LAW of EXPONENT

Description

PRODUCT WITH
SAME BASE

QUOTIENT
WITH SAME
BASE
QUOTIENT TO
A POWER

NEGATIVE
POWER

The Rule
in Symbolic form

The Rule
in Words
When multiplying like bases,
keep the base the same and
add the exponents.
When dividing like bases,
keep the base the same and
subtract the denominator
exponent from the numerator
exponent.
When raising a fraction to a
power, distribute the power to
each factor in the numerator
and denominator of the
fraction.
Negative exponents signify
division. In particular, find the
reciprocal of the base.
When a base is raised to a
negative power, reciprocate
(find the reciprocal of) the
base, keep the exponent with
the original base, and drop the
negative.

POWER TO A
POWER

When raising a base with a

power to another power, keep
the base the same and
multiply the exponents.

PRODUCT TO
A POWER

When raising a product to a

power, distribute the power to
each factor.

ZERO POWER

Anything raised to the zero

power is one.

QUOTIENT
WITH
NEGATIVE
POWER

Negative exponents signify

division. In particular, find the
reciprocal of the base.
When a denominator is raised
to a negative power, move the
factor to the numerator, keep
the exponent but drop the

Example

negative.

Exponent rules
Exponent rules, laws of exponent and examples.

What is an exponent

Exponents rules

Exponents calculator

What is an exponent
The base a is raised to the power of n is equal to the multiplication of a, n times:
n

a = a a ... a

n times
a is the base and n is the exponent.

Examples

31 = 3
32 = 3 3 = 9
33 = 3 3 3 = 27
34 = 3 3 3 3 = 81
35 = 3 3 3 3 3 = 243
Exponents rules and properties
Rule name

Rule

Example

a n a m = a n+m

23 24 = 23+4 = 128

a n b n = (a b) n

32 42 = (34)2 = 144

a n / a m = a n-m

25 / 23 = 25-3 = 4

a n / b n = (a / b) n

43 / 23 = (4/2)3 = 8

(bn)m = bnm

(23)2 = 232 = 64

Product rules

Quotient rules

Power rules

(nm)

(32)= 512

bn = b

23 = 2

(bn) = b n/m

(26) = 26/2 = 8

Negative exponents

b1/n = nb

81/3 = 38 = 2

b-n = 1 / bn

2-3 = 1/23 = 0.125

b0 = 1

50 = 1

0n = 0 , for n>0

05 = 0

b1 = b

51 = 5

1n = 1

15 = 1

Zero rules

One rules

(-1)5 = -1

Minus one rule

Derivative rule

(xn)' = nx n-1

(x3)' = 3x3-1

Integral rule

xndx = xn+1/(n+1)+C

x2dx = x2+1/(2+1)+C

Exponents product rules

Product rule with same base
an am = an+m
Example:
23 24 = 23+4 = 27 = 2222222 = 128
Product rule with same exponent
an bn = (a b)n
Example:
32 42 = (34)2 = 122 = 1212 = 144
See: Multplying exponents
Exponents quotient rules
Quotient rule with same base
an / am = an-m
Example:
25 / 23 = 25-3 = 22 = 22 = 4
Quotient rule with same exponent
an / bn = (a / b)n
Example:
43 / 23 = (4/2)3 = 23 = 222 = 8
See: Dividing exponents

Exponents power rules

Power rule I
(an) m = a nm
Example:
(23)2 = 232 = 26 = 222222 = 64
Power rule II
m
m
a n = a (n )
Example:
2
2
23 = 2(3 ) = 2(33) = 29 = 222222222 = 512
Power rule with radicals
m
(a n) = a n/m
Example:
2
(26) = 26/2 = 23 = 222 = 8
Negative exponents rule
b-n = 1 / bn
Example:
2-3 = 1/23 = 1/(222) = 1/8 = 0.125