Ready to get started? Let’s talk about exponents!

1. What is an Exponent?

   – The exponent tells you how many of the base number to multiply.

   – For example, in 2³, the exponent 3 means you multiply 2 by itself three times: 2 · 2 · 2.

2. Base and Exponent:

   – The big number is called the base, and the small number above is the exponent.

   – In 5², 5 is the base, and 2 is the exponent, telling us to multiply 5 by itself twice: 5·5.

3. Repeated Multiplication:

   – If you see 3⁴, it means 3 · 3 · 3 · 3.

   – The exponent (4 in this case) tells you how many times to multiply the base (3).

4. Exponents with Variables:

   – Exponents also work with variables. For example, z² means ‘z’ · ‘z’.

   – Another example would be:  y³ means ‘y’ · ‘y’ · ‘y’.

5. Zero Exponent and One Exponent:

   – a⁰ is always 1, no matter what the base number is.

   – b¹ is always b, nothing changes.

Example:

   – Expression: 2⁴

   – This means 2 · 2 · 2 · 2, which equals 16.

Real-world analogy:

Think of exponents like superpowers for numbers. If a number has an exponent, it means it’s super good at multiplying itself. So, 3² is like saying 3 has the power to double itself!

Using exponents in algebra is like having a special way to write down repeated multiplication quickly. Keep practicing, and soon you’ll be an exponent superhero too!