Exponents discovery

Monday, October 07, 2013 10:53 AM

Part 1
Exponents are like if you multiply 2 3 times but instead of putting 2 times 3 you put 2 times 2 times 2. The exponent for all those 2's are 2^3. The base is the number that is the number that is being repeated so if 4^3 4 is the base. Numbers can be written in three forms repeated, exponential, and expanded multiplication. What is a base? A base is the lower number or the number that is being multiplied over and over. What is a power? A power is the upper number when said like 4 to the third power and in number form it looks like What does a base and power (exponent) tell you to do? A base and a power tell you to multiply the base by that same number how ever many times the power tells you to. What is a power a shortcut to? A power is a short cut because it tells you how many times that same number is multiplied so instead of have 4 times 4 times 4 you can put
How could you use geometry to describe squaring or cubing a number? You could use geometry to describe squaring or cubing a number by have a picture of a cube that is divided into smaller cubes to find how to square and cube a number.

Part 2

Part 3
1. What do you get when you add x by x?

2. What do you get when you subtract x by x?

3. What do you get when you multiply x by x?

4. What do you get when you divide x by x?

5. What do you get when you multiply x by x by x?

6. What about x by x by x by x by x?

7. What do you get when you multiply x^2 by x?

8. What about x^2 by x^3?

9. What about x^4 by x^6?

10. Come up with a rule that explains what happens when you multiply same bases.

When you multiply something with the same base you add up how many of that same base there is and that is your power/exponent and keep the same base.
11. What do you get when you divide x by x?

12. What do you get when you multiply x^2 by x?

Introduction to Exponents Page 1

13. What about x^4 by x^2?

14. What do you get when you divide x^5 by x^3?

15. What about x^6 by x?

16. Come up with a rule that explains what happens when you divide same bases.

When you are dividing with the same bases you can cross cancel and what ever is left that is your answer.
17. What do you get when you square x^3?

18. What do you get when you square x^4?

19. What do you get when you cube x^2?

20. What do you get when you raise x^3 to the fourth power?

21. What do you get when you raise x^2 to the fifth power?

22. Come up with a rule that explains what happens when you raise a base with an exponent by an exponent.

When you raise a base with an exponent by an exponent you keep the same base and add the two exponents together.

Introduction to Exponents Page 2