Exponents Discovery

Monday, October 07, 2013 10:53 AM

Part 1
When dealing with exponents, a base is the large number that is being represented by the exponent for repeated multiplication. The power is the small number that represents how many times you use the base in the repeated multiplication. A power is just a shortcut to having to repeat numbers in multiplication. When you square a number, it like having a 2D shape and when you cube, its like 3D.

Part 2: Negative and Positive Powers Continue working in One Note. Use the information below to fill out the table below. Suppose you are working with a base of 2. In One Note, determine what happens to 2 when you have 2^1, 2^2, 2^3, and 2^4. Show what each one means and what each one equals. Look at the answers for each of these. Copy the table below into One Note.

Base 2

Exponent Meaning 4 3

Value

2x2x2x2 2x2x2

16 8

2 2 2 1 2 0 2 -1 2 -2 2 -3 2 -4 2

2x2

1x1/2

1/2

1/2x1/2

1/4

1/2x1/2x1/2

1/8

1/2x1/2x1/2x1/2 1/16

Introduction to Exponents Page 1

Fill in the powers of 1, 2, 3, and 4 with the information you just found. Copy, paste and answer the questions below into your One Note page. Start with 2 to the first power. As you increase the exponent, what is operation happening to the base? It is being multiplied more times by itself as you go up. Starting with the exponent of 4, as you decrease each exponent, what operation is happening to the base? It is being divided Now, decrease the exponent from 1 to 0 and using the pattern you have discovered, determine the value of 2 to the 0 power and fill in the table. Continue with this pattern to fill out the rest of the table. Double check your table. Does the pattern work from 2^-4 to 2^4 as the exponent increases each time? Does the pattern work from 2^4 to 2^-4 as the exponent decreases each time?

Part 3: Powers of Variables

Use constants to help you think through what happens with variables in the following list of questions.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.

What do you get when you add x by x? 2x What do you get when you subtract x by x? 0 What do you get when you multiply x by x? X^2 What do you get when you divide x by x? 1 What do you get when you multiply x by x by x? X^3 What about x by x by x by x by x? X^5 What do you get when you multiply x^2 by x? X^3 What about when you multiply x^2 by x^3? X^5 What about when you multiply x^4 by x^6? X^10 Come up with a rule that explains what happens when you multiply same bases. When multiplying same bases, you are really just using exponents. What about when you multiply x^4 by x^2? X^6 What do you get when you divide x^5 by x^3? X^0.6 What about when you divide x^6 by x? 6 Come up with a rule that explains what happens when you divide same bases. When dividing same bases you should always get a multiple of the base What do you get when you square x^3? X^6 What do you get when you square x^4? X^8 What do you get when you cube x^2? X^6 What do you get when you raise x^3 to the fourth power? X^7 What do you get when you raise x^2 to the fifth power? X^7 Come up with a rule that explains what happens when you raise a base with an exponent by an exponent. When raising a base with an exponent by an exponent, you add the exponents and leave the base the same (ex. 2^2+2^3=2^5)

Introduction to Exponents Page 2

Introduction to Exponents Page 3