✴️Exponents: A Complete Guide
🔹 What Are Exponents?
An exponent tells you how many times to multiply a number by itself.
Written as:
ana^nan
o a is the base
o n is the exponent or power
o Example: 34=3×3×3×3=813^4 = 3 × 3 × 3 × 3 = 8134=3×3×3×3=81
🔹 Vocabulary
Base: The number being multiplied (e.g., in 232^323, the base is 2)
Exponent (or Power): Tells how many times to multiply the base (e.g., in 232^323, the
exponent is 3)
Exponential expression: A number or variable raised to a power
🔹 Basic Rules of Exponents
1. Product of Powers Rule
When multiplying two exponents with the same base:
am×an=am+na^m × a^n = a^{m+n}am×an=am+n
o Example: 23×24=23+4=27=1282^3 × 2^4 = 2^{3+4} = 2^7 =
12823×24=23+4=27=128
2. Quotient of Powers Rule
When dividing two exponents with the same base:
am÷an=am−na^m ÷ a^n = a^{m-n}am÷an=am−n
o Example: 56÷52=56−2=54=6255^6 ÷ 5^2 = 5^{6-2} = 5^4 =
62556÷52=56−2=54=625
3. Power of a Power Rule
When raising an exponent to another power:
(am)n=am×n(a^m)^n = a^{m×n}(am)n=am×n
o Example: (32)4=32×4=38(3^2)^4 = 3^{2×4} = 3^8(32)4=32×4=38
4. Zero Exponent Rule
Any non-zero number raised to the power of 0 equals 1:
a0=1a^0 = 1a0=1
o Example: 100=110^0 = 1100=1
5. Negative Exponent Rule
A negative exponent means "reciprocal":
a−n=1ana^{-n} = \frac{1}{a^n}a−n=an1
o Example: 2−3=123=182^{-3} = \frac{1}{2^3} = \frac{1}{8}2−3=231=81
6. Power of a Product
Multiply each factor by the exponent:
(ab)n=an×bn(ab)^n = a^n × b^n(ab)n=an×bn
o Example: (2×3)2=22×32=4×9=36(2×3)^2 = 2^2 × 3^2 = 4 × 9 =
36(2×3)2=22×32=4×9=36
7. Power of a Quotient
Apply the exponent to both the numerator and the denominator:
(ab)n=anbn\left(\frac{a}{b}\right)^n = \frac{a^n}{b^n}(ba)n=bnan
o Example: (25)2=2252=425\left(\frac{2}{5}\right)^2 = \frac{2^2}{5^2} = \
frac{4}{25}(52)2=5222=254
🔹 Examples
42=164^2 = 1642=16
103=100010^3 = 1000103=1000
(23)2=26=64(2^3)^2 = 2^6 = 64(23)2=26=64
50=15^0 = 150=1
3−2=193^{-2} = \frac{1}{9}3−2=91
🔹 Real-Life Uses of Exponents
Scientific Notation: Representing very large or very small numbers
Example: 6.02×10236.02 × 10^{23}6.02×1023 (Avogadro's number)
Computer science: Binary numbers and memory (e.g., 210=10242^10 = 1024210=1024
bytes = 1 kilobyte)
Finance: Compound interest formulas
Engineering & Physics: Measuring forces, energy, and growth
🔹 Tips for Working with Exponents
Always simplify expressions by applying the exponent rules.
Be careful with negative signs and parentheses:
o (−2)2=4(-2)^2 = 4(−2)2=4 vs. −22=−4-2^2 = -4−22=−4
Remember that only non-zero bases can be used with the zero exponent rule.
Practice with both positive and negative exponents.
🧠 Practice Problems
1. 34=3^4 =34= ?
2. 50=5^0 =50= ?
3. (23)2=(2^3)^2 =(23)2= ?
4. 103÷10=10^3 ÷ 10 =103÷10= ?
5. 4−2=4^{-2} =4−2= ?
