1) Be able to evaluate powers that have zero exponents.

2) Be able to evaluate powers that have negative exponents.

3) Rewrite expressions so that exponents are positive.
4) Apply the multiplication properties of exponents to problems
involving zero exponents and negative exponents.

m n
Product of powers property: a  a  a m n

Power of a power property: a  m n

a m n

Power of a product property:  a  b  a m  b m

m
By applying the product
3 3
0 7
3 7
of powers property to the
following example, we 7
 7
find that:
3 3
0 7 3 1
0
3 3 3
0 7
Zero Property of Exponents

3 7 A nonzero number to the zero

power is 1:
We can then divide
both sides of the
a  1, a  0
0

equation by 37 to
determine the value
of 30
 Evaluate the following expressions.
0
 3
A.  7 0
B. 4 2  4 2 C. 20  5 3 D.  
 8
E. 00

Solutions
A. 1 B. 4  4
2 2
4 0 C. 20  5 3  1  125
1  125

0
D. 1 E. 0 is undefined.
 n
By applying the product a a n
1
of powers property to the
following example, we an  an 1
find that:
n
 n
n n  (  n)
a a
a a
n
a 1
n
a 
a 0
an
1 a -n is the reciprocal
We can then divide both of a : n
sides of the equation by
n 1
an to determine the value a  n
, a0
of a-n a
Evaluate the Rewrite the following
following expressions. expressions using positive
exponents.
2 1
A. 3 B. -3 a -3
4 A. 5x 4 B. -5
Solutions b
4 1
2 1 A. 5x  5
A. 3  x4
32 5
1 
 x4
9 a 3 1
1 B.   b5
B. 3  4 3
b 5 a3
4 b5

 64 a3
 1) Evaluate the following expressions.

 
0
 3 3 4 2 2 1
A. -   B. C. 9 9 7
D. 4 E.  120
 5 2 3
32

2) Rewrite the following expressions with positive

exponents.

A. y 6
B. 7c 4
C.
2s 3
r 2
D. ( 5a ) 3
E. 3x 
1 4
  3
A.      1
 5
0
 
D. 4 2 2
 4 2 2
4
3 4
B.  3 2 3
2 3  256
 3 8
 24
1
E. 2  12  3  1
0 2
C. 9 4  9 7  9 4  7 3
 93  9
 243
 1 3 1
A. y 6
 D.  5 a 
y 6  5 a 3

1
B. 7c 4
 7
1 
c4 125 a 3


7
4
E.  3x 
1 4
 34  x 14
c 1
  x4
2s 3 34
C. 2  2s 3  r 2
r x4

81
 2s r
3 2