Using Exponents in Algebra
You might like to read the page on Exponents first.
Whole Number Exponents
The exponent "n" in an tells you to multiply a by itself,
so there are n of those a's: |
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Example: 53 = 5 × 5 × 5 = 125
- In words: 53 could be called "5 to the third power", "5 to the power 3" or simply
"5 cubed"
Negative Exponents
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A negative exponent a-n is equal to 1/an (1 divided by the positive exponent) |
Example: 5-3 = 1/53 = 1/125 = 0.008
By just changing the signs we get:
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A positive exponent an is equal to 1/a-n (1 divided by the negative exponent) |
So, we can move an expression between the top and bottom (numerator and denominator) of a fraction by simply changing the sign of
the exponent.
Example: 5-3 = 1/53 = 1/125 = 0.008
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