Exponents

Exponent
● A small number written on the upper right of another number (base).
Example: What is the exponent in this expression: m3?
Ans: 3
● The exponent tells how many times the base should be used in multiplication.
Example: Which of these is equal to b3?
a) b x b b) b x b x b c) b x b x b x b
Ans: B
● Whole numbers with exponents have an exact value.
Example: What is 25?
Ans: 25 = 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 = 32

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Computing Negative Numbers with Exponents

To evaluate an expression in the form -am, rewrite it as -1 x am then perform

PEMDAS

m m
-a = -1 x a
Example: What is the value of -92
Ans: -92 = -1 x 92 = -1 x (9 x 9) = -81
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Computing Negative Numbers with Exponents

To evaluate an expression in the form (-a)m, multiply -a to itself m times

(-a)m = (-a) x (-a) x (-a) … m times

Example: What is the value of (-9)2?

Ans: -9 x -9 = 81
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Variable Raised to an Exponent

● The exponent on the variable indicates the number of times the variable must be
multiplied by itself.
Example: k2 = k ● k
● The expression cxm where c is a constant implies that the exponent m only applies
to the variable x and the constant is not included as base.
Example: Which of the following is equivalent to 9x2?
a) 9x ● 9x b) 9(x ● x) c) 9 ● 9 ● x ● x

Ans: B

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Variable With No “Written” Exponent

If a variable or quantity has no written exponent on its upper right, it
implies that its exponent is 1.

Example:
x can be written as x1, 2 can be written as 21, b can be written as b1

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Laws of Exponents
The Laws of Exponents are used to simplify or compute exponential expressions. There are seven
laws of exponents that have their own properties that are applicable for particular cases:

- Product Rule: used to multiply exponential expressions with same base

- Quotient Rule: used to divide exponential expressions with same base
- Power Rule: used to simplify an exponential expression raised to another exponent
- Power of a Product Rule: used to simplify the product of expressions raised to an exponent
- Power of a Quotient Rule: used to simplify the quotient of expressions raised to an exponent
- Zero-Exponent Rule: used to simplify expressions raised to the power of 0.
- Negative Exponent Rule: used to write expressions into an equivalent expression with
positive exponents only.

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Product Rule
When multiplying exponential expressions with the same base, copy the base then
add the exponents.
am ● an = a m + n
Examples:
32 ● 33 = 35 = 243
(y2)(y) = y2 + 1 = y3
(x2)(x3)(x) = x2 + 3 + 1 = x6
(x - 2)3(x - 2) = (x - 2)3 + 1 = (x - 2)4
5x2 (x3) = 5x2 + 3 = 5x5

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Quotient Rule
When dividing exponential expressions with the same base, copy the base then
subtract the exponents

Examples:

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Power Rule
If a quantity is raised to an exponent and then all are raised to another
exponent, then the exponents can be combined by multiplying them

(am)n = am x n

Examples:
(23)2 = (23 x 2) = 26 = 64
(y2)3 = y2 x 3 = y6

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Power of a Product Rule

If an expression has more than one quantity multiplied together and raised to a
certain power, the exponent can be “distributed” to the factors

(ab)m = ambm
Examples:
(xyz)2 = x2y2z2
(a3b2)2 = (a3)2(b2)2 = a3 x 2b2 x 2 = a6b4
(2y)2 = 22y2 = 4y2

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Power of a Product Rule

Note for this rule: This rule only applies if the numbers inside the parenthesis
are multiplied, not added or subtraction.

(a+b)m ≠ am + bm
Example:
Is it true that (x + y)2 = x2 + y2
Ans: No, (x + y)2 = (x + y)(x + y) = x2 + 2xy + y2

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Power of a Quotient Rule

If an expression has more than one quantity divided together and raised to a certain power,
the exponent can be “distributed” to the dividend and the divisor.

Example:

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Zero-Exponent Rule
● Any nonzero quantity raised to 0 is equal to 1
Examples:
30 = 1 (a - 2)0 = 1
a0 = 1 (xyz)0 = 1

● Note: If not all quantities are raised to 0, then only the base that has an
exponent of zero becomes 1
Examples:
a0 + 1 = 1 + 1 = 2
x0yz = 1yz = yz

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Negative Exponent Rule
● If a base is raised to a negative number, the base can be put to the denominator to turn its
exponent into a positive one.
a-m = 1/am

Example: 2-1 = 1/21 = ½, x-1 = 1/x1 = 1/x, b-2 = 1/b2, ab-2= a/b2

● If the base is raised to a negative number and is located in the denominator, put it to the
numerator and change the sign of the exponent to positive.
1/a-m = am

Example: 1/9-2 = 92 = 81, 1/y-3 = y-3 , 2/y-2 = 2y2

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Powers of 10

To evaluate ten raised to a whole number exponent, add zeroes at

the right of number 1. The number of zeroes should be equivalent
to the exponent used.

Example: 103 = 1000

105 = 100,000

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Powers of 1

If 1 is raised to any real number, then the result is always 1

1m = 1

Example: Evaluate 120000 - 1/10000

Ans: 1

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Exponential Equation

If am = an, then it means that m = n

Example: Find x so that 2x-1 = 23

Solution: 2x-1 = 23
x-1=3
x=4

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Comparing Exponential Expressions

If a is a negative number or has a value less than 0 (a < 0), then:
- Raising it to an even number gives a larger number
- Raising it to an odd number gives a smaller number

Example:
Consider -32. If we raise it to 2 (an even number), the result will be larger than
the original number (i.e. (-32)2 > -32). But if we raise it to 3 (an odd number),
the result will be smaller than the original number (i.e. (-32)3 < -32)

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Comparing Exponential Expressions

Raising a number between 0 and 1 to a power greater than 1 gives

a smaller number
- am < a, where m is whole
Example:
If we raise ½ to 2, then we have (½)2 = ¼ which is a smaller
number .

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Scientific Notation
● An extremely large/small number can be expressed using the
scientific notation
Format: a x 10b where b is an integer and a is a nonzero real
number (usually between 1 and 10 in absolute value, and usually
written as a terminating decimal).
Example: 1,200,000 can be written as 1.2 x 106
Example: 0.000058 can be written as 5.8 x 10-5

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Scientific Notation
● To write a number in scientific notation:
1. Move the decimal point to the left or to the right to get a real number that is within 1 to 10.
Example: if you have 0.032, you can move the decimal point two times to the right to
turn it into 3.2. Now you have a number (which is 3.2) that is within 1 to 10.
Example: if you have 5020, you can move the decimal point three times to the left to
turn it into 5.020. Now you have a real number (which is 5.02) that is within 1 to 10.
2. Count the number of times you move the decimal point. This will be the exponent of 10
(positive if the movement is to the left, negative if the movement is to the right)
In the previous example, we move two decimal places to the right of 0.032 to get 3.2.
Since we move two decimal places to the right, then the exponent of 10 must be -2
(sign is negative because the movement is to the right).
Therefore, 0.032 is equal to 3.2 x 10-2

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Scientific Notation Sample #1 Scientific Notation Sample #2
Write 0.089998 in scientific notation. Write 0.00057 in scientific notation.
Sol: Sol:
We can express 0.089998 as 8.9998 We can express 0.00057 as 5.7 by
by moving two decimal places to the moving four decimal places to the right.
right.
Thus, the answer is 5.7x 10-4
Thus, the answer is 8.9998 x 10-2

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