please help me about learning exponents in math, there so confusing?

Answer 1

The exponent indicates how many times a numger is mulitplied by itself. So x^2 is x times x, x^3 is x times x times x, etc. A negative exponent means you divide. so x^-2 = 1/x^2, x^-3 = 1/x^3, etc.
When the exponent is a fraction it means you are taking that root of something, so x^(1/2) = the square root of x, x^(1/3) = the cube root of x, etc.

this site has more info with a tutorial:
http://www.math.com/school/subject1/lessons/S1U1L8GL.html

Answer 2

True... above was the first with the correct answer. An exponent is NOT, as stated in the first answer in the list, "the number of times you multiply a number by itself". EXAMPLE: If you take 5 and multiply it by itself two times, you get 5 cubed.

Watch closely.

Take 5

5

Multiply that 5 by itself a first time:

5 x 5

Now multiply that 5 by itself a second time:

5 x 5 x 5

See, you get 5^3

So the exponent 3 says multiply a number by itself 2 times.

If you want 5^2, you just need to use 5 as a factor 2 times. Now the exponent and the directions for setting up the calculations match numerically.

To multiply numbers with exponents becomes very simple if you keep this definition in mind, Let's say you want to multiply (5^2)(5^7). 5^2 says you have 2 factors of 5 and 5^7 says you have 7 factors of 5. If you have 2 of something and seven more of the SAME thing, how many of those things do you have? You have 2+7 of them! This is why we ADD exponents when we are multiplying numbers involving exponents.

Notice I highlighted SAME. (x^2)(y^2) is NOT (xy)^4. x and y are not the same thing. What would you have if you had 2 screwdrivers and 2 hammers? Would you have 4 scrammers? NO! What if you called the 2 screwdrivers by the name 2 tools and you identified the 2 hammers as 2 tools, also? Would you have 4 tools? YES!, because you are adding things with the SAME name.

The math expression (x^2)(y^2) simply states that you have 2 factors of x and 2 factors of y. Do you have 4 of any one thing? NO! You have 2 of one thing and 2 of a different thing. You cannot make that statement any simpler. They must have the SAME NAME.

Take the math expression(x^2)(y^3)(x^3). This can be simplified. This statement says you have 2 factors of x, 3 factors of y , and 3 MORE factors of x. In total, how many factors of x do you have? 2 of them plus 3 more of them makes 5 of them. You cannot include the ys because they are NOT xs. The simplest way to write this expression is (x^5)(y^3)

Exponents really are simple if you just remember an exponent is just a shorthand way of telling how many of a particular kind of factor are included in an expression. Wouldn't you agree that x^55 is a whole lot easier to write and visualize than xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx..., repeating x 55 times as a factor?Try it. Count the xs and see if I typed the correct number of x factors. Do your eyes go buggy after counting about six or seven? Now, try to imagine math without exponents! Aren't you glad we have exponents?

P.S. For some reason, all the factors of x I typed don't seem to show up in the final posted version. Use your imagination.

Answer 3

Lesson 1 => a.a = ? => a^1 +1= a^2 (just add exponents)

a^4 .a^2 = a^ 4+2 = a^6

In general => a^m . a^n = a^ m+n with m>n


Lesson 2 =>(a^4)/ (a^2) = a^ 4 - 2= a^2 (just substract exponents)

(a^12)/ (a^3) = a^ 12 - 3= a^9

In general => (a^m)/ (a^n) = a^m - n with m>n and

a^n not equal to zero.


Lesson 3 => (4) ^ 1/2 = sqrt 4 = 2

(100)^ 1/2 = sqrt 100 = 10

In general => k ^ 1/2 = sqrt k = a (a take a fix value)
(k >= 0)



Good luck!

Answer 4

Base and Exponent
The exponent tells us how many times the base is used as a factor

2° is equal to 1 (any number raised to zero is 1)
2² is equal to 2x2 =4 2 raised to the second power
2³ is equal to 2x2x2 =8 2 raised to the 3rd power
3² is equal to 3x3=9 3 raised to the 2nd power

:)

Answer 5

Adam,

Do you have an exponent question I can help you with?

If you interested in learning the basics of exponents, go to:

www.aaamath.com

Guido

Answer 6

2 squared means 2x2= 4. 5 cubed is 5X5x5=75. (3+2)squared= 5 squared=25. When multiplying, add exponets. 5 squared x 5cubed= five to the fifth power. 5x5x5x5x5=3125. When dividing, subtrat exponets. 4 to the 4th power divided by 4 squared=4x4x4x4 divided by 4x4= 4 squared = 16. any number or letter to the zero power is 1. any number without an exponet is to the first power, or that number. Example: 5 is five to the first power, or 5.

Answer 7

a^n/a^m= a^(n-m)
a^n*a^m= a^(n+m)
(a^n)^m= a^(nm)
a^(n/m)= m rt(a^n)

Special exponent:
2^n-2^(n-1)= 2^(n-1)

EDIT
ex. n=3 m=3
a^n*a^m = a*a*a*a*a*a= a^6
a^n/a^m=a*a*a/a*a*a= 1
(a^n)^m= a^(m*n)= a*a*a*a*a*a*a*a*a= a^9
a^(n/m)= cube rt (a*a*a)= a

Answer 8

webmath.com