Exponents Discovery

Monday, October 07, 2013 9:01 AM

The website we were required to visited further expanded my knowledge of exponents. I learned about the three ways to read powers. For example, if the power was 64, it could be read as the fourth power of six, six exponent four, and six to the fourth power. Another thing I learned about was when variables are used in a power. A coefficient is necessary to have in front of a variable otherwise the power is incorrect. An example of power with a variable in it written correctly is 3x2 and that power written incorrectly is x2. I also learned was what expanded form really was. I had heard the term used before but I didn't really understand the concept. Expanded form is the meaning of the power, or what the power is used as a shortcut for. The expanded form for a number like 92 is 9x9. The last thing I learned was how to find the power of a given expression on a calculator. If you have a power like 93, you type in 9 xy 3= to get your answer of 729. I feel like I greatly benefitted from the website we had to use to increase our knowledge of exponents.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. A base is the bottom number that indicates the factor being multiplied. A power is a number that indicates the repeated multiplication of the same base. A base and power tell you to A power is a shortcut to the expanded form of a number. You could use area to describe squaring a number and volume to describe cubing a number.

Base

Exponent Meaning

Value

4
3

2x2x2x2
2x2x2

16
8

2 2 2 2x2 4

1
2 0 2 -1

No expanded form

1/2

0.5=

2
-2 2 1/2 x 1/2 0.25=

Introduction to Exponents Page 1

-3
2 -4 2

1/2 x 1/2 x 1/2

0.125=

1/2 x 1/2 x 1/2 x 1/2 0.0625=

1. 2. 3. 4.

As you increase the exponent, the operation happening to the base is multiplication. As you decrease each exponent, the operation happening to the base is division. Yes, the pattern works from 2-4 to 24 as the exponent decreases each time. Yes, the pattern works from 24 to 2-4 as the exponent increases each time.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
1. 2. 3. 4.

2x 0 x 1 x3 x4 x3 x5 x10 When multiplying same bases, add the two exponents together and keep the base to get your answer.
x6 x2 x6 When dividing same bases, subtract the two exponents together and keep the base to get your answer.

1. 2. 3. 4.

x2 x2 x3 X12

5. x10 6. When you raise a base with an exponent by an exponent, you multiply both the exponents and keep the base to get your answer.

Introduction to Exponents Page 2