Do you know that numbers can be powered? Obviously not like powering a car or any machine but mathematically.
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Team Properties of Exponents Teachers
In this article, we will define exponents and their properties and more.
An exponent shows us the number of times a number is multiplied by itself. It is often regarded as either Powers.
The exponent \(2^3\) shows that \(2\) is to multiply itself \(3\) times:
\[2^3=2\times2\times2\]
An exponent contains two major parts: the part that stays at the top is called the power, and the part that is below which carries the power, is called the base.
In \(5^7\), \(7\) is the power or the exponent while \(5\) is the base.
In order to carry out operations of exponents, some rules have been laid down to guide you easily.
The multiplication or product rule of exponents states that
The product of two or more numbers with the same base is equal to the common base to the power of the sum of the exponents
\[a^m\times a^n=a^{m+n}\]
Expand \(2^3\times 2^2\).
Solution:
\[2^3\times 2^2=2^{3+2}=2^5\]
Verification
\[2^3\times 2^2=(2\times 2\times 2)\times (2\times 2)=2^5\]
Expand \(a^4\times a^6\).
Solution:
\[a^4+a^6=a^{4+6}=a^{10}\]
Verification
\[a^4\times a^6=(a\times a\times a\times a)\times (a\times a\times a\times a\times a\times a)=a^{10}\]
Expand \(2^3\times 3^3 \times 2^4\).
Solution:
\[2^3\times 3^3\times 2^4=(2^3\times 2^4)\times 3^3=2^{3+4}\times 3^3=2^7\times 3^3\]
The division or quotient rule of exponents states that
The quotient of two or more numbers with the same base is equal to the common base to the power of the difference of the exponents
\[\dfrac{a^m}{a^n}=a^m\div a^n=a^{m-n}\]
A quotient of two or more numbers with different bases is equal to their direct division,
\[a^m\div b^n=\dfrac{a^m}{b^n}\]
Simplify \)\dfrac{2^3}{2}\).
Solution:
\[\dfrac{2^3}{2}=2^{3-1}=2^2\]
Verification
\[\dfrac{2^3}{2}=\dfrac{2\times 2\times 2}{2}=2\times 2=2^2\]
Simplify \(\dfrac{b^7}{b^3}\).
Solution:
\[\dfrac{b^7}{b^3}=b^{7-3}=b^4\]
Verification
\[\dfrac{b^7}{b^3}=\dfrac{b\times b\times b\times b\times b\times b\times b}{b\times b\times b}=b\times b\times b\times b=b^4\]
Simplify \(\dfrac{2^5\times 3^7}{3^4}\).
Solution:
\[\dfrac{2^5\times 3^7}{3^7}=2^5\times \dfrac{3^7}{3^4}=2^5\times 3^{7-4}=2^5\times 3^3\]
The null or zero exponent rule states that
Any nonzero number raised to the exponent of \(0\) is equal to \(1\). That is, for every \(a\neq 0\), we have \(a^0=1\).
Using the division rule for exponents, for every \(a\neq 0\), we have
\[\dfrac{a}{a}=a^{1-1}=a^0\]
On the other hand, we have \(\dfrac{a}{a}=1\), thus
\[\dfrac{a}{a}=a^{1-1}=a^0=1\]
a. \(2^0\)
b. \(-2^0\)
c. \((-2)^0\)
Solution:
a. Anything to the power of \(0\) is equal to \(1\). So we have
\[2^0=1\]
b. Here, the base is \(2\), with a \(-1\) multiplied out front. It becomes
\[\begin{align}-2^0&=-1\times 2^0=\\&=-1\times 1=\\&=-1\end{align}\]
c. Here, the base is \(-2\), and anything to the power of \(0\) equals \(1\). It becomes
\[(-2)^0=1\]
Note how important the brackets are in the above examples \(b\) and \(c\).
The negative exponent property states that
A base with a negative exponent is equal to the reciprocal of the base raised to the opposite of the exponent
That is for every \(a\neq 0\), we have
\[a^{-m}=\dfrac{1}{a^m}\]
For every \(a\neq 0\), we have \(a^{-m}=a^{0-m}=\dfrac{a^0}{a^m}=\dfrac{1}{a^m}\).
\[2^{-1}=\dfrac{1}{2}\]
\[9^{-3}=\left(\dfrac{1}{9}\right)^3\]
\[6^{-5}=\left(\dfrac{1}{6}\right)^5\]
A number raised to a fraction exponent is equal to the denominator's root of the base raised to the exponent of the numerator, that is \(a^{\frac{m}{n}}=\sqrt[n]{a^m}\).
In particular, \(a^{\frac{1}{n}}=\sqrt[n]{a}\).
Find the value of the following expressions.
a. \(125^{\frac{1}{3}}\)
b. \(2^{\frac{4}{3}}\)
c. \(16^{-\frac{3}{2}}\)
Solution:
a. The first step is to express \(125\) as a product of its prime factors,
\[125=5\times 5\times 5=5^3\]
Thus we have,
\[125^{\frac{1}{3}}=\sqrt[3]{125}=\sqrt[3]{5^3}=5\]
b.
\[2^{\frac{4}{3}}=\sqrt[3]{2^4}=\sqrt[3]{16}\]
c. There are two ways to solve this question and both ways involve using the fractional exponent rule and the negative exponent rule.
First, use the fractional exponent rule.
\[\begin{align}16^{-\frac{3}{2}}&=\left(\sqrt[2]{16}\right)^{-3}=\\&=(4)^{-3}\end{align}\]
From here, we use the negative exponent rule
\[\begin{align}(4)^{-3}&=\dfrac{1}{4^3}=\\&=\dfrac{1}{64}\end{align}\]
Solving it in an alternative way, you will first use the negative exponent rule.
\[16^{-\frac{3}{2}}=\dfrac{1}{16^{\frac{3}{2}}}\]
We will now use the fractional exponent rule on the denominator.
\[\begin{align}\dfrac{1}{16^{\frac{3}{2}}}&=\dfrac{1}{\left(\sqrt[2]{16}\right)^3}=\\&=\dfrac{1}{4^3}=\\&=\dfrac{1}{64}\end{align}\]
You get the same answer!
The power of a product property states that
When a product of two numbers is raised to a power, the resulting answer is equal to the product of each number bearing that exponent separately.
In other words, the product of two different numbers with the same exponent is equal to the product of each of these numbers raised to its exponent, that is
\[(ab)^m=a^m\times b^m\]
We note that
\[(ab)^m=a^m\times b^m=b^m\times a^m=(ba)^m\]
Verify that \(6^3=2^3\times 3^3\).
Solution:
Method 1
On the one hand, we have; \(6^3=6\times 6\times 6=216\).
On the other hand, \(2^3\times 3^3=8\times 27=216\).
Thus \(6^3=2^3\times 3^3\).
Method 2
\[6^3=(2\times 3)^2=2^3\times 3^3\]
The power of a quotient property states that
When a quotient of two numbers is raised to a power, the resulting answer is equal to the quotient of each number bearing that exponent separately
In other words, the quotient of two different numbers with the same exponent is equal to the quotient of each of these numbers raised to its exponent, that is
\[\left(\dfrac{a}{b}\right)^m=\dfrac{a^m}{b^m}\]
Verify that \(2^3=\dfrac{6^3}{3^3}\).
Solution:
Method 1
To begin,
\[2^3=2\times 2\times 2=8\]
Also,
\[\begin{align}\dfrac{6^3}{3^3}&=\dfrac{6\times 6\times 6}{3\times 3\times 3}=\\\\&=\dfrac{^2\cancel{6}\times ^2\cancel{6}\times ^2\cancel{6}}{^1\cancel{3}\times ^1\cancel{3}\times ^1\cancel{3}}=\\\\&= 2\times 2\times 2=\\\\&=8\end{align}\]
This implies that
\[2^3=\dfrac{6^3}{3^3}\]
Method 2
Apply the quotient property;
\[\begin{align}\dfrac{6^3}{3^3}&=\left(\dfrac{6}{3}\right)^3=\\&=2^3=\\&=8\end{align}\]
Therefore;
\[2^3=\dfrac{6^3}{3^3}\]
A number raised to an exponent is raised to another exponent is equal to the number raised to the product of the exponents, that is
\[\left(a^m\right)^n=a^{m\times n}=a^{mn}=a^{nm}=a^{n\times m}=\left(a^n\right)^m\]
Verify that \(\left(2^3\right)^2=2^6\).
Solution:
Method 1
On the one hand, we have
\[2^3=2\times 2\times 2=8\]
Thus
\[\left(2^3\right)^2=8^2=64\]
On the other hand,
\[2^6=2^{3+3}=2^3\times 2^3=8\times 8=64\]
Thus,
\[\left(2^3\right)^2=2^6=64\]
Method 2
\[\left(2^3\right)^2=2^{3\times 2}=2^6=64\]
Calculate the following without the use of calculators.
a. \((-3x^3y^2)(2x^6y^5)\)
b. \((2b)^{-4}\)
c. \(\left(\dfrac{-6x^6}{3x^3}\right)^{-2}\)d. \(81^{\frac{3}{4}}\)
e. \(\dfrac{-12m^4n^3(m^3n^2)}{36m^7n^5}\)
Solution:
a. For the expression,
\[(-3x^3y^2)(2x^6y^5)\]
We express them as separate products,
\[(-3x^3y^2)(2x^6y^5)=(-3\times x^3\times y^2)\times (2\times x^6\times y^5)\]
We expand the brackets,
\[(-3x^3y^2)(2x^6y^5)=-3\times x^3\times y^2\times 2\times x^6\times y^5\]
Next, we bring like terms together,
\[\begin{align}(-3x^3y^2)(2x^6y^5)&=-3\times 2\times x^3\times x^6\times y^2\times y^5=\\&=-6\times \left(x^{3+6}\right)\times\left(y^{2+5}\right)=\\&=-6\times x^9\times y^7=\\&=-6x^9y^7\end{align}\]
b. For the expression,
\[(2b)^{-4}\]
We first get rid of the negative exponent, we apply the reciprocal rule,
\[(2b)^{-4}=\dfrac{1}{(2b)^4}=\dfrac{1}{2^4b^4}=\dfrac{1}{16b^4}\]c. For the expression,
\[\left(\dfrac{-6x^6}{3x^3}\right)^{-2}\]
To get rid of the negative exponent, we apply the reciprocal rule,
\[\left(\dfrac{-6x^6}{3x^3}\right)^{-2}=\left(\dfrac{3x^3}{-6x^6}\right)^2\]
We then divide the like terms of the expression in the bracket,
\[\left(\dfrac{-6x^6}{3x^3}\right)^{-2}=\left(\dfrac{3x^3}{-6x^6}\right)^2=\left(-\dfrac{1}{2}\left(x^{3-6}\right)\right)^2=\left(-\dfrac{1}{2}x^{-3}\right)^2\]
Afterward, we distribute the exponent \(2\) to the product inside the bracket to get,
\[\begin{align}\left(\dfrac{-6x^6}{3x^3}\right)^{-2}=\left(-\dfrac{1}{2}\times \dfrac{1}{x^3}\right)^2=\\&=\left(-\dfrac{1}{2x^3}\right)^2=\\&=\dfrac{(-1)^2}{(2x^3)^2}=\\&=\dfrac{1}{2^2(x^3)^2}=\\&=\dfrac{1}{4x^6}\end{align}\]
d. For the expression,
\[81^{\frac{3}{4}}\]
we recall first the fraction exponent rule,
\[81^{\frac{3}{4}}=\left(\sqrt[4]{81}\right)^3=\sqrt[4]{81^3}\]
But
\[81=9^2=\left(3^2\right)^2=3^4\]
Hence
\[81^{\frac{3}{4}}=\sqrt[4]{81^3}=\sqrt[4]{\left(3^4\right)^3}=\sqrt[4]{\left(3^3\right)^4}=3^3\]
We can see in another way, we recall that,
\[\left(a^m\right)=a^{mn}\]
Thus,
\[81^{\frac{3}{4}}=\left(3^4\right)^{\frac{3}{4}}=3^{4\times \frac{3}{4}}=3^3\]
e. For the expression,
\[\dfrac{-12m^4n^3(m^3n^2)}{36m^7n^5}\]
We first expand the numerator,
\[\dfrac{-12m^4n^3(m^3n^2)}{36m^7n^5}=\dfrac{-12\times m^4\times n^3\times m^3\times n^2}{36m^7n^5}\]
We next bring like terms together, to get
\[\begin{align}\dfrac{-12m^4n^3(m^3n^2)}{36m^7n^5}&=\dfrac{-12\times m^4\times m^3\times n^3\times n^2}{36m^7n^5}=\\&=\dfrac{-12\times m^{4+3}\times n^{3+2}}{36m^7n^5}=\\&=\dfrac{-12\times m^7\times n^5}{36m^7n^5}=\\&=\dfrac{-12\times m^7\times n^5}{36\times m^7\times n^5}\end{align}\]
We then divide like terms to get,
\[\begin{align}\dfrac{-12m^4n^3(m^3n^2)}{36m^7n^5}&=\left(\dfrac{-12}{36}\right)\times \left(\dfrac{m^7}{m^7}\right)\times\left(\dfrac{n^5}{n^5}\right)=\\&=\left(-\dfrac{1}{3}\right)\times m^{7-7}\times n^{5-5}=\\&=\left(-\dfrac{1}{3}\right)\times m^0\times n^0\end{align}\]
We recall that any nonzero number raised to the exponent \(0\) is \(1\), we get\[\dfrac{-12m^4n^3(m^3n^2)}{36m^7n^5}=\left(-\dfrac{1}{3}\right)\times 1\times 1=-\dfrac{1}{3}\]
Simplify the expression \(\dfrac{m^{\frac{3}{4}}\times n^{\frac{1}{2}}}{m^{\frac{1}{2}}\times n^{-\frac{3}{2}}}\).
Solve when \(m= 16\) and \(n= 3\).
Solution:
\[\begin{align}\dfrac{m^{\frac{3}{4}}\times n^{\frac{1}{2}}}{m^{\frac{1}{2}}\times n^{-\frac{3}{2}}}&=\dfrac{m^{\frac{3}{4}}}{m^{\frac{1}{2}}}\times \dfrac{n^{\frac{1}{2}}}{n^{-\frac{3}{2}}}=\\&=\left(m^{\frac{3}{4}}\div m^{\frac{1}{2}}\right)\times \left(n^{\frac{1}{2}}\div n^{-\frac{3}{2}}\right)=\\&=m^{\frac{3}{4}-\frac{1}{2}}\times n^{\frac{1}{2}-\left(-\frac{3}{2}\right)}=\\&=m^{\frac{1}{4}}\times n^2\end{align}\]
Substitute the value of \(m\) as \(16\) and \(n\) as \(3\) into the expression;
\[\begin{align}m^{\frac{1}{4}}\times n^2&=16^{\frac{1}{4}}\times 3^2=\\&=\left(2^4\right)^{\frac{1}{4}}\times 3^2=\\&=2^{4\times \frac{1}{4}}\times 3^2=\\&=2\times 9=\\&=18\end{align}\]
The way numbers are commonly written is referred to as standard notation. However, Scientific Notation represents figures using the format,
\[q\times 10^p\quad\text{for}\quad 1\leq q < 10\]
with \(p\) being an integer.
Convert \(38 000 000 000\) meters per second to Scientific Notation.
Solution:
The first step is to count from your left to right. We have the number \(38 000 000 000\).
We have \(38\) and \(9\) zeros to the right of it.
We recall the scientific notation,
\[q\times 10^p\]
\[1\leq q<10\]
where \(p\) is an integer. Thus
\[38 000 000 000=38\times 10^9\]
Now \(38\) should be written as \(q\times 10^p\) as well. Thus,
\[38=3.8\times 10\]
Now we replace in the initial expression to get,
\[38 000 000 000=3.8\times 10\times 10^9=3.8\times 10^{10}\]
The length and bread of a rectangular mark is \(2\, \text{mm}\) and \(6\, \text{mm}\) respectively, calculate the perimeter in kilometers leaving your answer in standard form.
Solution:
The perimeter of a rectangle is given as
\[\begin{align}\text{Perimeter of the mark}&=2\times\left(\text{length}+\text{breadth}\right)=\\&=2\times\left(2\,\text{mm}+6\,\text{mm}\right)=\\&=2\times 8\,\text{mm}=\\&=16\,\text{mm}\end{align}\]
Recall that;
\[1000\,\text{m}=1\text{ km}\]
\[100\text{ cm}=1\text{ m}\]
\[10\text{ mm}=1\text{ cm}\]
\[100\times 10\text{ mm}=1\text{ m}\]
\[1000\times 100\times 10 \text{ mm}=1\text{ km}\]
\[1\times 10^6\text{ mm}=1\text{ km}\]
\[\dfrac{1\times 10^6\text{ mm}}{10^6}=\dfrac{1\text{ km}}{10^6}\]
\[\dfrac{1\times \cancel{10^6}\text{ mm}}{\cancel{10^6}}=\dfrac{1\text{ km}}{10^6}\]
\[1\text{ mm}=\dfrac{1}{10^6}\text{ km}\]
Recall that;
\[a^{-1}=\dfrac{1}{a}\]
Thus;
\[\dfrac{1}{10^6}=10^{-6}\]
This means that;
\[1\text{ mm}=10^{-6}\text{ km}\]
So convert \(16\text{ mm}\) to \(\text{km}\);
\[1\text{ mm}=10^{-6}\text{ km}\]
\[1\text{ mm}\times 16=10^{-6}\text{ km}\times 16\]
\[16\text{ mm}=16\times 10^{-6}\text{ km}\]
Now \(16\) should be written as \(q\times 10^p\) as well. Thus,
\[16=1.6\times 10\]
Now we replace it in the initial expression to get;
\[\begin{align}16\times 10^{-6}\text{ km}&=1.6\times 10\times 10^{-6}\text{ km}=\\&=1.6\times 10^1\times 10^{-6}\text{ km}=\\&=1.6\times 10^{-6+1}\text{ km}=\\&=1.6\times 10^{-5}\text{ km}\end{align}\]
\[\text{Perimeter of the mark}=1.6\times 10^{-5}\text{ km}\]
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How to solve problems on properties of exponents?
You solve problems on properties of exponents by applying the rules on the properties of exponents.
What are the properties of exponents?
Properties of exponents are the various rules which explain how exponents are calculated.
What are properties of exponents examples?
An example of the properties of exponents is the product a2 and a3 is equal to a2+3 = a5
What is power of a power property of exponents?
Power of a power property of exponents says that if an exponent is raised by another power, then it becomes the product of both powers. (32)4 = 32 x 4 = 38.
What is quotient property of exponents?
The quotient property of exponents says that when two exponents of the same base are divided, then it is equal to the base raised to the difference of the powers. a5/a2 = a5-2 = a3
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