Exponents Activity

Monday, October 08, 2012 10:47 AM

Part 1

The base is the bottom number. The power or the exponent is the top number. The base tells me a certain number and the exponent tells me how many times I need to multiply that number by itself. An example would be . 4 is the base and 2 is the exponent or power. The exponent tells me that I have to multiply 4 by itself like 4 x 4. A power or an exponent is a shortcut from having to write out a whole equation such as 4*4*4*4*4*4 instead you could write . When you use exponents or powers it could also be used as geometry. When you say you are saying that it is like a line and it is in first dimension. The first dimension is a line. When you say it's like saying that it is a flat shape or in the 2nd dimension. The 2nd dimension is any shape that is flat. When you say you are saying that it is like a cube or in the 3rd dimension. The 3rd dimension is anything that pops out like a cube or a sphere.

Part 2
Base Exponent Meaning Value

2
2 2 2 2 2 2

4
3 2 1 0 -1 -2

2*2*2*2
2*2*2 2*2 2 2/2 1/2*1 1/2*1/2

16
8 4 2 1 1/2 1/4

2
2

-3
-4

1/2*1/2*1/2

1/8

1/2*1/2*1/2*1/2 1/16

As you increase the exponent, what is operation happening to the base? It is being multiplied Starting with the exponent of 4, as you decrease each exponent, what operation is happening to the base? It is being divided

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. 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?
Introduction to Exponents Page 1

exponent increases each time? Yes it does because you are multiplying by 2 while you are increasing the exponent. Does the pattern work from 2^4 to 2^-4 as the exponent decreases each time? Yes it does because you are dividing by 2 while you are decreasing the exponent

Part 3 Use constants to help you think through what happens with variables in the following list of questions.

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? x^2 4.What do you get when you divide x by x? x^0 5.What do you get when you multiply x by x by x? x^3 6.What about x by x by x by x by x? x^5 7.What do you get when you multiply x^2 by x? x^3 8.What about x^2 by x^3? X^5 9.What about x^4 by x^6? x^10 10.Come up with a rule that explains what happens when you multiply same bases.
You would multiply the bases and then you would add the exponents together

1.What do you get when you divide x by x? x^0 or 1 2.What do you get when you multiply x^2 by x? x^3 3.What about x^4 by x^2? x^6 4.What do you get when you divide x^5 by x^3? x^2 5.What about x^6 by x? x^5
Introduction to Exponents Page 2

4.What do you get when you divide x^5 by x^3? x^2 5.What about x^6 by x? x^5 6.Come up with a rule that explains what happens when you divide same bases.
You would find the value of the numbers and then divide the numbers. You would subtract exponents.

For example 2^5/2^4 would be 2 because you would do 32/16 which is 2. For the exponent you would subtract 5 and 4 to get 1. The answer would be 2^1 or 2 1.What do you get when you square x^3? x^6 2.What do you get when you square x^4? x^8 3.What do you get when you cube x^2? x^6 4.What do you get when you raise x^3 to the fourth power? x^12 5.What do you get when you raise x^2 to the fifth power? x^10 6.Come up with a rule that explains what happens when you raise a base with an exponent by an exponent.
If the base was x you would keep the base the same and then multiply the exponent that is attached to the base with the exponent that is outside out of the parenthesis. An example would be (x^2)^3. You would keep the base the same so it would be x and then you would multiply 2*3 to get 6. So the answer would be x^6. If you had any number you would multiply the number as many times as the exponent that is attached to it tells you to do. Then you would multiply that by the number of times that the exponent on the outside tells you to do. An example would be (2^1)^4. First you would do (2^ 1) which is 2. Then you would do (2*2*2*2) which would equal 16. After that you would multiply those numbers together and get 32. then you multiply the exponents. They are 1*4 so the exponent would be 4. So the answer would be 32^4

Introduction to Exponents Page 3