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2 D Learning Packets

MATHEMATICS – Grade 9
Topics: Zero Exponents, Negative Integral Exponents, Rational Exponents and Radicals

Specific Objectives:
The learners should be able to:
1. Finds square roots and nth roots of numbers.
2. Applies the laws involving positive integral exponents to zero and negative integral exponents.
3. Illustrates expressions with rational exponents.

Specific Day Activity

Day 1 Zero, Negative and Radical Exponents, assessing knowledge of laws of
exponents.
Day 2 Zero, Negative and Radical Exponents, derive laws of radicals using
specified activities.
Day 3 Zero, Negative and Radical Exponents, application activities
Day 4 Zero, Negative and radical exponents, real-life problems involving
radicals solved.
Day 5 Zero, Negative and Radical exponents, Create features/write ups and
design/proposal that demonstrate students’ understanding of rational
exponents and radicals.

Activate – Day 1
 Activity 1: Remember Me this Way!
A. Simplify the following expressions.
10 m6
1. b5 * b3 4.
2 m 10
3
r2
( )
2. 4
s
5. (m3)5

3. (-2)3

B. Solve the given problem then answer the questions that follow.
The speed of the light is approximately 3 x 104 meters per second. If it takes 5 x 102 seconds for
light to travel from the sun to the earth, what is the distance between the sun and the earth?

Questions:
1. How did you solve the given problem?
2. What concepts have you applied?
3. How did you apply your knowledge of the laws of integral exponents in answering the
given problem?

 Activity 2: Play with the Negative!

Analyze the problem below then answer the questions that follow.
A grain of rice has a volume of 20-9m3. A box full of rice has a volume of 20-3m3. How
many grains of rice are there in the box?

Questions:
1. What have you noticed from the values given in the problem?
2. What have you observed from the exponents?
3. What have you done to simplify these values?
4. How did you solve the problem?
5. Have you applied any law? Why?
 The previous activity introduced to you a real-life application of a negative exponent. Were
you able to answer it correctly? Recall what you learned in Grade 7. If a is real number , a ≠ 0,
am m−n
then n =a , if m > n.
a
Acquire – Day 2 and Day 3
 Activity 3: You Complete Me!

Fill in the missing parts of the solution in simplifying the given expression. Assume that a ≠ 0 and
h ≠ 0, then answer the process questions below.
h3
1. 3 h? −? h? 1
h
a?
2. ? a 4−4 a0 1
a

Questions:

1. What did you observe about the exponents?

2. How were the problems solved?
3. What can you conclude from the process of solving problems?

Positive Integral Exponents 32 = 9 24 = 16

1 1
Negative Integral Exponents 3-2 = 2-4 =
9 16

Zero Exponents 30 = 1 20 = 1

Look at the expressions below,

2
a1 /4
41/2 ( x 1/ 2 ) ( y 3 /2 ) ( y 4 / 3 ) ( )b 2/3

Questions:
1. What can you observe about the exponents of the given expressions?
2. How do you think these exponents are defined?
3. Do you think you can still apply your understanding of the laws of exponents to
simplifying the given example? Why?

The expressions above are expressions with rational exponents.

a
Review: Rational numbers are real numbers that can be written in the form , where a
b
and b are integers and b ≠ 0. Hence, they can be whole numbers, fractions, mixed
numbers and decimals, together with their negative images.

Note: For remediation, watch the link below.

(https://www.khanacademy.org/math/pre-algebra/exponents-radicals/negative-exponents-
tutorial/v/negative-exponents)
  Activity 4: A New Kind of Exponent

251/2 641/3 (-8)1/2 (-1)1/2

Even though non integral exponents have not been defined, we want the laws for integer
exponents to also hold for expression of the form b1/n. In particular we want (b1/n)n = b to hold,
even the exponent of b is not an integer. How should b1/n be defined so that this equation holds?
To find out, fill up the following table. One row is filled up as an example.
Column A Column B Column C
Value(s) of b1/n that satisfy
(b1/n) (b1/n)n the equation in column B
1/2 2
25 (251/2) 5 and -5
641/3
(-8)1/2
(-1)1/2

The values in Column C represent the possible definitions of b1/n such that rules for
integer exponents may still hold. Now we will develop the formal definition for b1/n.

Questions:
1. When is there a unique possible value of b1/n in Column C/
2. When are there no possible values of b1/n in Column C?
3. When are there two possible values of b1/n in Column C?
4. If there are two possible values of b1/n in Column C, what can you observe about these
two values?

If b1/n will be defined, it has to be a unique value. If there are two possible values, we will
define b1/n to be the positive value.

Recall from Grade 7 that if n is a positive integer, then √n b is the principal nth root of b. We
define b1/n = √n b , for positive integer n.

For example,
1. 251/2 = √ 25 = 5, not -5.
2. (-8)1/3 = √3 −8 = -2.
3. (-81)1/4 = √4 −81 is not defined.

Application - Day 4

A. Rewrite the expressions without zero or negative exponents.

4 5 6 0 ab−2
1. (x y z ) 2. −3
cd

3 x0 y4
3. 4. (2xy)-2 (3x2y)0
y0

−3
3−1 a−2 b2 m3 q 0
5. −1 − 4
2 a b
6.
n2( )
x−1 y −1 4 x0 y2
7. −2 −2 8.
x y b−2
 0
8 xyz
0 -2 3
9. (3x) y z 10. ( )
7 y2

B. Simplify each expression using positive exponents only.

ab−4 pq−2 r 3
1. −3 3 2. −4 5 −5
a b p q r

x−1 y 2 2−1 a−1

3. 4.
x3 y−4 5 a2 b−1

2a−4
5. −1 −3
3 ab

Assessment – Day 5

 Write about Me!

A math magazine is looking for a new and original articles for its edition on the topic Zero, Negative
and Rational Exponents around Us. As a freelance researcher /writer you will join the said competition
by submitting your own article/feature.

 3 – 2 – 1 Chart
Fill in the chart below.

3 things I learned

2 things that interest me

 1 application of what I learned

What among the specific attitudes and values you acquired for this week?
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References for Learner’s Activities:

Negative Exponents. Algebra-lassroom.com
http://www.algebra-class.com/negative-exponents.html
Rational Exponents
http://braingenie.ck12.org/skills/106294

Prepared by:
Rodel B. Pajatin
Subject Teacher