Indices I

What is Indices I?

An index, or power, records how many times a base is used as a factor. Three laws govern them: multiplying powers of the same base adds the indices, dividing subtracts them, and raising a power to a power multiplies them. Extending those laws consistently forces a zero index to equal one, a negative index to mean a reciprocal, and a fractional index to mean a root.

This definition is part of the Number chapter in Cambridge O Level Mathematics (Syllabus D).

Concepts related to Indices I

• zero index
• negative index
• fractional index
• base