Copyright © Lynda Greene Aguirre 2009 1

Exponential Form is used when you want to

multiply the same number by itself several times.

The “base” is The “power” is

the actual how many bases
will be
number we will
4
multiply
5 multiplied.

Read as: Five to the Fourth power

5 is the base
4 is the power (also called the exponent)
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 Definitions:

5 x 5 x 5 x 5 is called EXPANDED NOTATION

4
5 is called EXPONENTIAL NOTATION

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 For example: 4
5
five to the fourth power

means to perform this multiplication:

5 x 5 x 5 x 5, (multiply four 5’s together).

5 x 5 x 5 x 5 = 625
Answer

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 Using a Calculator to evaluate exponents

Calculators use different buttons, but the most common one

is this one ^ .

3
A problem like
4
(four to the third power)

Means 4 x 4 x 4 = 64

Enter it in the calculator as: 4 ^ 3 = 64

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 Using your calculator, evaluate the following exponents:

12  22  32  42 

52  62  72  82 

9 2 10 2  11 
2
12 
2

132  14 2  15 2 

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 Exponent Expansion
Write in Expanded Form, then evaluate (if possible)

7
 Exponent Rules

Rule:
8
 Exponent Rules: double powers

Notice that you can get the same answer by multiplying the powers

Rule: 9
 Exponent Rules
Expand and evaluate each problem below

Need to put a “1” on the bottom if

You can cancel the same number (top and
bottom)as long as it’s multiplication
all the numbers are wiped out in the
cancelling step
Need to put a “1” on top if all the
numbers are wiped out in the
cancelling step

Notice that you can get to the same answer by subtracting the powers
(top-bottom)

Rule:
10
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 The Exponent, or power, indicates how many bases
should be multiplied. When the power is a zero, that
means that there are no bases.
The “power”
indicates that
0
3
there will be no
3’s
Read as: Three to the zero’th power

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 However, this is not equal to zero, it is defined as:

3 1
0

Definition of a Zero Exponent:

Anything raised to the zero’th power is equal to “1”

It doesn’t matter what is x 1

0
being raised the power of
zero, it will be equal to the (5 x) 0  1
number “1”.
( x  3 y  6) 0  1

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Copyright © Lynda Greene Aguirre 2009 14
 Negative Exponents
Parking Ticket: The
First write the base as a fraction negative power means that
(if it’s not already written that way) the base (the “4” in this
case) is in the wrong place.

Since this is a fraction,

Move the 4’s to the bottom there are only two
and tear up the parking ticket “parking places”,
the top
or the bottom.
(i.e. change the negative power
into a positive power)

Finish the problem

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 Practice Problems

5x 2   7x  
3 0

 42 x  
2 0
2
  
3
2
4

50
63 
4 x 3
1 2

81 x 2  2 y

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