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Key equations

Rules of Exponents
For nonzero real numbers a and b and integers m and n
Product rule aman=am+n
Quotient rule aman=amn
Power rule (am)n=amn
Zero exponent rule a0=1
Negative rule an=1an
Power of a product rule (ab)n=anbn
Power of a quotient rule (ab)n=anbn

Key concepts

  • Products of exponential expressions with the same base can be simplified by adding exponents. See [link] .
  • Quotients of exponential expressions with the same base can be simplified by subtracting exponents. See [link] .
  • Powers of exponential expressions with the same base can be simplified by multiplying exponents. See [link] .
  • An expression with exponent zero is defined as 1. See [link] .
  • An expression with a negative exponent is defined as a reciprocal. See [link] and [link] .
  • The power of a product of factors is the same as the product of the powers of the same factors. See [link] .
  • The power of a quotient of factors is the same as the quotient of the powers of the same factors. See [link] .
  • The rules for exponential expressions can be combined to simplify more complicated expressions. See [link] .
  • Scientific notation uses powers of 10 to simplify very large or very small numbers. See [link] and [link] .
  • Scientific notation may be used to simplify calculations with very large or very small numbers. See [link] and [link] .

Section exercises

Verbal

Is 23 the same as 32? Explain.

No, the two expressions are not the same. An exponent tells how many times you multiply the base. So 23 is the same as 2×2×2, which is 8. 32 is the same as 3×3, which is 9.

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When can you add two exponents?

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What is the purpose of scientific notation?

It is a method of writing very small and very large numbers.

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Explain what a negative exponent does.

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Numeric

For the following exercises, simplify the given expression. Write answers with positive exponents.

92

81

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15−2

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32×33

243

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44÷4

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(22)−2

116

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(58)0

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113÷114

111

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65×6−7

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(80)2

1

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5−2÷52

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For the following exercises, write each expression with a single base. Do not simplify further. Write answers with positive exponents.

42×43÷4−4

49

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61269

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(123×12)10

1240

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106÷(1010)−2

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7−6×7−3

179

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(33÷34)5

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For the following exercises, express the decimal in scientific notation.

0.0000314

3.14×105

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For the following exercises, convert each number in scientific notation to standard notation.

1.6×1010

16,000,000,000

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9.8×10−9

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Algebraic

For the following exercises, simplify the given expression. Write answers with positive exponents.

a3a2a

a4

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mn2m−2

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(b3c4)2

b6c8

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(x−3y2)−5

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ab2÷d−3

ab2d3

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(w0x5)−1

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m4n0

m4

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y−4(y2)2

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p−4q2p2q−3

q5p6

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(l×w)2

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(y7)3÷x14

y21x14

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(a23)2

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52m÷50m

25

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(16x)2y−1

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23(3a)−2

72a2

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(ma6)21m3a2

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(b−3c)3

c3b9

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(x2y13÷y0)2

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(9z3)−2y

y81z6

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Real-world applications

To reach escape velocity, a rocket must travel at the rate of 2.2×106 ft/min. Rewrite the rate in standard notation.

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A dime is the thinnest coin in U.S. currency. A dime’s thickness measures 1.35×10−3 m. Rewrite the number in standard notation.

0.00135 m

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The average distance between Earth and the Sun is 92,960,000 mi. Rewrite the distance using scientific notation.

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A terabyte is made of approximately 1,099,500,000,000 bytes. Rewrite in scientific notation.

1.0995×1012

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The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the United States in the first quarter of 2014 was $1.71496×1013. Rewrite the GDP in standard notation.

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One picometer is approximately 3.397×10−11 in. Rewrite this length using standard notation.

0.00000000003397 in.

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The value of the services sector of the U.S. economy in the first quarter of 2012 was $10,633.6 billion. Rewrite this amount in scientific notation.

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Technology

For the following exercises, use a graphing calculator to simplify. Round the answers to the nearest hundredth.

(123m334−3)2

12,230,590,464 m66

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173÷152x3

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Extensions

For the following exercises, simplify the given expression. Write answers with positive exponents.

(32a3)−2(a422)2

a141296

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(62−24)2÷(xy)−5

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m2n3a2c−3a−7n−2m2c4

na9c

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(x6y3x3y−3y−7x−3)10

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((ab2c)−3b−3)2

1a6b6c6

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Avogadro’s constant is used to calculate the number of particles in a mole. A mole is a basic unit in chemistry to measure the amount of a substance. The constant is 6.0221413×1023. Write Avogadro’s constant in standard notation.

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Planck’s constant is an important unit of measure in quantum physics. It describes the relationship between energy and frequency. The constant is written as 6.62606957×10−34. Write Planck’s constant in standard notation.

0.000000000000000000000000000000000662606957

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Practice Key Terms 1

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Source:  OpenStax, Algebra and trigonometry. OpenStax CNX. Nov 14, 2016 Download for free at https://legacy.cnx.org/content/col11758/1.6
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