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Key equations

Rules of Exponents
For nonzero real numbers a and b and integers m and n
Product rule a m a n = a m + n
Quotient rule a m a n = a m n
Power rule ( a m ) n = a m n
Zero exponent rule a 0 = 1
Negative rule a n = 1 a n
Power of a product rule ( a b ) n = a n b n
Power of a quotient rule ( a b ) n = a n b n

Key concepts

  • Products of exponential expressions with the same base can be simplified by adding exponents. See [link] .
  • Quotients of exponential expressions with the same base can be simplified by subtracting exponents. See [link] .
  • Powers of exponential expressions with the same base can be simplified by multiplying exponents. See [link] .
  • An expression with exponent zero is defined as 1. See [link] .
  • An expression with a negative exponent is defined as a reciprocal. See [link] and [link] .
  • The power of a product of factors is the same as the product of the powers of the same factors. See [link] .
  • The power of a quotient of factors is the same as the quotient of the powers of the same factors. See [link] .
  • The rules for exponential expressions can be combined to simplify more complicated expressions. See [link] .
  • Scientific notation uses powers of 10 to simplify very large or very small numbers. See [link] and [link] .
  • Scientific notation may be used to simplify calculations with very large or very small numbers. See [link] and [link] .

Section exercises

Verbal

Is 2 3 the same as 3 2 ? Explain.

No, the two expressions are not the same. An exponent tells how many times you multiply the base. So 2 3 is the same as 2 × 2 × 2 , which is 8. 3 2 is the same as 3 × 3 , which is 9.

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When can you add two exponents?

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What is the purpose of scientific notation?

It is a method of writing very small and very large numbers.

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Explain what a negative exponent does.

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Numeric

For the following exercises, simplify the given expression. Write answers with positive exponents.

For the following exercises, write each expression with a single base. Do not simplify further. Write answers with positive exponents.

4 2 × 4 3 ÷ 4 −4

4 9

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( 12 3 × 12 ) 10

12 40

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7 −6 × 7 −3

1 7 9

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For the following exercises, express the decimal in scientific notation.

0.0000314

3.14 × 10 5

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For the following exercises, convert each number in scientific notation to standard notation.

1.6 × 10 10

16,000,000,000

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Algebraic

For the following exercises, simplify the given expression. Write answers with positive exponents.

a b 2 ÷ d −3

a b 2 d 3

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p −4 q 2 p 2 q −3

q 5 p 6

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( y 7 ) 3 ÷ x 14

y 21 x 14

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( 9 z 3 ) −2 y

y 81 z 6

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Real-world applications

To reach escape velocity, a rocket must travel at the rate of 2.2 × 10 6 ft/min. Rewrite the rate in standard notation.

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A dime is the thinnest coin in U.S. currency. A dime’s thickness measures 1.35 × 10 −3 m. Rewrite the number in standard notation.

0.00135 m

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The average distance between Earth and the Sun is 92,960,000 mi. Rewrite the distance using scientific notation.

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A terabyte is made of approximately 1,099,500,000,000 bytes. Rewrite in scientific notation.

1.0995 × 10 12

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The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the United States in the first quarter of 2014 was $ 1.71496 × 10 13 . Rewrite the GDP in standard notation.

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One picometer is approximately 3.397 × 10 −11 in. Rewrite this length using standard notation.

0.00000000003397 in.

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The value of the services sector of the U.S. economy in the first quarter of 2012 was $10,633.6 billion. Rewrite this amount in scientific notation.

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Technology

For the following exercises, use a graphing calculator to simplify. Round the answers to the nearest hundredth.

( 12 3 m 33 4 −3 ) 2

12,230,590,464 m 66

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Extensions

For the following exercises, simplify the given expression. Write answers with positive exponents.

( 3 2 a 3 ) −2 ( a 4 2 2 ) 2

a 14 1296

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( 6 2 −24 ) 2 ÷ ( x y ) −5

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m 2 n 3 a 2 c −3 a −7 n −2 m 2 c 4

n a 9 c

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( x 6 y 3 x 3 y −3 y −7 x −3 ) 10

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( ( a b 2 c ) −3 b −3 ) 2

1 a 6 b 6 c 6

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Avogadro’s constant is used to calculate the number of particles in a mole. A mole is a basic unit in chemistry to measure the amount of a substance. The constant is 6.0221413 × 10 23 . Write Avogadro’s constant in standard notation.

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Planck’s constant is an important unit of measure in quantum physics. It describes the relationship between energy and frequency. The constant is written as 6.62606957 × 10 −34 . Write Planck’s constant in standard notation.

0.000000000000000000000000000000000662606957

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Questions & Answers

how to study physic and understand
Ewa Reply
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Moses
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the transfer of energy by a force that causes an object to be displaced; the product of the component of the force in the direction of the displacement and the magnitude of the displacement
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The full note of modern physics
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introduction to applications of nuclear physics
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yes
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Show that the equal masses particles emarge from collision at right angle by making explicit used of fact that momentum is a vector quantity
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A wave is described by the function D(x,t)=(1.6cm) sin[(1.2cm^-1(x+6.8cm/st] what are:a.Amplitude b. wavelength c. wave number d. frequency e. period f. velocity of speed.
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A body is projected upward at an angle 45° 18minutes with the horizontal with an initial speed of 40km per second. In hoe many seconds will the body reach the ground then how far from the point of projection will it strike. At what angle will the horizontal will strike
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Suppose hydrogen and oxygen are diffusing through air. A small amount of each is released simultaneously. How much time passes before the hydrogen is 1.00 s ahead of the oxygen? Such differences in arrival times are used as an analytical tool in gas chromatography.
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the science concerned with describing the interactions of energy, matter, space, and time; it is especially interested in what fundamental mechanisms underlie every phenomenon
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nuclei having the same Z and different N s
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Practice Key Terms 1

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Source:  OpenStax, Algebra and trigonometry. OpenStax CNX. Nov 14, 2016 Download for free at https://legacy.cnx.org/content/col11758/1.6
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