Properties of Exponents Worksheet Name______________

Evaluate the expression.

52
1. 4  4
2 4
2. 5 
2 3
3. 5
5
= 46 = 4096 = 5-2•3 = 5-6 = 1/56 = 1/15,625 = 5 = 5-3 = 1/53 = 1/125
2-5

3
3 22
 9   9 
3
4.   5. 9 6.
7 2
= 33/ 73 = 22-(-9) = (-9)1+3
= 27/343 = 22+9 = 211 = 2048 = (-9)4 = 6561

Simplify the expression.

7. a 6  a 3 8. x 
5 2
9.  4a b 
2 3 5

= a6+3 = a9 =
x5•2 = x10 =41•5a2•5b3•5
=45a10b15
x8 x5 x6
10. 11. 12.
x6 x8 x6
=x8-6 = x2 = x5-8 = x-3 = 1/x3 = x6-6 = x0 = 1

2
 4a 3 
2 x  2 5
x y7
3 4 3
13.  4  14. 15.
 2b 
= { 41•2a3•2/21•2b4•2} = 23•5x2•5 = 215x10 = 1/(x4y7)3
= {42a6 / 22b8} = 16a6/4b8 = 4a6/1b8 = 1/x4•3y7•3 = 1/x12y21
x 11 y 10 5x 3y 9
17. 3x y
4 0
16. 18.
x 3 y 1 20x 2y 2

x5 x 5y 2
19.
x 2
20.
x 4y 0
21. x  3 0

x 1 y
 10x 
3 3
 4x y5
2
22.
5
y 23. 24.
2
xy 2

2x 2y xy 9 7 y 12xy 7 x 5 y 2
25. 26.  27. 
6xy 1 3y 2 21x 5 7x 4 4y
Investigation: Rewrite each as a product of the same base,
and then simplify your answer in terms of an exponential
expression, if possible.
1) 34  2) 43  42  3) (53 )4 

4) (3  5)4  5) 42  6) 40 

3
56 6
7) 2  8)    9) b5 
5 5

10) b6  b3  11) (b4 )5  12)  ab  

3

1 b7
13)  14) b  0
15) 
b 2 b4

4 2
 b2   24 x5 y 4  2 xy 2 
16)  3  17) 3x 2 y  5 x3 y 4  18)  2   
a   3 x y  3 xy 
Properties of Exponents Negative Exponent Property
Let a and b be real numbers and let m a m  a 0
and n be integers.
Zero Exponent Property
Product of Powers Property
a0  a 0
a a 
m n

Power of a Power Property Quotient of Powers Property

am
a 
n
m
  a 0
an
Power of a Product Property Power of a Quotient Property

 ab 
m m
 a 
   b0
b 
Properties of Exponents
Let a and b be real numbers and let m and n be integers.
Product of Powers Property a m  a n  a m n
 a m   a mn
n
Power of a Power Property
m
Power of a Product Property  ab   a mb m
1
Negative Exponent Property a m  a 0
am
Zero Exponent Property a0  1 a 0
am
Quotient of Powers Property  a m n a 0
a n

m
a   a
m

Power of a Quotient Property   b0

b  bm