Lesson 8-2

Division Properties of Exponents

Today’s Goals
● Find quotients of
Explore  Quotients of Powers monomials.
● Find powers of
Online Activity Use an interactive tool to complete the Explore. quotients.

 INQUIRY How can you determine the

quotient of two powers am and ap?

Learn  Quotient of Powers

You can use repeated multiplication and the principles for reducing Think About It!
fractions to simplify the quotients of monomials with the same base, What steps would you
28 1012
like __
​ ​  ​​  . First, expand the numerator and the denominator. Then, divide take to simplify ____
​​  9  ​​?
23 10
the common factors.
8 factors Sample answer: Find
2 8
2⋅2⋅2⋅2⋅2⋅2⋅2⋅2 12 − 9, and write the
​​ __
23
 ​​ = _________________
​ ​
     
2 ⋅ 2 ⋅ 2  ​ difference as a power
3 factors with base 10.
=2⋅2⋅2⋅2⋅2

  = 25
5 factors
r5
__ r ⋅ r ⋅ r⋅ r⋅ r
________
​​ 4 ​​ =   ​​  r ⋅ r ⋅ r⋅ r   
​ 
r
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

4 factors

=r

These examples demonstrate the Quotient of Powers Property.

Key Concept • Quotient of Powers

Words To divide two powers with the same base, subtract the
exponents.
For any nonzero number a, and any integers m and
Symbols am
p, ​​ __
ap ​​ = a
m-p.

b12 w6
Examples ___
​​  9 ​​ = b12-9 = b3; __
​​  2 ​​ = w 6−2 = w  4
b w

Go Online You can complete an Extra Example online.

Lesson 8-2 • Division Properties of Exponents 439

THIS MATERIAL IS PROVIDED FOR INDIVIDUAL EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND MAY NOT BE DOWNLOADED OR FURTHER DISTRIBUTED.
 Your Notes Example 1  Quotient of Powers
b5 c 7
Simplify ​​  ____ ​​. Assume that the denominator does not equal zero. ​​​​
2   
Think About It! b c
b5c7
In the expression ____
​​  2   
​​ , Step 1 Group powers with the same base.
b c
2  ​​ = ​​(​  2 ​)​(​  c ​ )​​
why can you not b5c7 __ ​ __ b5 c7
​​ ____
subtract 5 - 7 in the b c b
numerator and 2 - 1 in Step 2 Use the Quotient of Powers Property.
​​(____
​  2 ​ )​​​​(__
the denominator and
​  c  ​)​​ = ( b
b5 c7 5–2
simplify? )(c7–1) Subtract the exponents in each group.
b
3 6
Sample answer: The =b c Simplify.
properties of exponents
only apply when the
Check 
bases are the same. a2b9 cd4
Simplify ______
​​  8    ​. Assume that the denominator does not equal
b cd
zero. D
A. abd3
Think About It! B. a2bcd3
Why must you assume
C. a2bcd4
that the denominator
does not equal 0? D. a2bd3

Sample answer: Because
division by 0 is undefined,
if the denominator equals
0, then there will be no
solution.
Example 2  Apply Division of Monomials
CHEMISTRY At sea level, there are about 1025 molecules in a cubic
liter of air. In the stratosphere, about 30 kilometers above the
Earth’s surface, the same cubic liter of air has about 1023 molecules.
Approximately how many times as many molecules are there in a
cubic liter of air at sea level as there are in the stratosphere?
__ am 1025-23 = 102
​​  ap  ​​ = am-p =

There are about 100 times as many molecules in a cubic liter of

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

air at sea level as there are in the stratosphere.

Check 
SHOPPING Canada’s West Edmonton Mall claims to have the largest
parking lot in the world, with about 39 parking spaces. California’s
Glendale Galleria has about 38 parking spaces.
The West Edmonton Mall has 3 times as many parking spaces
as the Glendale Galleria.

Go Online You can complete an Extra Example online.

440 Module 8 • Exponents and Roots

THIS MATERIAL IS PROVIDED FOR INDIVIDUAL EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND MAY NOT BE DOWNLOADED OR FURTHER DISTRIBUTED.