EXPONENT RULES & PRACTICE

1. PRODUCT RULE: To multiply when two bases are the same, write the base and ADD the exponents.

 ·
 

Examples:

A.   ·    B. 2 · 2  2 C.          

2. QUOTIENT RULE: To divide when two bases are the same, write the base and SUBTRACT the exponents.






Examples:

   
A.   B. 3 C.  
   

3. ZERO EXPONENT RULE: Any base (except 0) raised to the zero power is equal to one.

  
Examples:

A.    1 B. 6  1 C. 7  
!   1

4. POWER RULE: To raise a power to another power, write the base and MULTIPLY the exponents.

  
·
Examples:

A.       B. 3   3 C. "    " 

5. EXPANDED POWER RULE:




# 
 # $# %  # 
Examples:

A. 2   2 
8 
 '  (
)
*
C. $  %  )
 )
B. 6    6     36 
     
D. $ %        
+ ,

6. NEGATIVE EXPONENTS: If a factor in the numerator or denominator is moved across the fraction bar, the sign
of the exponent is changed.
 
 # 

 

-

 $# %  $
%
Examples:
 
A.      B. 4     C. /4     
 
    E. 3  /2    /6     
D. $  %  $  %   ,
0 - 1 1 2 ) 3 
   ) *
F.
2 -) 3 -4 0 G. /2     $ )
%  $

% 
)

CAUTION: / 5  For example: /3 5 

REMEMBER: An exponent applies to only the factor it is directly next to unless parentheses enclose other factors.
Examples:
A. /3  /3/3  9 B. /3  /9
 EXPONENTS PRACTICE
Simplify:

1. 3 · 4 15.
,
27.
 -4
   -*
 
2. 4 · 2  ,

16. 28.
3.   ·    )  -7

4. 2  · 2 
 29. :  : :  
17. $ %
 )  -)
 30.
5.  ->
   
18. $ % ,
)  
31.
6.  -*
7 19.  +
   -
7. 8  32.
20. 7 ,
8. /9 33. 2    
21.  -
9.    )  -)
34.
22. 7
10.   -)

 7 23.   ·   35. 4   

11. )
24.   36. 5 2   
 
12. +0 1 2 @
 25.  < ·  + 37. $ 0 1)2  %
13. 289  89 26. =   = =   
 0 1 2 @
14. 2:;  :; 38. $ 0 12 7 %

EXPONENTS PRACTICE ANSWERS

1. 192 16.  29. B)
2. 8   4
17.
 > 30.  
3. 
* 31. 2
 18.
4. 4  4,
32.
),
5. 36 19.  7
,
33.
6. 20. ,
 <
7. 1 21.  
34.
7

8. /1 22. 16   4
35.
 4
9.  23.   ,
10.   36.

24.  ,
11. 3  37.
0) 1 ) 2 4
25.  
12. 2  <1  2 4)
26. A 38.
13. 48 + 9  0

14. 16:  ; 27.  +


15.   28. 4