Exponents

Exponent
2 is the exponent of
Coefficient
is the base
3 is the coefficient of

Base

Law 1: a x  a y  a x y Like bases being multiplied, keep the base and add the
exponents of that base.

*Remember to do : 1. Signs 2. Coefficients 3.Variables (bases)

REMEMBER
Examples:

1. y  y Like bases: y
4 7
2. 2 x 2  4 x6 Coefficients: 2; 4
Like bases: x
 y 47 Keep the base and add exponents  2  4  x 2 6

 y11  8x8

‘invisible’ 1
3. 5a  2a  3a
2 2
exponent 4. 2  23 Like bases: 2
 5  2  3  a 2 21  213
1. Signs Keep the base and add exponents
 30a5  24
2. Coefficients: 2; 4 Exponential form
3. Variables: Like bases:  16
a

5. x y  x y Like bases: x; y Like bases: a; b

2 4 3 2
6. 3a 2b 2  4ab3
 x 23 . y 4 2  3  4  a 21  b 2 3
Keep the base and
 x5 y 6 Keep the base and 12a 3b5
for add exponents for
add exponents EACH particular
EACH particular BASE
BASE
 Exercise 1

Simplify the following ( Leave the answers in exponential form)

A 1. x  x  5x  5x2 
4 2
11.
2. 2  2 
4 3
12. 82  85 

3. p  p 
3
13. 8 x 2  4 x5 
4. 3  3 
3 5
14. 12 126 

5. y  y 
2 10
15. 12a  3a 6  a 2 
6. 5  5  9 x 5  6 x 2 
13
16.
7. 7  7  x2  x4  x 
2 3
17.
8. a  a  2a 2  3a 3 
5 5
18.
9. 2  2 
a b
19. 2 x 2 y  4 xy 6 

10. 3x  4 x 
3 2
20. ( a 4 )(2a 2 )(3a) 

B
1. x  y 
2 3
13. 4a 2b  2ab 2 
2. a  a  6c 2 d 2  2c 3d 4 
5
14.
3. b  b 
4 4
15. (2 ab 2 )(3a 2b)(5ab) 

4. 3  3  2a 3b 4  b 2c  c 5 a 2 
13 3
16.
5. c  c 
7 7
17. ( 2b 2 )( 3b 4 ) 

6. ( a )( a )  ( 5 x 3 )(2 x 4 ) 
7 8
18.
7. a  a  a  7 x 2  2 x   x 
2 4 6
19.
8. e .e .e 
4 2 3
20. (5a 2 )(2a 2 )(3a 2 ) 

9. 2 p  4 p  (25 )(23 ) 
2 5
21.
10. 4b  6b 
4 6
22. 44  43 
11. 3a  4a  2a 
2
23. 2 2  2 4 

12. 5 y  3 y  2 y 
2 3 2
24. 2  2a 2b 2  2a3b 
 Like bases being divided, keep the base and subtract the
exponents of that base.

ax x y ax 1
y a where x  y y  y  x where y  x
Law 2: a or a a

Top exponent is BIGGER than bottom exponent. Bottom exponent is BIGGER than top exponent.

TOP exponent – BOTTOM exponent Bottom exponent – Top exponent

Write at the TOP Write at the BOTTOM

Example: Exponent in bigger on top Exponent is bigger on bottom

a6 x10
4 Write the answer at the TOP of the
1. a fraction 2. x14
Write the answer at the bottom
of the fraction
a 6 4 1
  14 10
1 3. Keep the base x
1. Keep the base
4. top exponent – bottom exponent
a2 1 2. bottom exponent – top exponent
 
1 x4
 a2

e5 f 3 d Deal with each base individually

2 5
3. e f
e5 2 d

f 5 3
e3 d

f2
Exercise 3

Simplify the following without expanding

a9 4 x 2
 
1. a
2
8. 2 x 3
7
12b 3ab 2
2
 
2. 3b 9. 12a 2b5
4x 10a 4b5
 
3. 2 y 10. 5a 2b 2
 6 x 5 12a 6b6
4
 
4. 4 x 11. 3a 2b6
4
x 12de4
4
 
5. 3x 12. 8d 3 e
3
x 4ab3c 2
 
6. x4 13. 8b 4 c 2
2
5 38
5
 
7. 5 14. 34

When raising a power to a further power, multiply exponents.

 a x   a x y
y

Law 3 : (abc d ) m  abmc d m

or

Examples:
4 3
1. (2d ) 2. (3ab3 ) 2
 213 d 43  31x 2 a12b12
 23 d 12  32 a 2b 2
 8d 12  9a 2b 6

3 2 32
3. (2 ) 4. 2
 232  29
 26  512
 64

Exercise 4

1. (a )  (3e) 2 
3 6
5.
2. (bc )  ( 2 x 2 y 3 ) 2 
3 2
6.
3. ( d ef )  (35 ) 2 
2 3 5
7.
2
4. (2 f ) 
3 4
8. 35 
5
 Exponents Assignment

Exercise 6 (No calculators)

Use the 1st law of exponents to write down the answers to the following:

A B C
C
1. a3  a 4 a 2 b 3  a 2b 4 a  33abc  2a 2b3c 3
2. b2  b4 b 4c 2  bc b  1 5 x 2 y 3  6 x 2 y 4
3. 4c  3c5 3c 3d 2  2cd c  22a 3b4 c 2  3ab 2 c3
4.  7 d 3  2d 5 d 4 e3  d 3e 2 d  1 abc 2  a 2bc
5. 2e3  3e6 x2 y5  x4 y3 e  1 x 2 y 3 z  2 x 2 yz 3
6. 3 f 3 5 f 3 e 2 d 2  d 4e 2 f  4 a 5b 4 c 2  a 2 b 3c 3
7. 10 x 2 11x5 x3 y 5  x 2 y 2 g 8 3abc  4a 2b3c 4
8. 2h5  3h 2 h3 k  h 4 k 2 h  4 2ab3  5a 4b 2
9. 3x 4  5 x 6 r 2d 3  r 4d 2 i  5 w3r 4  w4 r 3
10. j2  j7 j 5 m4  m 2 j 2 j  2 a 3 d 4 e 2  a 2 d 3 e5
11. 8k 3  2k 5 b 3c 2  b 4 c 5 k  3 2abc  3bac
l  2 x y  x y 8
2 3 3 4
12. 2 m 2  5m 3 3w5 p 2  2wp
13. 5m 2  m m3 p 5  pm6 m  32xy  2 yx   x 2 y 2
14. 3n 2  4n 6 ab6  b6 a 4 n  2 3ab 2  4a 2b
15. 12a 8 13a x 2 y 5 .x 3 y 4 o  3 d 3 e 4 f 2  d 4 e 2 f
16. p 2  3 p3 p 2 q3 p 4 q 4 p  2 2h 2 k   kh3
17. 3q  3q 3 qr  rq q  1 3e 4  2e 2  e4
18. r  r4 3 p 2 q 3   4 p 2 q 3 r  1 12d 3e4  2d 4 e 2
19. 4w3  3w5 5a 2b3c  2ab 2 c3 s  6  a 2 b 3  2a 2 b 2
20. 3t 5  2t 6 t 3  t 4 t  13ab3  2a 2b  3a 3b 4
Exercise 7 (No calculators )
Write down the answers to the following. Do not work out the final answer using a calculator:

A B
1. 32  33 33  32  22  24

2. 34  33 32  3  52  5

3. 24  25 42  43  32  33

4. 23  26 34  23  35  2

5. 42  43 32  33  24  23

6. 25  22 52  55  42  45

7. 52  53 34  22  33  25

8. 32  35 5  73  7 4  55

9. 62  65 215  225

10. 52  5 32  33  82  83

11. 103 104 23  33

12. 7 2  7 4 34  52  3  53

13. 24  25 23  52  32
Exercise 8
Work out the answers using the 2nd law of exponents:

A B C

1. a 4  a 3 a9  a 4 a 2  3a 9

2. b5  b 4 x13  x10 p5  4 p11

3. m6  m 4 r5  r 2 v 2  5v 6

4. b 6  b3 m5  m7 t 7  2t 9
5. w5  w5 k2  k5 2b3  b 4
6. e 7  e3 m 4  m7 5t  t 6
7. a8  a 5 x 4  x5 3b3  b5

8. y 4  y 3 b5  b 8 2a 3  a 7

Exercise 9
Work out the answers to the following using the 3 rd law of exponents. Cover the bottom half of the page first!

B C
A

1. ( x 2 )3 (5a 2 )3 ( a 2b3 ) 5
2. (a3 )4 (2w5 )3 (d 5 m 2 ) 2
3. (b 2 )5 (3b 4 ) 2 ( x 2 y 3 )3
4. ( j 2 )6 (3a 3 ) 2 ( a 2b3 ) 4
5. ( p 5 )4 (2b 4 )5 ( q 3 r 4 )5
6. ( g 5 )3 (3 x 4 )3 ( x 3 y 2 )5
7. (k 2 )7 (10a 3 )3 (b 4c 4 ) 2
8. (q 3 ) 2 (9d 5 ) 2 ( m 2 n )5
Exercise 10
Now a mixture of all three laws of exponents:

A B

1. (3a 2 )3 (3a 3 )3
2. 7 a 2  14a 3 (2b 2 )3  2b8
3. 3b 4  5a 3 7b 2  6b 2
4. 5a 4  a 4 (2 x 2 y 2 )3
5. 6a 4  3a 3 4 d 5  4 d 5
6. (3a 3b 4 )3 10a 3  100a 5
7. 12a 4  3a 3 (5d 2 )3  (2 d 3 ) 2
8. 6d  5cd 5 a 25  a 4
9. xy  x 2 y 5 4 xy  3xy 3
10. 7v  7v 12v 2  24v 3
11. (3t 4 ) 2 (5t 4 )2
12. ( j 2 kl 3 )3 5 jkl  j 3
13. p3  p2 (4a 2b3 ) 2
14. 8 gf  16 gf  fg   gf

15. 3k 2  2k 3 3k 3  k 2
16. ( pqr 3 ) 2 pqr  p 2 q 3 r 3
17. (5r 2 s)3 5rs 2  2rs
18. 2  y  y4 y  8  y8
19. 4n  ( 3n3 ) 7  ( pn 4 ) 2
20. 2a  5a 2 3w  w3
21. x  xyz 5 yx  2 x 2 y 5
22. 6d 2 ef  3def 2 (def 2 )5
23. (2ab3 ) 4 2bc  2cb
24. (4 xp 2 ) 2 (2 px 3 ) 4
 Exponents

Exercise 1
A 1. x6 2. 27 3. p4 4. 38 5. y12
14
6. 5 7. 75 8. a10 9. 2a b 10. 12x 5
11. 25x
3
12. 87 13. 32x 7 14. 127 15. 36a 9
16. 54x
7
17. x7 18. 6a5 19. 8x 3 y 7 20. 6a 7

B 1. x2 y3 2. a6 3. b8 4. 316 5. c14
6. a
15
7. a12 8. e9 9. 8 p7 10. 24b10
11. 24a
4
12. 30 y 7 13. 8a 3b3 14. 12c 5 d 6 15. 30a 4b 4
5 6 6
16. 2a b c 17. 6b6 18. 10x 7 19. 14x 4 20. 30a 6
21. 2
8
22. 47 23. 26 24. 8a 5b3

Exercise 3
2x 3 x 1
1. a 7
2. 4b 5
3. y 4. 2 5. 3
1 1 1 2 1

6. x 7.
3
5 125 8. x 9. 4ab3 10. 2a 2b3
3e3 a 34
 81
11. 4a
4
12. 2d 2 13. 2b 14. 1

Exercise 4
1. a18 2. b 2c 6 3. d 10 e5 f 15 4. 16 f 12 5. 9e 2
4 6
6. 4x y 7. 310 8. 325

5
 Exponents Assignment
Answers to exercise 6

A B C
C
1. a7 a 4b 7 a  3 6a 3b 4c 4
2. b6 b5c 3 b  1 30x 4 y 7
3. 12c 6 6c 4 d 3 c  2 6a 4b6 c5
4. 14d 8 d 7 e5 d  1 a 3b 2c 3
5. 6e9 x6 y8 e  1 2x 4 y 4 z 4
6. 15 f 6 e4d 6 f 4 a 7b 7 c5
7. 110x 7 x5 y 7 g 8 12a3b 4 c5
8. 6h 7 h7 k 3 h  4 10a 5b5
9. 15x10 r 6d 5 i  5 w7 r 7
10. j9 j 7 m6 j2 a 5 d 7 e7
11. 16k 8 b7c 7 k 3 6a 2b 2 c 2
12. 10m 5
6w6 p3 l  2 x5 y 7 8
13. 5m3
9
m p 6
m  2 6x 4 y 4
14. 12n8 a 5b12 n  2 12a 3b3
15. 156a 9 x5 y 9 o  3 d 7e6 f 3
16. 3 p5 p6q 7 p2 4h5 k 2
17. 9q 4 r 2q 2 q  1 6e10
18. r5 12 p 4 q 6 r  1 24d 7 e6
19. 12w8 10a 3b5 c 4 s6 a 4b5
20. 6t11 t 7 t  1 18a 6b8
21. d8 4a 3b 4 u  1 a3
Answers to exercise 7

A B
1. 35 35  26

2. 37 33  53

3. 29 45  35

4. 29 39  24

5. 45 35  27

6. 27 57  47

7. 55 37  27

8. 37 56  77

9. 67 240

10. 53 35  85

11. 107 23  33

12. 76 35  55

13. 29 23  52  32
Answers to exercise 8

A B C
1
1. a a5
3a 7
1
2. b x3
4 p6
1
3. m 2 r3
5v 4
1
4. b3 m2
2t 2
1 2
5. 1
k3 b
1 5
6. e 4
m3 t5
1 3
7. a 3
x b2
1 2
8. y
b3 a4

Answers to exercise 9

B C
A

1. x6 125a 6 a10b15
2. a12 8w15 d 10 m 4
3. b10 9b8 x6 y9
4. j12 9a 6 a8b15
5. p 20 32b 20 q15 r 20
6. g8 27x12 x15 y10
7. k 14 1000a 9 b8 c 8
8. q6 81d 10 m10 n5
Answers to exercise 10:

A B

1. 27a 6 27a 9
1 4
2. 8b 6  2b8 
2a b2
3b 4 7
3.
5a 3 6
4. 1 8x 6 y 6
5. 2a 16d 10
1
6. 27a 9b12
10a 2
125
7. 4a 125d 6  8d 6 
8
8. 30cd 6 a 29
9. x3 y 6 12x 2 y 4
v
10. 49v 2
2
11. 9t 8 25t 8
12. j 6 k 3l 9 5 j 4 kl
13. p5 16a 4b6
1
14. f 2g2
2
15. 6k 5 3k
16. p2q2r 6 p3q 4 r 4
5s
17. 125r 6 s 3
2
18. 2 y5 8y 9
19. 12n 4 7 p 2 n8
3
20. 10a3
w2
21. x 2 yz 10x 3 y 6
22. 18d 3e 2 f 3 d 5e5 f 10
23. 8a 4b12 1
24. 16x 2 p 4 16 p 4 x12