Exponent Activity

Monday, October 08, 2012 10:43 AM

The base of a power indicates the factor being multiplied. The little number above the base is the power, also known as an exponent. It tells how many factors in the repeated multiplication. The base and the power tells you to multiply the power, hoe many ever times needed, by the big number (the base). The power is the shortcut to multiplying the number over again. Instead of writing 4*4*4 you can write 43. You can write the answer in picture form. For example, 32 is the same thing as:

2x2x2x2 2x2x2 2x2 2 0 -2 -2x2 -2x-2x-2 -2x2x2x2

16 8 4 2 0 -2 -4 -8 -16

Start with 2 to the first power. As you increase the exponent, what is operation happening to the base? How many times to multiplies changes and gets bigger. Starting with the exponent of 4, as you decrease each exponent, what operation is happening to the base? The base is decreasing because how many times you multiply it is decreasing. Now, decrease the exponent from 1 to 0 and using the pattern you have
Introduction to Exponents Page 1

Now, decrease the exponent from 1 to 0 and using the pattern you have discovered, determine the value of 2 to the 0 power and fill in the table. It is 0 because its like multiplying 2x0.
Continue with this pattern to fill out the rest of the table. Double check your table. Does the pattern work from 2^-4 to 2^4 as the exponent increases each time?

Yes the exponent value increases. Does the pattern work from 2^4 to 2^-4 as the exponent increases each time?
No, the exponent value decreases.
1. What do you get when you add x by x? 2x 2. What do you get when you subtract x by x? 0 3. What do you get when you multiply x by x? x1 4. What do you get when you divide x by x? x1 5. What do you get when you multiply x by x by x? x3 6. What about x by x by x by x by x? x5 7. What do you get when you multiply x^2 by x? x3 8. What about x^2 by x^3? x5 9. What about x^4 by x^6? x10 10. Come up with a rule that explains what happens when you multiply same bases. When you multiply the same bases you get itself times how many ever times you need to multiply. 1. What do you get when you divide x by x? x1 2. What do you get when you multiply x^2 by x? x3 3. What about x^4 by x^2? x6
Introduction to Exponents Page 2

x6 4. What do you get when you divide x^5 by x^3? x2 5. What about x^6 by x? x5 6. Come up with a rule that explains what happens when you divide same bases. You can cross out varibles that are the same to get 1 for each of them and then count how many you have left and thats what the power is. Ex. x^5 by x^3

1. What do you get when you square x^3? x6 2. What do you get when you square x^4? x8 3. What do you get when you cube x^2? x6 4. What do you get when you raise x^3 to the fourth power? x12 5. What do you get when you raise x^2 to the fifth power? x10 6. Come up with a rule that explains what happens when you raise a base with an exponent by an exponent. Example: x^3 The first step is too put the base (x) and what its being multiplied by (3) in parenthesis (x3). Then because its squared you would put a 2 on the outside of the parenthesis (x3) 2 and then you do the math from there and find out the answer is x 6.

Introduction to Exponents Page 3