LAWS OF EXPONENTS

The following laws of exponents are for multiplying and dividing monomials.
PRODUCT RULE:
a
m
a
n
= a
m+n
(when multiplying like bases, add the powers)
Examples:

1) x
4
x

! x
4"
! x
#
$)

%
!
"%
!
1&
&) a
'
a a
1$
! a
'"1"1$
! a
$(
4) (&x
)
)($x
4
) ! (&$)x
)"4
! )x
1(
) (4m
%
n
$
)(*$mn
4
)(m
4
n
&
) ! (4*$)(m
%"1"4
)(n
$"4"&
) ! *4(m
1&
n
#


POWER RULE:
(a
m
b
m
)
n
= a
mn
b
mn
(when taking a monomial to a power, multiply the powers in+luding the +oeffi+ient)

Examples:
1) (a
4
b
&
)
$
! a
%
b
)
$) (&m
$
n

)
4
! &
4
m
%
n
$(
! %1m
%
n
$(
&) (*$xy
'
,
$
)

! (*$)

y
&
,
1(
! *&$x

y
&
,
1(

4) ()a
#
b
)
)
$
! )
$
a
1%
b
1$
! &)a
1%
b
1$
(*+
4
d
$
)

(*1)

+
$(
d
1(
*+
$(
d
1(
QUOTIENT RULE:
a
m
= a
m - n
(when dividing with like bases, subtra+t the powers)
a
n
(Note: it is always the numerator's power minus the denominator's power)
Examples:
1) x
)
! x
) - 4
! x
$
$) m

n
'
! m
*4
n
'*1(
! mn
*&
x
4
m
4
n
1(


&) a
&
b
'
! a
& * (*)
b
'*#
! a
%
n
*$

a
*
b
#



ZERO POWER RULE:

a
0
= (any term to the ,ero power is one)

Examples:

1) (m

n
'
)
(
! 1 $) (4m
%
n
$
)(*$mn4)
(
! (4m
%
n
$
)(1) ! 4m
%
n
$

!!!!I" #$ #m%&'%(& "' )(a*( n(+a"#*( %',(&$ #n -'.& /#na) an$,(&0 A)) /#na) an$,(&$ $1'.)2 b( ,&#""(n ,#"1 %'$#"#*(
%',(&$0 T1(&(/'&(3 -'. ,#)) n((2 "1( /'))',#n+ %&'%(&"-0 !!!!

NE4ATI5E POWER RULE:
a
*n
! 1 and 1 ! a
n
(take the re+ipro+al of the variable to the negative power)
a
n
a
*n

Examples:

1) &x
*4
! & 1 ! & $) *m
*%
n
$
! *y

n
$

x
4
x
4
x
1(
y
*
m
%
x
1(
NOTE: A%%)- "1( n(+a"#*( %',(& &.)( "' 'n)- n(+a"#*( POWERS0


EXA6PLES: .implify the following expressions. /rite the final answers without negative exponents.

Simplify means to combine like terms using the laws of exponents.
lso! you may work with negati"e powers as you are simplifying within the problem. #ou $ust cannot lea"e negati"e
powers in the final answer.


1) 1$
*4
(1$
%
) ! 1$
*4"%
!1$
4
(produ+t rule)
or ! 1 0

1$
%
(negative power rule)
1$
4
! 1$
% * 4
! 1$
4
(1uotient rule)


$) (a
4
b
)
)(1$ab+)
(
(*$a
$
b+

) ! (a
4
b
)
) (1) (*$a
$
b+

) (,ero power rule)

*1(a
)
b
'
+

(produ+t rule)
&) *4$m
)
n
*&
p

! *'m
)*11
n
*&*(*)
p
*
(1uotient rule)
)m
11
n
*
p

! *'m
*
n
$
p
(


! *'n
$
(negative power and ,ero power rule)
m

4) (*&ab
)
)

! (*&)

b
&(
(power rule)
(*a

b
$
)
'
(*1)
'
a
&
b
14
! *$4&a

b
&(

*1a
&
b
14
! $4&a
*&
b
&(*14
(1uotient rule)

! $4&a
*&(
b
1)


! $4&b
1)
(negative power rule)
a
&(

) $m
'
n
&
0 (&mp
%
)
&
! $m
'
n
&
0 $'m
&
p
$4
(power rule)
(&n

p
*&
)
$
$mn
)
#n

p
*)
$mn
)


! 4m
1(
n
&
p
$4
(produ+t rule)
1%mn
11
p
*)


! & m
1(*1
n
&*11
p
$4 * (*))
(1uotient rule)

! &m
#
n
*%
p
&(


! &m
#
p
&(
(negative power rule)

n
%


)) ('xy)(*x
4
y
&
)

($x

y
)
)
*$
! ('xy)(*1

x
$(
y
1
)($
*$
x
*1(
y
*1$
) (power rule)

! ('xy)(*x
$(
y
1
)(x
*1(
y
*1$
) (negative power rule)
$
$


! *' x
1"$(*1(
y
1"1*1$
(produ+t rule)
4

! *' x
11
y
4

4

') ($)
*
! 1 (need to apply the negative power rule first before you +an multiply)
$
! 1

or 1, 1, 1, 1, 1
$

$ $ $ $ $
! 1 is the final answer.
&$
%)
%
2
*)

*$

'

!
%*(*$)
2
*)*'
(1uotient rule)
!
1(
2
*1&
!
1(*(*1&)
(1uotient rule)
!
$&
#) x
)m
x
4
x
$m"&
x
m

&
4
$
& $
)

+ m m
m
x
x
x
x
!
) ( 4
) & ( 4
) & $ ( $
) $ ( )
m m
m
x
x
x
x

+
(power rule)
!
m m
m
x
x
x
x
4
1$
) 4
1$

+
!
m m
m
x
x
4 ) 4
1$ 1$
+ +
+
!
) %
1$ 1$
+
+
m
m
x
x
(produ+t rule)
! x
1$m " 1$ - (%m - ) )
! x
1$m " 1$ - %m " )
(1uotient rule)
! x
4m " 1%