Activity one

Monday, October 08, 2012 9:56 AM

A base is any whole number with an exponent. A power is the amount of times the number will multiply itself to get the answer. An exponent tells you how many times to do repeated multiplication; which is what exponents are shortcuts to. You could use geometry to describe squaring/cubing an number by using the given way to calculate the area of the surface. Base 2 Exponent Meaning 4 3 2 2 2 1 2 0 2 -1 2 -2 2 -3 2 -4 2
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16.

Value

2x2x2x2 2x2x2

16 8

2x2

-2

-2

2x-2

-4

2x-2x-2

2x-2x-2x-2 -16

What do you get when you add x by x? 2x What do you get when you subtract x by x? 0 What do you get when you multiply x by x? 2x What do you get when you divide x by x? 0 What do you get when you multiply x by x by x? 3x What about x by x by x by x by x? 5x What do you get when you multiply x^2 by x? 3x What about x^2 by x^3? 6x What about x^4 by x^6? 24x Come up with a rule that explains what happens when you multiply same bases. They become the number of x's you have. What do you get when you divide x by x? 0 What do you get when you multiply x^2 by x? x What about x^4 by x^2? x What do you get when you divide x^5 by x^3? 2x What about x^6 by x? 5x Come up with a rule that explains what happens when you divide same bases. You subtract what you are

Introduction to Exponents Page 1

16. Come up with a rule that explains what happens when you divide same bases. You subtract what you are dividing. 17. What do you get when you square x^3? 6x 18. What do you get when you square x^4? 8x 19. What do you get when you cube x^2? 8x 20. What do you get when you raise x^3 to the fourth power? 54x 21. What do you get when you raise x^2 to the fifth power? 80x 22. Come up with a rule that explains what happens when you raise a base with an exponent by an exponent. Same as normal exponents but with x.

Introduction to Exponents Page 2