Student Activity

Match Up on Trickier Exponent Rules

Match-up: Match each of the

expressions in the squares of the
grid below with an equivalent
simplified expression from the top.
If an equivalent expression is not
found among the choices A
through D, then choose E (none
of these).

4
A 1 B
x2
−9x 4
C 9 x2 y3 D
y3
E None of these Mark my words! You harness that negative power of yours,
and you can make it to the top just like me!

( 4x ) ( 4x ) 4x −2 ( 2x )
−2 −2
Row 1 −2 0 4x 0
(2x)^-
2=1/(2x)^2=1/4
(4x^02) (4x)^2=1/(4x)^2=
(4x)^- 4x^2=4x1=4 x^2 otpion E
^0=1 1/16x^2
2=1/(4x)^2=1/16x^2 option E
option E
option E is true
A
( −3xy ) 3−2 y −3 ( )
−2 2 2 0
Row 2 ⎛x⎞ − 3x 2 y ⎛ 100x 27 y 35 ⎞
⎜ ⎟ x −4 ⎜ ⎟
⎝2⎠ y −1 y5 ⎝ ab
4 5
⎠
(x/2)^- (-3xy)^2/y^- 3^-2y^-3/x^-4=x^4/9y^3
1=9x^2y^2/y^- -(3x^2y)^2/y^5=- (100x627y^35/2^
2=(2/x)^2 option E is true 9x^4/y^3option 4b^5)^0=1 option
=4/x^2 1=9x^2y^3 option
c is true D is true A is true
option b
is true

( 9x y ) ( 2 yz ) ( xyz )
−2 2 −2
Row 3 ⎛x⎞
2 2 3 0
⎛ y ⎞ ⎛ 3xab ⎞
4
⎛ y2 ⎞
⎜ − 4 4 ⎟⎜
7
⎜ ⎟ ⎟ y ⎜ ⎟ (2yz)^2(xyz)^-
⎝2⎠ (9x^2y^3)^0= 1 ⎝ a b ⎠⎝ y ⎠ ⎝ 3x ⎠
(-y/2^4b^4)(3x2b/y)^4= (- y^4(y^2/3x)^- 2=4y^2z^2/x^2y^
(x/2)^2=x^2 option A is true
y/2^46^4)(81x^42^46^4/y 2=y^7(9x^2/y^4)= 2z^2 option B is
/4 option E
is true ^4)=-81x^4/y^3 option E 9x^2y^3 option C true
is true is true

( )( ) ( 2x )
−1
Row 4 ⎛ 1 ⎞
0
⎛ x −2 ⎞ 3 x 2 y 2 3x 2 y 2 −1 2
z
2
−12 x 4 ⎛ 5 ⎞
4⎜ 2 ⎟ 8x2 ⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟
⎝x ⎠ ⎝ 8 ⎠ 5 ⎝ −12 x 4 ⎠
4(1/x)^0=4x
(x^2y^2)(3x^2y^2)^-1= z4
8x^2(x^2/8)=8x^2( 3x^2y^2/3x^2y^2=1 -12x^4/5(5/-
1=4 option (2x^-
1/8x^2)=1 option option A is true 12x^4)=1 option
E is true 1z^2)^2/z4=4z^4
A is true A is true
/x^2z^4=4/x^2
option B is true

Algebra Activities Instructor's Resource Binder, M. Andersen, Copyright 2011, Cengage Learning