I am trying to help my son (13 yrs old) learn exponents. Ive got squares and cubes sussed but higher than that I struggle. Anyone got any simple analogies?
2006-06-14 00:19:20 · 5 answers · asked by David M 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Mathematics
usually they'd use it in engineering
addition:
well, they use in the alogarithm form.i don't know any 'simple' analogy but the easiest way to explain to a child might be, they use it in engineering to calculate the strength of structures and stuffs like that.
try http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exponentiation
2006-06-14 00:37:59 · answer #1 · answered by nick ramsey 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Probably a bit above your son's level, but the only "simple" formula I can rember that involves higher powers than cubes is the the one that links the power per unit area emitted by a black body to its temperature.
2006-06-14 02:35:20 · answer #2 · answered by Stephan B 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are no real-life examples of powers of 4 and 5.
2006-06-14 01:23:24 · answer #3 · answered by Chie 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You don't mean powers of 4 and 5, do you? Like 4 raised to a power? That's not what you mean.
You mean exponents of 4 and 5, yes?
2006-06-14 00:39:27 · answer #4 · answered by ? 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
when i was 13 i understood it as 7 to the power of 4 is just 7 squared squared
2006-06-14 01:35:27 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋