General version of the results are highlighted for quick reference (charge your GDC)
Unsimplified answer Final simplified answer
ln1 or log e 1 or lg1 or log10 1 0
log a 1 where a > 0, a ≠ 1 0
ln e or log e e or lg10 or log10 1 1
log a a where a > 0, a ≠ 1 1
eln x or e loge x or 10lg x or 10log10 x x
a log a x where a > 0, a ≠ 1 x
1
ln 1
e − ln x or e x
or 10− lg x or 10 − log10 x
x
a − log a x where a > 0, a ≠ 1 1
x
i or in general i 4 n −3 , n ∈ Z + i
i 2 or in general i 4 n −2 , n ∈ Z + −1
i3 or in general i 4 n −1 , n ∈ Z + −i
i 4 or in general i 4 n , n ∈ Z + 1
1 1 i i i −i
= × = 2 = = −i
i i i i −1
20 − 125 (= 2 5 − 5 5 = −3 5 ) −3 5
a 4b8c 6 + 3 a 6b3c12 a 2bc3 (b3 + c)
(= a b c 2 4 3
+ a 2bc 4 = a 2bc 3 (b3 + c) )
(1 + 2 ) (= 1+ 2 ) 3 + 2 2 (expand correctly using identities)
2
2 + 2 = 3+ 2 2
2 1+ 3 (need to rationalize for surds)
3 −1 So what is a surd? Surds are numbers with
= 2 × 3 +1 =
2 3 +1
= 1+ 3
( ) square or cube root form e.g. 2, 3 4, etc.
3 −1 3 +1 3 −1
π
sin + cos
2π 3 −1
(know all trig. values without GDC)
3 3 2
π π 1 1 1
2 1
(know all six trig. values in degree and
cot 2
cot = ⇒ = 3
3 3 3 3
3
radian mode without GDC)
1 1 π π π π
arcsin + arccos = + = (know values of inverse trig functions)
2 2 6 3 2 2
11 11! 11× 10 × 9! 55
or C2 = = = 55
11
(a vast majority struggled with this problem
2 9!2! 9!× 2 without a GDC in the IB exams)
11! 11× 10 × 9! 110 (use formula booklet as it has the
= = = 110
11
P2 formula)
9! 9!
Note: not all problems can be simplified further and if you are unsure how to simplify then you leave it
as it is, however failure to simplify can make it harder to solve the subsequent parts or you will lose
marks in the same part if you don’t simplify fully where it is required. Usually they ask you to give in a
specific form; don’t bother finding the values of very large numbers in a non-GDC paper.
