Boardworks 2012 1 of 18

Aim#8 How do we
evaluate exponents?
Do Now: What is 2
4



Boardworks 2012 2 of 18
Fill in the chart on the board.
Boardworks 2012 3 of 18
What is an exponent?
For example, we can write 2 2 2 2 2 as:
2
5
= 2
5
2 2 2 2 2 = 32
base
exponent or power
Introducing exponents
We use exponents to show repeated multiplication by the
same number.
What are exponents used for?
2 3 4 5 1
The exponent is equal to the number of times the base is
multiplied by itself.
This number is
read as two to
the power of five.
Boardworks 2012 4 of 18
Write in expanded form
3
4

X
5

ab
3

(mn)
4



Boardworks 2012 5 of 18
Write in exponential form
m m m m m
3 3 3 3 5 5
(xy) (xy) (xy) ( xy)
a a y y y y
Boardworks 2012 6 of 18
(3)
5

= (3) (3) (3) (3)
= 243
Introducing exponents
What happens if the base is negative?
Only odd exponents produce negative values when they are
evaluated.
= (3) (3) (3) (3) (3)
= (3) (3) (3)
= (3) (3)
= (3) (3)
1
= 3
(3)
2
= 9
(3)
3
= 27
(3)
4
= 81
Boardworks 2012 7 of 18
(4)
4
= 4 4 4 4 = 64
Evaluate the following:
6
2
= 6 6 = 36
3
4
= 3 3 3 3 = 81
(5)
3
= 5 5 5 = 125
2
7
= 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 = 128
(1)
5
= 1 1 1 1 1 = 1
When we raise a
negative number to
an odd power, the
answer is negative.
When we raise a
negative number to
an even power, the
answer is positive.
Evaluating exponents
Will the last answer be positive or negative?
Boardworks 2012 8 of 18
Classwork :
Math connects skills practice book
Pg.19
Questions 1-12
Boardworks 2012 9 of 18
= 3 3 3 3 3 3
( ) ( )
When we multiply two numbers with
the same base, the exponents are added.
What do you think happens when we multiply two
numbers written using exponents and the same base?
= 3
4
3
2
= 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
6
7
3
7
5
= (7 7 7)
= 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7
= 7
8
Rules for multiplication
6 = 4 + 2
3 + 5 = 8
(7 7 7 7 7)
Boardworks 2012 10 of 18
Aim # 9a: What are the laws of
exponents?
Write if the solution to the following will be
a positive or negative solution.
(-4)
5
(-2)
8

(-1)
6

(-9)
7





Boardworks 2012 11 of 18
The calculator shows this as 2401.
7
4
= 7 7 7 7 = 2401
Using a calculator
How do you evaluate exponents using a calculator?
We use the x
y
key.
If your calculator does not have the x
y

key, you can press the ^ key instead.
To calculate the value of 7
4
we key in:
Boardworks 2012 12 of 18
Evaluating activity
Boardworks 2012 13 of 18
Real life example
Boardworks 2012 14 of 18
When we divide two numbers with
the same base, the exponents are subtracted.
Can you predict the rule for dividing two numbers written
using exponents and the same base?
For example:
4
5
4
2
=
4 4 4 4 4
4 4
= 4 4 4 = 4
3
5
6
5
4
=
5 5 5 5 5 5
5 5 5 5
= 5 5 = 5
2
= 4
(5 2)
= 5
(6 4)
Rules for division
Boardworks 2012 15 of 18
Writing rules
a
m
a
n
= a
(m + n)
a
m
a
n
= a
(m n)
These rules can be written algebraically.
When we multiply two numbers with the same base,
the exponents are added.
When we divide two numbers with the same base,
the exponents are subtracted.
a, m and n can
take any value.
Boardworks 2012 16 of 18
Negative exponents
Boardworks 2012 17 of 18
Exponents of 0
Boardworks 2012 18 of 18
More exponents
(a
m
)
n
= a
(m n)
What if we raise an exponent and
its base to another power?
When we raise a number that already has an exponent to
another power, the exponents are multiplied.
(5
2
)
3
(5
2
)
3
= 5 5 5 5 5 5
= 5
6
= (5 5) (5 5) (5 5)
2 3 = 6
Boardworks 2012 19 of 18
Any number raised to the power of 1 is equal to that number.
Use your calculator to evaluate the following:
10
1
3.452
1
723,538,592
1

Special cases
a

a
1
=

1
a
1
= a

6
1
=

6

1
7
1
=

7

1
5
1
=

5

1
Any number with an exponent of -1 is 1 divided by that number.
Now use your calculator to evaluate these:
Boardworks 2012 20 of 18
a
m
a
n
= a
(m + n)
a
m
a
n
= a
(m n)
a
0
= 1

a

a
1
=

1
a
n
a
n
=

1
a
1
= a

Rules to remember
Here is a summary of these rules, written algebraically.
(a
m
)
n
= a
(m n)
Boardworks 2012 21 of 18
Matching rules
Boardworks 2012 22 of 18
Simplifying exponents