POWERS

an = a.a.a.a.a…..a (repeat the same factor n-times) a – base; n – exponent

Properties of exponents:

1. product of powers property am . an = am+n

2. power of a power property (am)n = am.n

3. power of a product property (ab)m = am . bm

𝑎𝑚
4. quotient of powers property am : an = = am-n a≠0
𝑎𝑛

5. zero power property a0 = 1 a≠0

1
6. negative power property a-n = a≠0
𝑎𝑛

𝑎 𝑛 𝑎𝑛
7. power of a quotient property ( ) = b≠0
𝑏 𝑏𝑛
ROOTS, RADICALS

𝑛
√𝑎 = a1/n n – index, a = radicand
𝑛
√𝑎𝑚 = am/n

radical notation: 𝑛√𝑎 ; 𝑛√𝑎𝑚

rational exponent notation: a1/n ; am/n

Properties of exponents Properties of radicals Calculations

𝑛 𝑛 𝑛
POWER OF A PRODUCT (a.b)n = an . bn √𝑎. 𝑏 = √𝑎 . √𝑏 (a.b)1/n = a1/n . b1/n
𝑛
𝑛 𝑎 √𝑎
𝑎 𝑛 𝑎𝑛 √𝑏 = 𝑛√𝑏 𝑎 1/𝑛 𝑎 1/𝑛
POWER OF A QUOTIENT (𝑏 ) = 𝑏𝑛 (𝑏 ) = 𝑏1/𝑛

𝑚 𝑛 𝑛
POWER OF A POWER (am)n = amn √ √𝑎 = 𝑚𝑛 𝑚
√ 𝑎 = √ √𝑎 (a1/n)1/m = a1/n . 1/m = a1/mn = a1/m . 1/n = (a1/m)1/n

𝑚 𝑚
( 𝑛√𝑎) = 𝑛√𝑎𝑚 (𝑎1/𝑛 ) = am.1/n = am/n

𝑛 𝑚𝑛
√𝑎 = √𝑎𝑚 a1/n = am/mn

𝑚 𝑛 𝑚𝑛
PRODUCT OF POWERS am . an = am+n √𝑎 . √𝑎 = √𝑎𝑚+𝑛 a1/m . a1/n = a1/m + 1/n = a(m+n)/mn

𝑚
𝑎𝑚 √𝑎 𝑚𝑛
QUOTIENT OF POWERS = am-n 𝑛 = √𝑎𝑛−𝑚 a1/m : a1/n = a1/m - 1/n = a(n-m)/mn
𝑎𝑛 √𝑎

zero root: 0√𝑎 = b 𝑛 0

√𝑎 = b if bn = a then „b“ is n-th root of „a“ can we find b for which b0 = a? no, √𝑎 doesn’t exist

first root: 1√𝑎 = a

2
a (a to the power of 1) √𝑎 (square root; √𝑎)
𝑛 𝑛
√0 = 0 √1 = 1