝐶
(c) 𝐴∪𝐵∩𝐶
1.2 INDICES, SURDS AND
LOGARITHMS
a) Express the rules of indices.
b) Explain the meaning of a surd and its conjugate.
c) Perform algebraic operations on surds.
d) State the laws of logarithms.
e) Change the base of logarithm.
f) Solve equations involving surds, indices and logarithms.
DEFINITION OF INDICES

The expression written in the form of

𝒏
𝒂
where 𝒂 is the base and 𝒏 is the power / exponent /
index.

Note that 𝑎 > 0 and 𝑎 ≠ 1 (can be written as 𝑎 ∈ ℝ+ \1)

The expression 𝑎𝑛 is the result of repeated multiplication of 𝑎 by
𝑛 times.

𝒂𝒏 = 𝒂 × 𝒂 × 𝒂 × ⋯ × 𝒂
𝒏 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒔

Types of Index Notation

Zero index 𝑎0 = 1

−𝑛
1
Negative index 𝑎 = 𝑛
𝑎
1
Rational index 𝑎𝑛 = 𝑛
𝑎
RULES OF INDICES
𝑚 1 𝑛
𝑎𝑛 = 𝑚
𝑎 𝑛 = 𝑎𝑚
𝑎𝑚 × =𝑎𝑛 𝑎𝑚+𝑛
(i) or (iv) or
𝑚 1 𝑚
𝑎𝑚 𝑎𝑛 = 𝑎𝑚+𝑛 𝑛 𝑚
𝑎𝑛 = 𝑎𝑛 = 𝑎
𝑎𝑚 ÷ 𝑎𝑛 = 𝑎𝑚−𝑛
𝑎𝑛 × 𝑏 𝑛 = 𝑎𝑏 𝑛
or
(ii) (v) or
𝑎𝑚 𝑎𝑛 𝑏 𝑛 = 𝑎𝑏 𝑛
= 𝑎𝑚−𝑛
𝑎𝑛

(iii) 𝑎𝑚 𝑛 = 𝑎𝑚𝑛 (vi) 𝑎𝑛 𝑎 𝑛

𝑛
=
𝑏 𝑏
 Example 3

Simplify each of the following.

2 3
18𝑥 2 𝑦 5 𝑥 4 2𝑦 3
(a) (b)
3𝑥 4 𝑦 3𝑦 2 3𝑥 2
SURDS

What are Surds?

A surd is an irrational number expressed in the root

sign.
5 3
Examples of surds: 2, , 9 𝑒𝑡𝑐
11
PROPERTIES OF SURDS

𝒂 𝒃 = 𝒂𝒃
The properties are
𝒂 𝒂 true when a and b
= are positive real
𝒃 𝒃
numbers only
𝒄 𝒂±𝒅 𝒂= 𝒄±𝒅 𝒂
RATIONALISING SURDS
Rationalising is a process of changing denominator of the rational
surd expression by multiplying with its conjugate.

Original form of surd Rationalised form

Rationalising
4 4 4 2− 3
2+ 3 = ×
2+ 3 2+ 3 2− 3
8−4 3
=
4−2 3+2 3−3
4
=8−4 3
2+ 3
 Example 4

Simplify each of the following.

1+ 5
(a) 28 − 175 + 63 (b)
2− 5
LOGARITHMS
What are Logarithms?
Consider 𝑥 = 𝑎𝑛  from indices
The solution of n can be obtained by taking the logarithm to the both
sides.

𝑥 = 𝑎𝑛
log 𝑎 𝑥 = log 𝑎 𝑎𝑛
log 𝑎 𝑥 = 𝑛

The left hand side (LHS) expression is read as logarithm of x to the base 𝑎.
LOG VS LN

𝐥𝐨𝐠 𝒂 𝒙
• If the base 𝒂 is 10  log10 𝑥 = log 𝑥  this is common logarithm
• If the base 𝒂 is a natural base 𝑒  log 𝑒 𝑥 = ln 𝑥  this is natural
logarithm
LAWS OF LOGARITHMS

𝐥𝐨𝐠 𝒂 𝑴 + 𝐥𝐨𝐠 𝒂 𝑵 = 𝐥𝐨𝐠 𝒂 𝑴𝑵

(i)
This is the addition rule.

𝑴
(ii) 𝐥𝐨𝐠 𝒂 𝑴 − 𝐥𝐨𝐠 𝒂 𝑵 = 𝐥𝐨𝐠 𝒂
𝑵
This is the subtraction rule.

𝐥𝐨𝐠 𝒂 𝑴𝒏 = 𝒏 𝐥𝐨𝐠 𝒂 𝑴
(iii)
This is the power rule.
LAWS OF LOGARITHMS (cont.)

𝐥𝐨𝐠 𝒃 𝑴
𝐥𝐨𝐠 𝒂 𝑴 =
𝐥𝐨𝐠 𝒃 𝒂
(iv)

This is the changing base rule.

𝟏
𝐥𝐨𝐠 𝒂 𝑴 =
𝐥𝐨𝐠 𝑴 𝒂
(v)

This is the reciprocal rule.

LAWS OF LOGARITHMS (cont.)

𝐥𝐨𝐠 𝒂 𝒂 = 𝟏
(v)
𝐥𝐧 𝒆 = 𝟏

𝒂𝐥𝐨𝐠𝒂 𝒙 = 𝒙
(vi)
𝒆𝐥𝐧 𝒙 = 𝒙
 Example 5

Simplify each of the following.

1 log2 32
(a) log 16 + log 32 (b)
2 log2 4
 Example 6

Change and simplify each of the following into the base indicated.

(a) log 𝑎 81 [3] (b) ln 100 [2]