Finish Line & Beyond

Exponents and Power

1. Numbers with negative exponents obey the following laws of exponents.

(a) am × an = amn
(b) am ÷ an = am–n
(c) (am)n = amn
(d) am × bm = (ab)m
(e) a0 = 1
(f) am/ bm =(a/b)m
2. Very small numbers can be expressed in standard form using negative exponents.

Exercise 1
1. Evaluate.
(i) 3–2

1 1
Answer: 3–2 = =
3² 9

(ii) (– 4)– 2

1 1
Answer: (– 4)– 2 = =
− 4² 16

1 -2 1 -2 1 -2
(iii)( ) +( ) +( )
2 3 4

1 -2 1 -2 1 -2
Answer: ( ) +( ) +( )
2 3 4
= 2²+3²+4² = 4+9+16 = 29

2. Simplify and express the result in power notation with positive exponent.
(i) (– 4)5 ÷ (– 4)8

Answer: am ÷ an = am-n
So, (– 4)5 ÷ (– 4)8
=(-4)5-8 = (-4)-3
1 1
=( )³ =
− 4 64
1
(ii) ( )²
2³
1
Answer: ( )²
2³
(am)n = amn

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1
Hence, ( )²
2³
1
= 1/26 =
64

5
(iii) (-3) × ( )
3
=3 × 5 ÷ 3 (the power on 3 is even so -3 = 3)
=5=625
Another way of solving is using am ÷ an = am-n
So, -3 ÷ 3=-3°=1

(iv) (3–7 ÷ 3–10) × 3–5

Answer: Using am ÷ an = am-n
(3–7 ÷ 3–10) = 3-7+10 = 3

Hence, (3–7 ÷ 3–10) × 3–5

=3 × 3–5
Now, am × an=am+n
Hence, =3 × 3–5
=33-5=3-2
1 1
= =
3² 9
(v) 2– 3 × (–7)–3

Answer: 2– 3 × (–7)–3
1 1
= ×
2³ − 7³
1 1 1
= × =
8 243 1944
3. Find the value of.
(i) (3° + 4–1) × 22

Answer: (3° + 4–1) × 22

1
= (1+ )× 4
4
5
= × 4= 5
4
(ii) (2–1 × 4–1) ÷ 2–2
1 1 1
Answer: × ÷
2 4 2× 2
1 1 1
= × × 4=
2 4 2
(iii) (3–1 + 4–1 + 5–1)0

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 Finish Line & Beyond

Answer: aº=1
Hence, (3–1 + 4–1 + 5–1)0 = 1

− 2 -2
(iv)(( ) )²
3
Answer: (am)n =amn
− 2 -2
Hence, (( ) )²
3
− 2 -4
=( )
3
3
=( )
− 2
81
=
16

4. Evaluate
(i) 8-1 × 4³ ÷ 2-4
1 1
Answer: × 64 ÷
8 16
1
= × 64 × 16 = 128
8

(ii) (5–1 × 2–1) × 6–1

1 1 1 1
Answer: = × × =
5 2 6 60
5. Find the value of m for which 5m ÷ 5–3 = 55

Answer: am = am-n
Here, m-n = 5 and n = -3
So, m = 5+(-3)=2

6. Evaluate
1 -1 1 -1 -1
(i) (( ) -( ) )
3 4
Answer: (3-4)-1 = (-1)-1 =-1

5 -7 8 -4
(ii) ( ) × ( )
8 5

8 7 5 4
Answer: =( ) × ( )
5 8

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 Finish Line & Beyond

=87/84 × 54/57
1 512
= 8³ × =
5³ 125

7. Simplify.
(i) (25 × t-4) ÷ (5-3 × 10 × t-8) ( t ≠ 0)

Answer: (25 × t-4) ÷ (5-3 × 10 × t-8)

=(5² × t-4) ÷ (5-3 × 5 × 2 × t-8)
= 52+2 × t-4+8 ÷ 2
= 5 × t ÷ 2

(ii) (3-5 × 10-5 × 125) ÷ (5-7 × 6-5)

Answer: (3-5 × 10-5 × 125) ÷ (5-7 × 6-5)
= (3-5 × 5-5 × 2-5 × 5) ÷ (5-7 × 6-5)
= (3-5 × 5-5+3 × 2-5) ÷ (5-7 × 6-5)
= (3-5 × 5-2 × 2-5) ÷ (5-7 × 3-5 × 2-5)
= (3-5+5 × 5-2+7 × 2-5+5)
= (30 × 55 × 20)
=1 × 3125=3125

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