THE UNIVERSITY OF GOROKA
DIVISION OF MATHEMATICS & COMPUTER SCIENCES
SMM 162 BASIC MATHEMATICS 1
Tutorial Worksheet No.1 [17th March, 2025]
Topic: Basic Algebra (Sets & Numbers)
1. Identify and state whether the numbers given below are; real, rational, irrational, integer, and natural:
a) √8 e) 𝜋
𝑎 √11
b) 𝑏 [if 𝑎 is an integer and 𝑏 is an irrational] f) 3
2 2
c) g)
√3 3
d) −6 h) 2.25
2. List down the set of the real numbers below:
a) ℕ b) ℤ c) ℚ d) ℚ′ e) ℕ0
1 1
3. Is 2 + √2 rational or irrational? Is 2 ∙ √2 rational or irrational? What can you say about the sum of a rational and
an irrational number? What about the product?
4. List the elements of the following sets using listing method;
a) 𝑆 = {𝑥|𝑥 is a natural number less than 6}.
b) 𝑃 = {𝑛|𝑛 is a prime number between 1 and 10 inclusive}
c) 𝑇 = {𝑥|𝑥 ∈ ℤ, −5 < 𝑥 < −1}
d) 𝐻 = {𝑦|𝑦 is a vowel in the English alphabet}.
5. Write the following sets using set-builder method;
a) 𝐴 = {4, 8, 12, 16} b) 𝐵 = {0, 1, 4, 9, 16, 25}
c) 𝐶 = {2, 4, 8, 16, 32} 1 1 1 1
d) 𝐷 = {1, 4 , 9 , 16 , 25 , … }
6. If 𝑆 = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5}, 𝑇 = {4, 5, 6, 7} and 𝑉 = {6, 7, 8}. Find the sets 𝑆 ∪ 𝑇, 𝑆 ∩ 𝑇, 𝑉 ∩ 𝑇 and 𝑆 ∩ 𝑉.
7. Draw the Venn diagrams for each of the sets in question 6 above.
8. Graph each set of intervals on a real number line;
a) (1, 3) ∩ [2, 7]
b) (1, 3) ∪ [2, 7]
9. Convert the repeating decimals below to its equivalent fraction;
a) 0. 7̅ ̅̅̅̅
c) 5. 23
b) 1.37 ̅ d) 2.135 ̅̅̅̅
10. Write the number indicated in each statement below in scientific notation:
a) The distance from the earth to the sun is 93 million miles.
b) The mass of an oxygen is about 0.000000000000000000000053 grams.
c) The mass of the earth is about 5,970,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 kilograms.
11. Using the laws of exponents, simplify the following expressions and leave the exponent(s) in positive form:
a) (2𝑎3 𝑏 2 )(3𝑎𝑏 4 )3 𝑥 3 𝑦2𝑥
4
b) (𝑦) ( 𝑧 )
6𝑠𝑡 −4 𝑦 −1
c) 2𝑠−2 𝑡 2
d) ( )
3𝑧 3
12. Using the laws of exponents with rational exponents, simplify the following:
a) 82/3 b) (125)-1/3
3
c) (2a3b4)3/2 d) (2√𝑥)(3 √𝑥 )
13. Express the following logarithmic equations in exponential form;
a) log 5 25 = 2
b) 𝑦 = log 3 5
1
c) log 2 ( ) = −3
8
14. Express the exponential equations in logarithmic form;
1
a) 53 = 125 b) 8−1 = c) 4-3/2 = 0.125
8
15. Evaluate (where possible) and find the value of 𝑥;
a) log 3 32 3
c) log 7 √49 e) log 8 𝑥 =
2
1 3
b) log 3 ( ) d) log 5 𝑥 = 4 f) log 8 56 − log 8 7
27
16. Simplify the following surds by rationalizing the denominators;
3 √3 √6
a) c) e)
√2 4√3+5 3√6−√2
4
b) 3−√2
3√7 d) 3+√2
17. Perform the indicated operations on the algebraic expressions and simplify;
a) (𝑥 3 + 6𝑥 2 − 4𝑥 + 7) − (3𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 − 4) c) (2𝑥 + 1)(3𝑥 − 5)
b) √𝑥(𝑥 − √𝑥) d) (𝑥 2 − 3)(𝑥 3 + 2𝑥 + 1)
18. Using the special product formulas, find the product each of the following;
1 1 c) (𝑥 + 𝑦 − 1)(𝑥 + 𝑦 + 1)
a) (2𝑥 − √𝑦)(2𝑥 + √𝑦) b) (√𝑎 − ) (√𝑎 + )
𝑏 𝑏
19. Factor the polynomial expressions completely;
a) 5𝑎𝑏 − 8𝑎𝑏𝑐 b) 𝑥 2 − 2𝑥 − 8 c) 4𝑡 2 − 9𝑠 2
2 2
1
d) (1 + ) − (1 − )
1 e) 𝑥 3 − 27 f) 𝑦 3 − 𝑦 2 + 𝑦 − 1
𝑥 𝑥
20. Perform the indicated operations and simplify the rational expressions;
1 2 𝑥 2 −25 𝑥+4
a) 𝑥+5
+ 𝑥−3 b) ∙
𝑥 2 −16 𝑥+5
√4+ℎ−2
21. Rationalize the numerator: ℎ
