Overview of the Chapter: Exponents and Powers
This chapter introduces students to the concept of exponents and powers, which are fundamental in understanding large numbers and simplifying mathematical expressions. The chapter covers the laws of exponents, standard forms, and practical applications of exponents in real-life situations.
Key Concepts
Exponents: An exponent refers to the number of times a number is multiplied by itself. For example, in 53, 5 is the base and 3 is the exponent.
Powers: The value obtained when a number is raised to an exponent is called its power. For example, 53 = 125, where 125 is the power.
Laws of Exponents
- Product of Powers: am × an = am+n
- Quotient of Powers: am ÷ an = am-n (where a ≠ 0)
- Power of a Power: (am)n = am×n
- Power of a Product: (a × b)m = am × bm
- Power of a Quotient: (a ÷ b)m = am ÷ bm (where b ≠ 0)
Standard Form
Numbers can be expressed in standard form using exponents, especially for very large or very small numbers. For example, 3000 can be written as 3 × 103.
Applications of Exponents
Exponents are used in various real-life applications such as scientific notation, computing areas and volumes, and in financial calculations like compound interest.
Solved Examples
- Simplify: 23 × 24 = 23+4 = 27 = 128
- Express 4500 in standard form: 4.5 × 103
Practice Questions
- Evaluate: 52 × 53
- Simplify: (32)4
- Express 0.00045 in standard form.