LESSON

ZERO AND NEGATIVE EXPONENTS

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Let’s Learn
Throughout your journey in studying as a student, you probably have
heard of the word the power of, raise to the nth(n represents the number)
power, the degree. Well, you may had already guessed today’s lesson just from
the title and these words—yes, that’s right! Our lesson is all about exponents.

Before we fully dive into the real topic, let’s have a recap on what is an
exponent. An exponent is the number of how many times you multiplied a
number by itself.
2
x =x ∙ x

But the question is: what happens if the number have 1 as an exponent? What
about 0? And what if the exponent is a negative integer? The answer is simple:
a number, with 1 as an exponent is just written as it is, but the case is different
when a number have 0 as its exponent. Any number that is raise to the power
of 0, the answer will always be 1.
1 0
x =x x =1

Now, what if the exponent is a negative integer? We’ll answer that question in
a moment. For now, I will introduce to you, new subjects that is most likely,
the first time or second time you have encountered throughout the years of
schooling—the Laws of Exponent, the Zero Exponent Rule, and the Negative
Exponent Rule.
Let us start with the Laws of Exponent. There are three laws of exponents,
namely: Product Rule, Quotient Rule, and Power Rule.

Product Rule: The Product Rule states that when multiplying two numbers
with the same base, you just simply add its exponents.
m n m+ n
y ∙ y =y

Example:
(Note: The 1 is from the multiplicand, x
x∙ x
2
x ∙ x =x
2 1+2
=x
3 since it is stated earlier that you don’t
have to write it as x 1 )

Quotient Rule: The Quotient Rule says that to divide numbers of the same
base, just subtract the exponents.
m
z m −n
n
=z
z

Example:
5
x 5−4 1
4 x =x x
x

Power Rule: This say that when a power is raised to a power, you will just
multiply the powers/exponents then keep the base.
n
( a m ) =am ∙n =amn

Example:
3
( x2 ) 2 ∙3
x =x
6
Now that we’ve grasped the concept of the Laws Of Exponents, let us now
focus to our main topic: Zero Exponent Rule and Negative Exponent Rule.

Zero Exponent Rule: It’s already been stated earlier, but, the Zero Exponent
Rule states that any number/variable that have the power of 0, that is raise to
0, and is in 0 degree, the answer will always be 1.
0
b =1

Example:
2
x 2−2 0
2 x =x =1
x

Negative Exponent Rule: This rule says that when an exponent, power, or
degree, is a negative integer, the base containing that exponent, must always
be put on the denominator, or vice versa.
−1 1
c =
c

1 d
= =d
d
−1
1

Example:

−1 1
( x5 ) x
5 ∙−1
=x
−5
5
x

1 3
−3 y
y

Try This!
Abide By The Law!
Directions: Using what you had learned from today’s lesson, solve the
following expression. Do it on a separate sheet of paper.
1. 4 −2
6. 12 x 2
y
−3

()
−2
2
2.
5 7. y −2
/x
4

−3
6
3. 6
−4 8. ( 7 a −1
b)
2 −1

9. ( )
−1
1
4. 16 0
y
2

5. 17 a 0
10. ( 4 a −2
b)
−1
Try Harder!
Law Was In Her Side!
Directions: Using what you had learned from today’s lesson, solve the
following expression. Your answer must contain only positive exponents. Do it
on a separate sheet of paper.

6. ( )
−7 −4 0
6x y a
1. 9y
−5
b

2. (−2 x 9 y 0 z−6 )
4
7. 4 c d ∙ 3 c
4 5 −5
d
−4

( xy )−3
3. 2 x−6
8. 2 g h 4 −3 −1 3
∙2g h

−8 7
8a bc
4. 4 −3 7
4a b c
9. ( e −1
+f )
−1 −1
f
−1
( 8 r−3 s )
5. −6 x −1
y
3
10. 2r s
2 −1
Challenge Yourself!
I’m The Law!
Directions: Using what you had learned from today’s lesson, solve the
following problems. Your answer must contain only positive exponents. Do it
on a separate sheet of paper.

2 ( x−3 )−4 ( 2 x−6 )3

1. 4 ( x−1 )
−1

()
−4
4 −1
∙ ( a +b )
−1 −1
2.
3
1
3. ( 8 q−3 r 6 s 9 ) 3 ∙ 4 ( q3 r −2 s 3 )−1

( )
4 −3 2 −3
t u v
4. −2 −3 5
t u v
2
( 3 √5 x 3 y )
5. 1
−1
5 0
x y
3
Have Fun
Exponential Maze Explorer
Directions: A time traveler got stuck in the year 1986 while trying to save
himself from an explosion. He is now finding his way out of this bizarre maze
to his original timeline, but there are portals in which he will open by
evaluating each codes with the given exponential expressions. The right
answers will lead the time traveler to his desired year, safely!

3
4

−1
( 5 y−2 )
Test Yourself!
Summative Test
Directions: To really determine your knowledge of the lesson, answer the
following items below. Answer it on a separate sheet of paper.

1. According to Product Rule, when we multiply the same base, we _______ the
exponents.

A. Multiply
B. Add
C. Divide
D. Subtract

2. Power Law states: Keep the base the same, and _______ the exponents.

A. Multiply
B. Add
C. Subtract
D. Divide

3. Negative Exponent Rule: you must change the exponent to a positive integer
by doing what?

A. Just change it to positive

B. Move it to the denominator
C. Move it to the numerator
D. Both B, and C

4. Simplify: (−4 r 5 ) ( 2 r 8 )

A. −8 r 13
B. −6 r 13
C. −2 r 13
 D. −4 r 13

5. Solve: ( x−3 )
2

A. x
6

1
B. x
5

1
C. x
6

D. x 5
3
m
6. Simplify using only POSITIVE exponents: m5

A. m−2
B. m2
1
C. m
2

−1
D. m2

( )
−2 0
x
7. Simplify using only POSITIVE exponent: 5
x

A. x 7
B. 0
1
C. x
7

D. 1

( )
7 2 −1
x y z
8. Simplify using only POSITIVE exponent: 3 −1 2
x y z
1
z
A. 4 3
x y
−4 −3
x y
B. −1
z
z
C. 4 3
x y
 4 3
x y
D.
z

9. Simplify using only POSTIVE exponent: ( y −1) ∙ ( y 4 )

−2 −1

1
A. 2
y
B. y −2
1
C. 5
y
D. y −5

10. Zero Exponent Rule states that if a number have 0 as its exponent, the
answer will _______ _____ _____.

A. Always be 0
B. Sometimes be 1
C. Always be 1
D. Sometimes be 0
Key To Correction
Try This!
2
1 12 x
1. 16 6. y
3

25 1
2. 4 7. x 4
y
2

a
3. 6 8. 7b
2

4. 1 9. y
2

2
a
5.17 10. 4b

Try This!
2y
1. 3x
2 6. 1
36
16 x 12d
2. z
24 7. c

3
x
3. 2y
3 8. 4 g 3

4
2b ef
4. a
12 9. f +e

3
r
5. −6x y 10. 16
Challenge Yourself!
1.
2 x−2
x−3 2. 25681b+256
ab
a
4 9

3. 4.
8r v
4 18
q t

5.5 x y 2

Summative Test
1. B 6. C
2. A 7. D
3. D 8. C
4. A 9. A

5. B 10. C
Have Fun!