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Teacher Guide: Exponent Rules & Polynomials
2010Nick Hershman
1 “Manipulating Powers”
Key VocabExpression
base
exponent
is a power.
Example:
4
3
= 4
·
4
·
4label base, exponent, and 4 as a factor 3 times.
1.1 Positive Exponents
Prod of Powers: (Add exponents)
Example:
a
m
·
a
n
=
a
m
+
n
Power of Powers: (Multiply exponents)
Example:
(
a
m
·
b
n
)
y
=
a
my
·
b
ny
Example:
(
−
4
mb
3
)
2
= (
−
4)
2
m
2
b
6
= 16
m
2
b
6
Introduce Division: ”Quotient of Powers”
Example:
a
8
a
3
=
a
5
Example:
4
a
9
b
6
6
a
3
b
=46
·
a
9
a
3
·
b
6
b
=2
a
6
b
5
3”Power of a Quotient” ...
Example:
37
3
=37
·
37
·
37=3
3
7
3
Example:
3
x
3
y
5
5
xy
3
2
Question:
What Property does this example remindyou of?
“distribute exponent to all bases”Check in: Confident with these ideas? Zero Powers and Negative Exponents
1.2 Negative Exponents
Zero Exponents
Example:
a
4
a
4
=
a
0
...that’s just our Quotient of Powers RuleEvaluate the truth of the following assertions:1. if
a
= 0 then
a
0
= 02. if
a
= 0 then
a
0
does not exist
→
Assertion:
If
a
= 0, then
a
0
= 1. Note 0
0
does not compute/exist
Example:
(
−
4
.
8)
0
= 1Negative Exponents
Example:
2
−
3
=12
3
and12
−
3
= 2
3
. “
x
y
is the reciprocal of
x
−
y
Example:
2
−
4
=12
4
=116, likewise15
−
2
= 5
2
Example:
4
x
5
y
8
8
x
−
3
y
9
=
48
x
5
x
−
3
y
8
y
9
=
12
x
5
x
3
1
y
=
x
8
2
y
Example:
25
x
−
3
y
−
10
75
x
−
12
y
−
4
−
3
General strategy: Order of Operations. First simplify within grouping symbols,then apply exponents. Note, we will not simplify powers larger than about 1000 by hand, expressing theseterms as powers is perfectly fine.
25
x
−
3
y
−
10
75
x
−
12
y
−
4
−
3
=
x
9
3
y
6
−
3
(1)=
x
−
27
3
−
3
y
−
18
(2)=3
3
y
18
x
27
(3)
2 Scientific Notation
Definition & Overview
Scientific Notation:
a
×
10
n
where 1
≤
a <
10 and
n
is an integerConvert From Scientific Notation to Standard Form
Example:
Mr. H is 6
.
8
×
10
1
inches tall. 6
.
8
×
10
1
= 6
.
8
×
10 = 68. So I’m 68 inches tall.
Example:
An ant might be about 3
.
1
×
10
−
2
inches tall. 3
.
1
×
10
−
2
= 3
.
1
×
110
2
= 3
.
1
×
.
01 =
.
031. Anant is .031 inches tall.
Question:
How many times larger than an Ant is Mr. H?
Answer:
6
.
8
×
10
1
3
.
1
×
10
−
2
=6
.
83
.
1
·
10
1
10
−
2
≈
2
.
19354
×
10
3
≈
2
,
193
.
54 times larger
Tip:
Notice the relationship between the exponent (
n
) and the number of places the decimal point movesConvert From Standard Form to Scientific Notation
Example:
348
.
38 = 3
.
4838
×
10
2
Example:
.
0000435 = 4
.
35
×
10
−
5
Question:
How do did I decide on the value of the exponent?
Working backwards with the decimal place rule we defined above / noticing that the original answer was tiny or huge / other reasons?
×
and
÷
with Scientific Notation
Example:
2
.
25
×
10
4
4
×
10
5
2
.
25
×
10
4
4
×
10
5
= (2
.
25
×
4)
10
4
×
10
5
= 9
×
10
9
Example:
3
.
5
×
10
−
4
1
.
75
×
10
−
12
3
.
5
×
10
−
4
1
.
75
×
10
−
12
=
3
.
51
.
75
10
−
4
10
−
12
= 2
×
10
8
ShortcutsNotice:Place Power of 10ones 10
0
tens 10
1
hundreds 10
2
thousands 10
3
ten-thousands 10
4
hundred-thousands 10
5
... ...
Example:
4
.
85 billion = 4
.
85
×
10
9
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