RULES FOR SIMPLIFING

EXPONENTIAL EXPRESSIONS

Learning Objectives: 1. To simplify exponential expressions 2. To evaluate exponential expressions

WHEN MULTIPLYING LIKE BASES, YOU ADD THE EXPONENTS

(a )(a ) = a
n m
2 5

n +m

(3 )(3 ) =3
(4 )(4 ) = 4
6 4

FOR EXAMPLE:
2+ 5

=3

NOW YOU TRY:

6+ 4

=4

1 0

(a )
n

WHEN RAISING A POWER TO A POWER, YOU MULTIPLY THE EXPONENTS

=a

n m

(3 )
3

4 6

=3
5

FOR EXAMPLE:
4 *6

=3

2 4

(4 )

NOW YOU TRY:

= 4

3*5

=4

15

ANY INTEGER RAISED TO NEGATIVE ONE IS THE RECIPROCAL OF THAT INTEGER.

1 =

1 = 3
1 = 15

FOR EXAMPLE:

15

NOW YOU TRY:

a b

Any fraction raised to negative one is the reciprocal of that fraction.

1

b = a

2 5

FOR EXAMPLE: 1

NOW YOU TRY:

1

5 = 2

9 1 5

15 = 9

WHEN DIVIDING LIKE BASES, YOU SUBTRACT THE EXPONENTS.

a m a
n

x x

5 3

FOR EXAMPLE:

n m = a
5 3

= x

= x
8

x x

12 4

12 4 =x

NOW YOU TRY:

=x

ANY NUMBER RAISED TO THE FIRST POWER IS ITSELF.

a =a
1
1

FOR EXAMPLE:

3 =3
NOW YOU TRY:

528921 = 528921
1

ANY NUMBER RAISED TO THE ZERO POWER IS ONE.

a =1
0

3 =1
0

FOR EXAMPLE:

NOW YOU TRY:

528921 = 1
0

HOW DO WE GET ANY NUMBER RAISED TO THE ZERO POWER EQUAL TO ONE?

a =1
0
1 1

can be written as

1 1

Working backward-you subtract the exponents when you are dividing like bases.

Then any number divided by itself will give you ONE!!!

a = 1 a
1

TRY THESE ON YOUR OWN:

x 3 x
5

1 = 2 x
=

x 3 x
5

1 8 x

TRY THESE ON YOUR OWN:

1 x = 3 4 4 x y y
3

x 3 =x y 4 y
3

TRY THIS LAST ONE ON YOUR OWN:

a a b = 9 5 7 a b b
3 2