UNIT 1

1.1 The Laws of Exponents

Use this after course Unit 1, Lesson 3.

Vocabulary:
base – a number used as a factor multiplying times itself

exponent – a number used to tell how many times a base is used as a factor

superscript – a number or letter written above a term

Recall that exponents represent repeated multiplication. The base of the exponent is the factor
being multiplied. The exponent is the superscript stating how many times the base is multiplied
by itself. Another word that is used for an exponent is power. Many times power refers to the
base with its exponent. Regardless of the context, power and exponent will both be used to
represent the same concepts.
When using exponents in expressions and equations, there are laws (or properties) that help
to perform the operations and the simplifying process. The following table shows the three basic
laws of exponents along with examples. Further explanations of each law are continued after
the table.

THE THREE BASIC LAWS OF EXPONENTS

The Product When multiplying powers of the

a 2 i a 3 = a 2+3 = a 5 54 i 52 = 54+2 = 56
Property same base, add the exponents.

The Quotient When dividing powers of the a7 57

= a7−3 = a 4 = 57−3 = 54
Property same base, subtract the powers. a 3
5 3

The Power of a When raising a power to a 3 4 2 3

Power Property power, multiply the powers. (a ) =a
3(4)
= a12 (5 ) = 5 ( ) = 56
23

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The Product Property of Exponents
When multiplying powers of the same base, add the exponents.
The easiest way to see why the product property is true is to expand the exponents
and simplify.

Example 1
Simplify x 2 i x 3 .

x2 i x3 = x2 i x3
= ( x i x) i ( x i x i x) (Expand.)
=x i x i xixix (Drop parenthesses.)
= x 5
(Use definition of exponents.)

Therefore, x i x = x = x .
2 3 2+3 5

Exponents are repeated multiplication. Thus, when powers of the same base are
multiplied, the entire expression becomes the product of all the individual bases and the
definition of exponents can be applied. The product property is a shortcut for expanding
the exponents.

Example 2
Simplify 3 4 i 3 i 3 2.

34 i 3 i 32 = 34 i 3 i 32 (Expand.)
= (3 i 3 i 3 i 3) i (3) i (3 i 3) (Drop parenthesses.)
= 37 (Use definition of exponents.)
= 2,187 (Evaluate the exponent.)

Therefore, 34 i 3 i 32 = 34+1+2 = 37. (Remember 3 = 31.)

Example 3
When the exponents have coefficients, group the like terms and simplify.
Simplify 5 m 2 n i − 6 mn2 .

5m2 n i (−6mn 2 ) =
= (5)(−6) i (m2 )(m) i (n)(n 2 )
= − 30 i (m )
2+1
i (n1+2 )
= − 30 m 3 n 3

2
The Quotient Property of Exponents
When dividing powers with the same base, subtract the exponents.
The quotient property can be verified by expanding the numerator and denominator of the
fraction and then canceling common factors.

Example 1
x7
Simplify 2 .
x
Expand Cancel Simplify
x7 xixixixixixix x i x ixixixixix xixixixix
= = = = x5
x 2
xix x i x 1

x7
Therefore, = x7−2 = x 5 .
x2

Example 2
56
Simplify .
54

56 5 i 5 i 5 i 5 i 5 i 5 5 i 5 i 5 i5 i5 i5 5i5
4
= = = = 52 = 25
5 5i5i5 i5 5 i 5 i 5 i 5 1

56
Therefore, = 56−4 = 52 = 25.
54

Example 3
8z5
Simplify − .
2z4

8 z 5  −8 z 5   −8  z 5 
− =  =    = (−4)( z 5−4 ) = −4 z
2 z 4  2 z 4   2  z 4 

The Power of a Power Property of Exponents

When raising a power to a power, multiply the exponents. Once again, expanding the powers
can help you understand this property visually.

Example 1
5
Simplify (a 2 ) .
Recall that the superscript part of an exponent states the number of times the base is
multiplied by itself. With this example, the expression inside the parentheses is the base.

3
 The parentheses are included with the base, so the base is (a 2 ) and is multiplied by itself
five times:
2 5
(a ) = (a 2 ) i (a 2 ) i (a 2 ) i (a 2 ) i (a 2 )

If the parentheses are now dropped, the expression becomes:

2 5
(a ) = a 2 i a 2 i a 2 i a 2 i a 2 = a 2+2+2+2+2 = a10

Likewise, 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 can be written as 2(5). Therefore:

2 5
(a ) = a 2 i a 2 i a 2 i a 2 i a 2 = a 2+2+2+2+2 = a
2(5)
= a10

Example 2
3
Simplify (2 3 ) .

3 3
(2 ) = (23 ) i (23 ) i (23 ) = 2 ( ) = 29 = 512
33

Example 3
Simplify.
x n xy
A. ( z 2 ) = z B. (2m ) = 2 C. (a 3 ) = a
2( x) m(n) 3( xy)
= z2x = 2mn = a 3 xy

Exponents and Negative Coefficients

When an exponent has a leading negative sign, the simplified result depends on where the
4
negative sign is placed. The expression −24 is not the same as (−2) . The expression −24 can
4 4
be rewritten as −(2) . It can also be rewritten as (−1)(2) .
Thus, if the negative sign is outside the parentheses, or there are no parentheses between the
negative sign and the coefficient, then the negative sign is part of the coefficient and not raised to
the given power.
−24 = (−1) 24 = (−1)(2)(2)(2)(2) = −16

Since the order of operations states that exponents must be evaluated before multiplication
and division, the 2 is raised to the power of 4 first, and then multiplied by the −1.
On the other hand, if the negative sign is inside the parentheses, then the negative sign is part
of the base and is raised to the given power.
4
(−2) = (−2)(−2)(−2)(−2) = 16

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 Example
3
Simplify −3 x 3 i (−4 x ) .
3
− 3 x 3 i (−4 x) =
= −3 i x 3 i (−4 x)(−4 x)(−4 x)
= (−3 i − 4 i − 4 i − 4) i ( x 3 i x i x i x)
= 192 i ( x 3+1+1+1)
= 192 x 6

Simplify. Evaluate if possible. Show your work.

5
1.1.1) b 2 i b 3 i b = __________ 1.1.6) (a 2 ) = ____________________

a8 b 5
1.1.2) = ___________ 1.1.7) (m y ) = ___________________
a3

1.1.3) (7a12b 23 )(72 a10b15 ) = ___________ 1.1.8) −64 = ____________________

26 a10b9 3
1.1.4) = __________________ 1.1.9) (−5) = _________________
22 a 3b 5

3
1.1.5) (42 ) = ___________________