Name: ___________ Unit 2: Powers and polynomials Date: __________

Lesson 1: The Exponent Laws

n
A power is an expression in the form a , where a is the base of the power and n is the exponent
of the power.

Multiplication When multiplying powers with the same base,

you ADD the exponents and keep the base the same.
  
x m x n  x m n m5 m3    
Division When dividing powers with the same base,
you SUBTRACT the exponents and keep the base the same.
x   x   x
m n m n
a   a  
5 3

Power of a Power When you have a power of a power,

you MULTIPLY the exponents and keep the base the same.
x  m n
 x mn a 
5 2

xy  n
x y n n
ab 2

x m
yp n
 x mn y pn a b 
5 2 3


Power with a Rational Base If a rational number has an exponent,

both the numerator and the denominator have the exponent.
n
x
8
xn m
   n   
 y y n

Zero Exponent Any base raised to zero is always equal to 1

(x) 0 = 1 (3x 2 ) 0 

-n n
Negative Integral Exponents: a -this is defined as the reciprocal of a
1
a n  5 3
an

Negative Integral Exponents with a Rational Base:

n 8
 x
n
 y yn m
     n   
 y  x x n

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Example 1: Simplify.
a) x x x 
5 3 4
b) x  4 4
c) x  x 
10 2

d) x 7 y 9 
2

Example 2: Simplify. Express your final answer with positive exponents only. Show your work.
a) m   m 
4 7 5 2
b) m n  m
4 2 2 2
n 3 
3
  
c) x 2 y 3 z 2  x 2 y 8 z 

Example 3: Simplify first, then evaluate if x  2, y  1

x2 y3
x 1
y2 
3

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Example 4: Simplify using the exponent laws. Express answers as positive exponents only

4m 3
n3  2
 (a 5 b 2 ) 3 (a 6 b 7 ) 1 
2

a) b)  
( 2m 2 n 2 ) 3  ( a  7 b 8 )  4 

 a 2 b 
3
 a 5b 2 
c)  3    3 
 
1
x x 
2 mn m 3 n

x 
d)
3m n 2
 c   c 

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Example 5: Evaluate
a) 34 b) 7 1 c) 8 2

1 2
0 1 2
d) 9 e)   f)  
3 5

g)  80 h)  (2)0 i) (2)3

Example 6: Simplify. Show your work.

a) 3  3
2 2
b) 2 2
 23 
2

Example 7: Express as a power with a positive exponent.

9
a) 25 b) c) 9
49

Example 8: Express as a power with a negative exponent.

1 81
a) b) c) 0.16
16 25

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Scientific Notation
We use scientific notation as a short form for really large numbers or really small numbers.

Ex: 5 900 000 000 = 5.9 109 you move the decimal point to the left and
you have a positive exponent.
7
Ex: 0.000 000 75 = 7.5 10 you move the decimal point to the right and
you have a negative exponent.
Scientific notation is in the form of a 10 - where 1  a  10
n

Example 1: Express in scientific notation.

a) 2 600 000 b) 0.000 000 45

Example 2: Express the number in the expanded form.

a) 7.1  106 b) 3.9 108

Example 3: Use scientific notation to simplify.

684 000 000 000 ×0.000 000 075
a) 78 100 000 × 600 000 b)
45 000 000

Example 4: The half-life of uranium-238 is 4.5 ×109 years.

The half life of uranium- 234 is 25 ×104 years. How many times greater is the half life of
uranium -238 than that of uranium-234?

Example 5: The population of the Earth is estimated at 6.3  10 9 people. The Earth’s land area is
approximately 1.5  108 km2. What is the population density in people per square
kilometer?

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