P

Prerequisites

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P.3 Integer Exponents

Copyright © Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Objectives
► Exponential Notation

► Rules for Working with Exponents

► Scientific Notation

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Exponential Notation

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Exponential Notation
A product of identical numbers is usually written in
exponential notation. For example, 5  5  5 is written as 53.
In general, we have the following definition.

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Example 1 – Exponential Notation

(a)

(b) (–3)4 = (–3)  (–3)  (–3)  (–3)

= 81

(c) –34 = –(3  3  3  3)

= –81
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Exponential Notation

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Example 2 – Zero and Negative Exponents

(a)

(b)

(c)

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Rules for Working with Exponents

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Rules for Working with Exponents
Familiarity with the following rules is essential for our work
with exponents and bases. In the table the bases a and b
are real numbers, and the exponents m and n are integers.

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Example 4 – Simplifying Expressions with
Exponents
Simplify:
(a) (2a3b2)(3ab4)3

(b)

Solution:
(a) (2a3b2)(3ab4)3 = (2a3b2)[33a3(b4)3] Law 4: (ab)n = anbn

Law 3: (am)n = amn

= (2a b )(27a b )
3 2 3 12

Group factors with

= (2)(27)a3a3b2b12 the same base
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Example 4 – Solution cont’d

= 54a6b14 Law 1: ambn = am + n

(b) Laws 5 and 4

Law 3

Group factors with

the same base

Laws 1 and 2

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Rules for Working with Exponents
We now give two additional laws that are useful in
simplifying expressions with negative exponents.

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Example 5 – Simplifying Expressions with Negative Exponents

Eliminate negative exponents and simplify each

expression.

(a)

(b)

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Example 5(a) – Solution
We use Law 7, which allows us to move a number raised to
a power from the numerator to the denominator (or vice
versa) by changing the sign of the exponent.

Law 7

Law 1

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Example 5(b) – Solution cont’d

We use Law 6, which allows us to change the sign of the

exponent of a fraction by inverting the fraction.

Law 6

Laws 5 and 4

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Scientific Notation

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Scientific Notation

For instance, when we state that the distance to the star

Proxima Centauri is 4  1013 km, the positive exponent 13
indicates that the decimal point should be moved 13 places
to the right :

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Scientific Notation
When we state that the mass of a hydrogen atom is
1.66  10–24 g, the exponent –24 indicates that the decimal
point should be moved 24 places to the left :

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Example 6 – Changing from Decimal to Scientific Notation

Write each number in scientific notation.

(a) 56,920
(b) 0.000093

Solution:
(a) 56,920 = 5.692  104

(b) 0.000093 = 9.3  10–5

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