College Algebra

Fifth Edition
James Stewart  Lothar Redlin  Saleem Watson
P.4 Integer Exponents
 Exponents

In this section, we review the rules for

working with exponent notation.

• We also see how exponents can be used to

represent very large and very small numbers.
Exponential Notation
Exponential Notation

A product of identical numbers is usually

written in exponential notation.

• For example, 5 · 5 · 5 is written as 53.

• In general, we have the following definition.

 Exponential Notation

If a is any real number and n is a positive

integer, then the nth power of a is:

an = a · a · · · · · a
n factors

• The number a is called the base and

n is called the exponent.
 E.g. 1—Exponential Notation

(a)  
1 5
2
  21  21  21  21  21   1
32

(b)  3    3    3    3    3   81
4

(c)  3    3  3  3  3   81
4
Rules for Working with Exponential Notation

We can state several useful

rules for working with exponential
notation.
 Rule for Multiplication

To discover the rule for multiplication,

we multiply 54 by 52:

5  5   5  5  5  5  5  5    5  5  5  5  5  5 
4 2

4 factors 2 factors 6 factors

42
5 5
6

• It appears that, to multiply two powers

of the same base, we add their exponents.
 Rule for Multiplication

In general, for any real number a and any

positive integers m and n, we have:

a a 
m n
 a  a  ...  a  a  a  ...  a 
m factors n factors

 a  a  a...  a = a m  n
m  n factors

• Therefore, aman = am+n.

Rule for Multiplication

We would like this rule to be true

even when m and n are 0 or negative
integers.

• For instance, we must have:

20 · 23 = 20+3 = 23

• However, this can happen only if 20 = 1.

 Rule for Multiplication

• Likewise, we want to have:

54 · 5–4 = 54+(–4) = 54–4 = 50 = 1

• This will be true if 5–4 = 1/54.

• These observations lead to the following

definition.
 Zero and Negative Exponents

If a ≠ 0 is any real number and n is

a positive integer, then

a0 = 1 and a–n = 1/an

 E.g. 2—Zero and Negative Exponents

(a)  
4 0
7
1

1 1 1
(b) x  1
x x

1 1 1
(c)  2 
3
  
 2  8
3
8
Rules for Working with
Exponents
 Laws of Exponents

Familiarity with these rules is essential

for our work with exponents and bases.

• The bases a and b are real numbers.

• The exponents m and n are integers.
 Law 3—Proof

If m and n are positive integers, we have:

 a    a  a  ...  a 
n n
m

m factors

  a  a  ...  a  a  a  ...  a  ...  a  a  ...  a 

m factors m factors m factors

n group of factors

 a  a  ...  a  a mn
mn factors

• The cases for which m ≤ 0 or n ≤ 0 can be proved

using the definition of negative exponents.
 Law 4—Proof

If n is a positive integer, we have:

 ab    ab  ab  ...  ab 
n

n factors

  a  a  ...  a    b  b  ...  b   a n b n
n factors n factors

• We have used the Commutative and Associative

Properties repeatedly.
• If n ≤ 0, Law 4 can be proved using the definition
of negative exponents.
• You are asked to prove Laws 2 and 5 in Exercise 97.
 E.g. 3—Using Laws of Exponents

(a) x 4 x 7  x 47  x11 (Law 1)

7 4 7 3 1
4
(b) y y y y  3 (Law 1)
y

9
c 9 5
(c) 5  c  c 4
(Law 2)
c
 E.g. 3—Using Laws of Exponents

(d)  b 
5
45
4
b b 20
(Law 3)

(e)  3 x   3 x  27 x
3 3 3 3
(Law 4)

5
x
5 5
x x
(f )    5  (Law 5)
2 2 32
 E.g. 4—Simplifying Expressions with Exponents

Simplify:

3 2 4 3
(a) (2a b )(3ab )

3 4
x y x 2
(b)    
y  z 
 E.g. 4—Simplifying Example (a)

 2a b  3ab 
3
3 2 4

  2a b  3 a (b ) 
3 2 3 3 4 3
(Law 4 )

  2a b  27a b 
3 2 3 12
(Law 3 )

  2  27  a a b b
3 3 2 12
( Group factors with same base)

 54a b 6 14
(Law 1)
E.g. 4—Simplifying Example (b)

 
3 4 4
2 4
x y x
2
x y x3

     3 4
(Laws 5 and 4)
  
y z  y z
3 8 4
x y x
 3 4 (Law 3)
y z
y  1 8


 x x  3 4
3 4
 (Group factors with
y z same base)

x7y 5
 4 (Laws 1 and 2)
z
Simplifying Expressions with Exponents

When simplifying an expression, you will

find that many different methods will lead
to the same result.

• You should feel free to use any of the rules

of exponents to arrive at your own method.
 Laws of Exponents

We now give two additional laws that

are useful in simplifying expressions with
negative exponents.
 Law 7—Proof

Using the definition of negative exponents

and then Property 2 of fractions (page 11), we
have:
n n m m
a 1/ a 1 b b
m
 m
 n  n
b 1/ b a 1 a

• You are asked to prove Law 6

in Exercise 98.
 E.g. 5—Simplifying Exprns. with Negative Exponents

Eliminate negative exponents and simplify

each expression.
4
6st
(a) 2 2
2s t

2
 y 
(b)  3 
 3z 
E.g. 5—Negative Exponents Example (a)

We use Law 7, which allows us to move

a number raised to a power from
the numerator to the denominator (or vice
versa) by changing the sign of the exponent.
4 2
6st 6ss
2 2
 2 4 (Law 7)
2s t 2t t
3
3s
 6 (Law 1)
t
 E.g. 5—Negative Exponents Example (b)

We use Law 6, which allows us to change

the sign of the exponent of a fraction by
inverting the fraction.

2 2
 y   3z 
3

 3z 3    (Law 6)
   y 
9z 6
 2 (Law 5s and 4)
y
Scientific Notation
 Scientific Notation

Exponential notation is used by scientists as

a compact way of writing very large numbers
and very small numbers.
For example,

• The nearest star beyond the sun, Proxima Centauri,

is approximately 40,000,000,000,000 km away.

• The mass of a hydrogen atom is about

0.00000000000000000000000166 g.
 Scientific Notation

Such numbers are difficult to read and

to write.

So, scientists usually express them

in scientific notation.
 Scientific Notation

A positive number x is said to be written

in scientific notation if it is expressed as
follows:
x = a x 10n
where:
• 1 ≤ a ≤ 10.
• n is an integer.
 Scientific Notation

For instance, when we state that the distance

to Proxima Centauri is 4 x 1013 km,
the positive exponent 13 indicates that
the decimal point should be moved 13 places
to the right:

4 x 1013 = 40,000,000,000,000
Scientific Notation

When we state that the mass of a hydrogen

atom is 1.66 x 10–24 g, the exponent –24
indicates that the decimal point should be
moved 24 places to the left:

1.66 x 10–24
= 0.00000000000000000000000166
E.g. 6—Changing from Decimal to Scientific Notation

(a)56,920  5.692  10 4

4 places

5
(b)0.000093  9.3  10
5 places
E.g. 7—Changing from Scientific Notation to Decimal

(a) 6.97  10  6,970,000,000

9

9 places

6
(b)4.6271 10  0.0000046271
6 places
 Scientific Notation in Calculators

Scientific notation is often used on

a calculator to display a very large or
very small number.

• Suppose we use a calculator to square

the number 1,111,111.
Scientific Notation in Calculators

The display panel may show (depending

on the calculator model) the approximation

1.234568 12
or
1.23468 E12

• The final digits indicate the power of 10,

and we interpret the result as 1.234568 x 1012.
 E.g. 8—Calculating with Scientific Notation

If a ≈ 0.00046
b ≈ 1.697 x 1022
and c ≈ 2.91 x 10–18
use a calculator to approximate
the quotient ab/c.

• We could enter the data using scientific notation,

or we could use laws of exponents as follows.
 E.g. 7—Calculating with Scientific Notation

ab


4.6  10 4

1.697  10 22

18
c 2.91 10


 4.6 1.697 
 10 4  22 18

2.91
 2.7  10 36

• We state the answer correct to two significant

figures because the least accurate of the given
numbers is stated to two significant figures.