Integer and Negative Exponents

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Taught by TheMathDude
  • Currently 4.0/5 Stars.
6801 views | 1 rating
Part of video series
Meets NCTM Standards:
Lesson Summary:

In this lesson on integer and negative exponents, the focus is on understanding how to find the value of exponents and what they mean. The instructor emphasizes the concept of repeated multiplication, which helps in figuring out oddball problems involving negative exponents. They also provide a helpful rule for dealing with multiple factors being raised and explain the importance of understanding the notation. The lesson concludes by touching on the definition of exponents and reductions, leaving the more advanced topics of radicals and rational exponents for the next part of the lesson.

Lesson Description:

A look at positive and negative exponents, what they mean, and how to find their value.

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Questions answered by this video:
  • What is an exponent?
  • What does it mean for an exponent to be negative?
  • What does (-2)^2 or (-2)^3 mean?
  • Why does -2^2 equal -4?
  • How do you simplify an expression raised to an exponent like (2*3)^3?
  • What happens if you have an exponent raised to another exponent?
  • How do you evaluate (2^2*3^3)^4?
  • How can you remember the rules of exponents?
  • What is a reciprocal and what does it mean?
  • How do you find the reciprocal of a number?
  • What does it mean to raise a number to the 0 power?
  • What is 3^0?
  • How do you raise a number to a negative exponent?
  • What does (1/4)^-2 equal?
  • How do you simplify 4^5/4^2?
  • How do you simplify rational exponent expressions with variables and exponents on the top and bottom of a fraction?
  • Staff Review

    • Currently 4.0/5 Stars.
    This lesson explains the idea of an exponents, and goes through integer exponents - both positive and negative. Several examples of numbers raised to exponents are shown and explained.