Mathematics 334 Designed by Peter Nield Notes by Katherine Daignault

Westwood High School Grade 9 Student

EXPONENTS
a m “a” multiplied by itself “m” times.
35 = 3 × 3 × 3 × 3 × 3

a m = x where a = base, m = exponent, x = power.

Powers you should know:

20 = 1 30 = 1 40 = 1 50 = 1 60 = 1
21 = 2 31 = 3 41 = 4 51 = 5 61 = 6
22 = 4 32 = 9 4 2 = 16 5 2 = 25 6 2 = 36
23 = 8 33 = 27 4 3 = 64 5 3 = 125 6 3 = 216
2 4 = 16 3 4 = 81
2 5 = 32
2 6 = 64
70 = 1 80 = 1 90 = 1 10 0 = 1
71 = 7 81 = 8 91 = 9 101 = 10
7 2 = 49 8 2 = 64 9 2 = 81 10 2 = 100
10 3 = 1000

Negative Exponents:
1
a −m =
am
* To change the sign of an exponent, switch the base to the other side of the fraction.
15 −3 1
15 −3 = = 3
1 15
* It’s proper to always write powers with positive exponent.

EX:
3 x 2 y −4
3x 2 1
= × 4
1 y
3x 2
= 4
y

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Mathematics 334 Designed by Peter Nield Notes by Katherine Daignault
Westwood High School Grade 9 Student

EX:
2a −3 b 2 c −4
2 b2 1
= × ×
a3 1 c4
2b 2
= 3 4
a c

EX:
6 x 2 y −5
z −2
6x 2 z 2
=
y5

Exponent Laws

Multiplication Law: a m × a n = a m + n
If 2 powers with identical bases are being multiplied, add the exponents.

EX. 1: x 2 × x 8 = x 11
EX. 2: 2m 2 × 4m 3 = 8m 5

am
Division Law: n
= a m−n
a
If 2 powers with identical bases are being divided, subtract the exponents.

x5
EX. 1: 3
= x2
x
3x 8 3x 6
EX. 2: =
4x 2 4
3
x 1
EX. 3: 5 = x − 2 = 2
x x

Product Law: (am ) = a n × m n

n

If you have an exponent outside of a bracket, it applies to everything in the bracket.

EX:
(3xy )2
= 32 x 2 y 2
= 9x 2 y 2

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Mathematics 334 Designed by Peter Nield Notes by Katherine Daignault
Westwood High School Grade 9 Student

n
⎛a⎞
n
a
Quotient Law: ⎜ ⎟ = n
⎝m⎠ m
If you have an exponent outside of a bracket, it applies to everything in the bracket.
(Same as Product Law).

Power of a Power Law: (a m ) = a m×n

n

Multiply exponents.

EX. 1: (x 3 ) = x12
4

EX. 2: (2a 3b 2 ) = 8a 9 b 6
3

EX. 3:
−1
⎛ 2x 2 y 3 ⎞
⎜⎜ 2 ⎟
⎟
⎝ 4 xy ⎠
−1
⎛ xy ⎞
=⎜ ⎟
⎝ 2⎠
x −1 y −1
=
2 −1
2
=
xy
EX. 4:
2
⎛ 6a −3 b 2 c 5 ⎞
⎜⎜ 2 4 −3 ⎟⎟
⎝ 2a b c ⎠
(
= 3a −5 b −2 c 8 )
2

= 3 2 a −10 b −4 c16
9c 16
a 10 b 4

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