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Understanding Exponents for Grade 10

The document introduces exponential notation, explaining its utility in representing large and small numbers, particularly in fields like astronomy and engineering. It outlines key exponent identities and provides examples of how to apply these rules, including the treatment of negative bases. The document emphasizes the importance of expressing final answers with positive exponents and offers guidance on when to use exponential notation versus standard form.

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Paula Fana
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3K views4 pages

Understanding Exponents for Grade 10

The document introduces exponential notation, explaining its utility in representing large and small numbers, particularly in fields like astronomy and engineering. It outlines key exponent identities and provides examples of how to apply these rules, including the treatment of negative bases. The document emphasizes the importance of expressing final answers with positive exponents and offers guidance on when to use exponential notation versus standard form.

Uploaded by

Paula Fana
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

EXPONENTS – GRADE 10

INTRODUCTION 
Exponential notation is a short way of writing the same number multiplied by
itself many times. This is very useful in everyday life.
You may have heard someone describe the size of an area in square meters
or square kilometers. For example, the largest radio telescope in the world is
being built in South Africa. The telescope is called the square kilometer array, or
SKA. This is because the telescope will occupy an area of 11 kilometer
by 11 kilometer or 11 kilometer squared.
Exponents are also very useful to describe very large and very small numbers. For
example, the SKA will be detecting incredibly weak signals from objects which are
so far away that to write out the strength of the signal or the number of
kilometers away in full would be impractical. Outside of astronomy, exponents
are used by many other professions such as computer programmers, engineers,
economists, financial analysts, biologists and demographers.
If you want to know more about how exponents are used then take a look at the
following presentation.
You have already been introduced to exponents and exponent laws in previous
grades. Remember that exponents can also be called indices or powers.
Exponential notation is as follows:

For any real number a and natural number n, we can write a multiplied by


itself n times as: a n.
Remember the following identities:
 1. a n=a × a× a × ⋯ ×a ¿
2. a 0=1(a ≠ 0 because 00  is undefined)
−n 1 1
3. a = n (a ≠ 0 because  0  is undefined)
a
1
4. Similarly,  −n
=an
a

Look at the following examples to see these identities in action:


 
3 ×3=32=9

5 ×5 ×5 ×5=54

p × p × p= p3

(3 x )0=1

 
1 1
2− 4= =
2 16
4

1
−x
=5 x
5

 If your final answer is easier to work out without a calculator, then write it
out in full - not in exponential notation, as in examples 1 and 5.
 It is convention to write your final answer with positive exponents.
Mathematics cards
3 × 4=3+3+3+3=12
3 4=3 ×3 ×3 × 3=81 (−3 )2= (−3 ) × (−3 )=+ 9
(−3 )3 =(−3 ) × (−3 ) × (−3 )=−27
If Base is negative :
Even power  Positive result
Odd power  Negative result
2 ×4=¿ (−4 )2=¿
24 =¿ (−4 )5=¿
5 ×2=¿ (−8 )2 =¿
52=¿ (−8 )3 =¿
2 ×5=¿ (−5 ) 4=¿
25=¿ (−5 )3 =¿
7 ×3=¿ (−2 )1=¿
73 =¿ (−2 )2=¿
8 ×3=¿ (−11 )2 =¿
83 =¿ (−11 )1 =¿
5 ×7=¿ (−9 )3 =¿
57 =¿ (−9 )2=¿
1 ×6=¿ (−7 )2 =¿
16=¿ (−7 )1 =¿
a 0=1(a ≠ 0 because 00  is undefined) and 11=1

and (−1)2=1(−1)3=−1

30 =1 (−1)1000=1
(−5 )0 =1 (−1 )57=−1
10=¿ (−1)10=¿
(−3 )0 =¿ (−1 )13=¿
100 =¿ (−1)103 =¿
(−18 )0 =¿ (−1 )5 04=¿
70 =¿ (−1)10000=¿
(−8 )0=¿ (−1 )20 5 4=¿
20=¿ (−1)1 2=¿
(−7 )0 =¿ (−1 )5 07=¿
110 =¿ (−1)512=¿
(−9 )0=¿ (−1 )215 =¿
4 0=¿ (−1)17 =¿
(−25 )0 =¿ (−1 )100 =¿
1 30=¿ (−1)300 =¿
(−8 )0=¿ (−1 )5 01=¿

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