Powers - Special Cases

Powers of negative numbers

When we have an exponent on a negative number, we can get a positive result or a negative result.
We will know this based on the exponent – whether it is even or odd.

Powers with exponent \(0\)

Any number with an exponent of 00 will be equal to 11. (Except for 00)
No matter which number we raise to the power of 00, we will always get a result of 1.

Powers with negative integer exponents

In an exercise where we have a negative exponent, we turn the term into a fraction where:
the numerator will be 11 and in the denominator, the base of the exponent with the positive exponent.

Practice Powers - special cases

Examples with solutions for Powers - special cases

Exercise #1

50= 5^0=

Video Solution

Step-by-Step Solution

We use the power property:

X0=1 X^0=1 We apply it to the problem:

50=1 5^0=1 Therefore, the correct answer is C.

Answer

1 1

Exercise #2

1120=? 112^0=\text{?}

Video Solution

Step-by-Step Solution

We use the zero exponent rule.

X0=1 X^0=1 We obtain

1120=1 112^0=1 Therefore, the correct answer is option C.

Answer

1

Exercise #3

(7125)0=? (\frac{7}{125})^0=\text{?}

Video Solution

Step-by-Step Solution

We use the zero exponent rule.

X0=1 X^0=1 We obtain:

(7125)0=1 \big( \frac{7}{125}\big)^0=1 Therefore, the correct answer is option B.

Answer

1

Exercise #4

(74)?=1 (\frac{7}{4})^?=1

Video Solution

Step-by-Step Solution

Due to the fact that raising any number (except zero) to the power of zero will yield the result 1:

X0=1 X^0=1 It is thus clear that:

(74)0=1 (\frac{7}{4})^0=1 Therefore, the correct answer is option C.

Answer

0

Exercise #5

(3005327)0=? (300\cdot\frac{5}{3}\cdot\frac{2}{7})^0=\text{?}

Video Solution

Step-by-Step Solution

Due to the fact that raising any number (except zero) to the power of zero will give the result 1:

X0=1 X^0=1 Let's examine the expression of the problem:

(3005327)0 (300\cdot\frac{5}{3}\cdot\frac{2}{7})^0 The expression inside of the parentheses is clearly not 0 (it can be calculated numerically and verified)

Therefore, the result of raising to the power of zero will give the result 1, that is:

(3005327)0=1 (300\cdot\frac{5}{3}\cdot\frac{2}{7})^0 =1 Therefore, the correct answer is option A.

Answer

1

Exercise #6

(8×9×5×3)2= (8\times9\times5\times3)^{-2}=

Video Solution

Step-by-Step Solution

We begin by applying the power rule to the products within the parentheses:

(zt)n=zntn (z\cdot t)^n=z^n\cdot t^n That is, the power applied to a product within parentheses is applied to each of the terms when the parentheses are opened,

We apply the rule to the given problem:

(8953)2=82925232 (8\cdot9\cdot5\cdot3)^{-2}=8^{-2}\cdot9^{-2}\cdot5^{-2}\cdot3^{-2} Therefore, the correct answer is option c.

Note:

Whilst it could be understood that the above power rule applies only to two terms of the product within parentheses, in reality, it is also valid for the power over a multiplication of multiple terms within parentheses, as was seen in the above problem.

A good exercise is to demonstrate that if the previous property is valid for a power over a product of two terms within parentheses (as formulated above), then it is also valid for a power over several terms of the product within parentheses (for example - three terms, etc.).

Answer

82×92×52×32 8^{-2}\times9^{-2}\times5^{-2}\times3^{-2}

Exercise #7

(3a)2=? (3a)^{-2}=\text{?}

a0 a\ne0

Video Solution

Step-by-Step Solution

We begin by using the negative exponent rule:

bn=1bn b^{-n}=\frac{1}{b^n} We apply it to the given expression and obtain the following:

(3a)2=1(3a)2 (3a)^{-2}=\frac{1}{(3a)^2} We then use the power rule for parentheses:

(xy)n=xnyn (x\cdot y)^n=x^n\cdot y^n We apply it to the denominator of the expression and obtain the following:

1(3a)2=132a2=19a2 \frac{1}{(3a)^2}=\frac{1}{3^2a^2}=\frac{1}{9a^2} Let's summarize the solution to the problem:

(3a)2=1(3a)2=19a2 (3a)^{-2}=\frac{1}{(3a)^2} =\frac{1}{9a^2}

Therefore, the correct answer is option A.

Answer

19a2 \frac{1}{9a^2}

Exercise #8

7576=? 7^5\cdot7^{-6}=\text{?}

Video Solution

Step-by-Step Solution

We begin by using the rule for multiplying exponents. (the multiplication between terms with identical bases):

aman=am+n a^m\cdot a^n=a^{m+n} We then apply it to the problem:

7576=75+(6)=756=71 7^5\cdot7^{-6}=7^{5+(-6)}=7^{5-6}=7^{-1} When in a first stage we begin by applying the aforementioned rule and then continue on to simplify the expression in the exponent,

Next, we use the negative exponent rule:

an=1an a^{-n}=\frac{1}{a^n} We apply it to the expression obtained in the previous step:

71=171=17 7^{-1}=\frac{1}{7^1}=\frac{1}{7} We then summarise the solution to the problem: 7576=71=17 7^5\cdot7^{-6}=7^{-1}=\frac{1}{7} Therefore, the correct answer is option B.

Answer

17 \frac{1}{7}

Exercise #9

124126=? 12^4\cdot12^{-6}=\text{?}

Video Solution

Step-by-Step Solution

We begin by using the power rule of exponents; for the multiplication of terms with identical bases:

aman=am+n a^m\cdot a^n=a^{m+n} We apply it to the given problem:

124126=124+(6)=1246=122 12^4\cdot12^{-6}=12^{4+(-6)}=12^{4-6}=12^{-2} When in a first stage we apply the aforementioned rule and then simplify the subsequent expression in the exponent,

Next, we use the negative exponent rule:

an=1an a^{-n}=\frac{1}{a^n} We apply it to the expression that we obtained in the previous step:

122=1122=1144 12^{-2}=\frac{1}{12^2}=\frac{1}{144} Lastly we summarise the solution to the problem: 124126=122=1144 12^4\cdot12^{-6}=12^{-2} =\frac{1}{144} Therefore, the correct answer is option A.

Answer

1144 \frac{1}{144}

Exercise #10

1X7X6= \frac{1}{\frac{X^7}{X^6}}=

Video Solution

Step-by-Step Solution

First, we will focus on the exercise with a fraction in the denominator. We will solve it using the formula:

anam=anm \frac{a^n}{a^m}= a^{n-m}

x7x6=x76=x1 \frac{x^7}{x^6}=x^{7-6}=x^1

Therefore, we get:

1x \frac{1}{x}

We know that a product raised to the 0 is equal to 1 and therefore:

x0x1=x(01)=x1 \frac{x^0}{x^1}=x^{(0-1)}=x^{-1}

Answer

X1 X^{-1}

Exercise #11

41=? 4^{-1}=\text{?}

Video Solution

Step-by-Step Solution

We begin by using the power rule of negative exponents.

an=1an a^{-n}=\frac{1}{a^n} We then apply it to the problem:

41=141=14 4^{-1}=\frac{1}{4^1}=\frac{1}{4} We can therefore deduce that the correct answer is option B.

Answer

14 \frac{1}{4}

Exercise #12

25=? 2^{-5}=\text{?}

Video Solution

Step-by-Step Solution

We begin by using the power rule of negative exponents.

an=1an a^{-n}=\frac{1}{a^n} We then apply it to the problem:

25=125=132 2^{-5}=\frac{1}{2^5}=\frac{1}{32} We can therefore deduce that the correct answer is option A.

Answer

132 \frac{1}{32}

Exercise #13

(7)3=? (-7)^{-3}=\text{?}

Video Solution

Step-by-Step Solution

We begin by using the power property for a negative exponent:

bn=1bn b^{-n}=\frac{1}{b^n} We apply it to the problem:

(7)3=1(7)3 (-7)^{-3}=\frac{1}{(-7)^3} We then subsequently notice that each whole number inside the parentheses is raised to a negative power (that is, the number and its negative coefficient together) When using the previously mentioned power property: We are careful to take this into account,

We then continue by simplifying the expression in the denominator of the fraction, remembering the exponentiation property for the power of terms in multiplication:

(am)n=amn (a^m)^n=a^{m\cdot n} We apply the resulting expression

1(7)3=1(17)3=1(1)373=1173=173=173 \frac{1}{(-7)^3}=\frac{1}{(-1\cdot7)^3}=\frac{1}{(-1)^3\cdot7^3}=\frac{1}{-1\cdot7^3}=\frac{1}{-7^3}=-\frac{1}{7^3}

In summary we are able to deduce that the solution to the problem is as follows:

(7)3=1(7)3=173=173 (-7)^{-3}=\frac{1}{(-7)^3}=\frac{1}{-7^3}=-\frac{1}{7^3}

Therefore, the correct answer is option B.

Answer

173 -\frac{1}{7^{3}}

Exercise #14

724=? 7^{-24}=\text{?}

Video Solution

Step-by-Step Solution

Using the rules of negative exponents: how to raise a number to a negative exponent:

an=1an a^{-n}=\frac{1}{a^n} We apply it to the problem:

724=1724 7^{-24}=\frac{1}{7^{24}} Therefore, the correct answer is option D.

Answer

1724 \frac{1}{7^{24}}

Exercise #15

a4=? a^{-4}=\text{?}

(a0) (a\ne0)

Video Solution

Step-by-Step Solution

We begin by using the negative exponent rule.

bn=1bn b^{-n}=\frac{1}{b^n} We apply it to the problem:

a4=1a4 a^{-4}=\frac{1}{a^4} Therefore, the correct answer is option B.

Answer

1a4 \frac{1}{a^4}