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Understanding Powers and Exponents

This document discusses exponents and powers. It explains that an exponent corresponds to the number of times a base is used as a factor in a multiplication. It provides examples of writing multiplications as exponents, such as 5×5×5 = 53. The document also outlines rules for multiplying, dividing, and raising powers, such as when multiplying powers you add the exponents, and when dividing powers you subtract the exponents.

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Armando Lios
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294 views2 pages

Understanding Powers and Exponents

This document discusses exponents and powers. It explains that an exponent corresponds to the number of times a base is used as a factor in a multiplication. It provides examples of writing multiplications as exponents, such as 5×5×5 = 53. The document also outlines rules for multiplying, dividing, and raising powers, such as when multiplying powers you add the exponents, and when dividing powers you subtract the exponents.

Uploaded by

Armando Lios
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Powers and exponents

We know how to calculate the expression 5 x 5. This expression can be written in a shorter way using something called exponents.

5⋅5=52

An expression that represents repeated multiplication of the same factor is called a power.

The number 5 is called the base, and the number 2 is called the exponent. The exponent corresponds to the number of times the
base is used as a factor.

1
3 3 to the first power 3
42 4 to the second power or 4 squared 4 ∙ 4
53 5 to the third power or 5 cubed 5∙5∙5
26 2 to the power of six 2∙2∙2∙2∙2∙2

Example

Write these multiplications like exponents

5⋅5⋅5=53
4⋅4⋅4⋅4⋅4=45
3⋅3⋅3⋅3=34

Multiplication
If two powers have the same base then we can multiply the powers. When we multiply two powers we add their exponents.

The rule:
xa⋅xb=xa+b

Example

42⋅45=(4⋅4)⋅(4⋅4⋅4⋅4⋅4)=47=42+5

Division
If two powers have the same base then we can divide the powers. When we divide powers we subtract their exponents.

The rule:

xaxb=xa−b

Example

⧸ ⧸⧸ ⧸ 4245=⧸4⋅⧸4⧸4⋅⧸4⋅4⋅4⋅4=143=4−3=42−5

A negative exponent is the same as the reciprocal of the positive exponent.

x−a=1xa

Example

2−3=123

When you raise a product to a power you raise each factor with a power

(x⋅y)a=xa⋅ya

Example

(2x)4=24⋅x4=16x4

The rule for the power of a power and the power of a product can be combined into the following rule:

(xa⋅yb)z=xa⋅z⋅yb⋅z

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