LAWS OF EXPONENTS

In this section, you will learn the different laws of exponents.  

Law 1 : 

x^m ⋅ xⁿ  =  x^m+n

Example :

3⁴ ⋅ 3⁵  =  3⁴⁺⁵

3⁴ ⋅ 3⁵  =  3⁹

Law 2 : 

x^m ÷ xⁿ  =  x^m-n

Example :

3⁷ ÷ 3⁵  =  3^7-5

3⁷ ÷ 3⁵  =  3²

Law 3 : 

(x^m)ⁿ  =  x^mn

Example :

(3²)⁴  =  3⁽²⁾⁽⁴⁾

(3²)⁴  =  3⁸

Law 4 : 

(xy)^m  =  x^m ⋅ y^m

Example :

(3 ⋅ 5)²  =  3² ⋅ 5²

(3 ⋅ 5)²  =  9 ⋅ 25

(3 ⋅ 5)²  =  225.

Law 5 : 

(x / y)^m  =  x^m / y^m

Example :

(3 / 5)²  =  3² / 5²

(3 / 5)²  =  9 / 25

Law 6 : 

x^-m  =  1 / x^m

Example :

3^-2  =  1 / 3²

3^-2  =  1 / 9

Law 7 : 

x⁰  =  1

Example :

3⁰  =  1

Law 8 : 

x¹  =  x

Example :

3¹  =  3

Law 9 : 

x^m/n  =  y -----> x  =  y^n/m

Example :

x^1/2  =  3

x  =  3^2/1

x  =  3²

x  =  9

Law 10 : 

(x / y)^-m  =  (y / x)^m

Example :

(5 / 3)^-2  =  (3 / 5)²

(5 / 3)^-2  =  3² /  5²

(5 / 3)^-2  =  9 / 25

Law 11 : 

a^x  =  a^y -----> x  =  y

Example :

3^m  =  3⁵ -----> m  =  3

Law 12 : 

x^a  =  y^a -----> x  =  y

Example :

k³  =  5³ -----> k  =  5

Important Note

Many students do not know the difference between 

(-3)²   and   -3²

Order of operations (PEMDAS) dictates that parentheses take precedence.

So, we have

(-3)²  =  (-3) ⋅ (-3)

(-3)²  =  9

Without parentheses, exponents take precedence :

-3²  =  -3 ⋅ 3

-3²  =  -9

The negative is not applied until the exponent operation is carried through. We have to make sure that we understand this. So, we will not make this common mistake. 

Sometimes, the result turns out to be the same, as in. 

(-2)³   and   -2³

We have to make sure why they yield the same result. 

Laws of Exponents - Practice Problems

Problem 1 : 

If a^-1/2  =  5, then find the value of a. 

Solution : 

a^-1/2  =  5

a  =  5^-2/1

a  =  5^-2

a  =  1/5²

a  =  1/25

Problem 2 : 

If n  =  1² + 1⁴ + 1⁶ + 1⁸ +...............+ 1⁵⁰, then find the value of n. 

Solution : 

1 to the power of anything is equal to 1.

So, we have

1²  =  1

1⁴  =  1

1⁶  =  1

and so on. 

List out all the exponents. 

2, 4, 6, 8, ................ 48, 50

Divide each element by 2.

1, 2, 3, 4, ................ 24, 25

We can clearly see there are 25 terms in the series shown below. 

1² + 1⁴ + 1⁶ + 1⁸ +...............+ 1⁵⁰

Therefore, n is the sum of twenty-five 1's. 

That is, 

n  =  1² + 1⁴ + 1⁶ + 1⁸ +...............+ 1⁵⁰

n  =  25

Problem 3 : 

If 4^{2n + 3}  =  8^{n + 5}, then find the value of n. 

Solution : 

4^{2n + 3}  =  8^{n + 5}

(2²)^{2n + 3}  =  (2³)^{n + 5}

2^{2(2n + 3)}  =  2^{3(n + 5)}

Equate the exponents. 

2(2n + 3)  =  3(n + 5)

4n + 6  =  3n + 15

n  =  9

Problem 4 : 

If 2^x / 2^y  =  2³, then find the value x in terms of y. 

Solution : 

2^x / 2^y  =  2³

2^{x - y}  =  2³

x - y  =  3

x  =  y + 3

Problem 5 : 

If a^x = b, b^y = c and  c^z = a, then find the value of xyz. 

Solution : 

Let

a^x  =  b -----(1)

b^y  =  c -----(2)

c^z  =  a -----(3)

Substitute a  =  c^z in (1).

(1)-----> (c^z)^x  =  b

c^zx  =  b

Substitute c  =  b^y.

(b^y)^zx  =  b

b^xyz  =  b

b^xyz  =  b¹

xyz  =  1

After having gone through the stuff given above, we hope that the students would have understood the different laws of exponents. 

Apart from the stuff given in this section,  if you need any other stuff in math, please use our google custom search here.

You can also visit our following web pages on different stuff in math. 

WORD PROBLEMS

HCF and LCM  word problems

Word problems on simple equations 

Word problems on linear equations 

Word problems on quadratic equations

Algebra word problems

Word problems on trains

Area and perimeter word problems

Word problems on direct variation and inverse variation 

Word problems on unit price

Word problems on unit rate 

Word problems on comparing rates

Converting customary units word problems 

Converting metric units word problems

Word problems on simple interest

Word problems on compound interest

Word problems on types of angles 

Complementary and supplementary angles word problems

Double facts word problems

Trigonometry word problems

Percentage word problems 

Profit and loss word problems 

Markup and markdown word problems 

Decimal word problems

Word problems on fractions

Word problems on mixed fractrions

One step equation word problems

Linear inequalities word problems

Ratio and proportion word problems

Time and work word problems

Word problems on sets and venn diagrams

Word problems on ages

Pythagorean theorem word problems

Percent of a number word problems

Word problems on constant speed

Word problems on average speed 

Word problems on sum of the angles of a triangle is 180 degree

OTHER TOPICS 

Profit and loss shortcuts

Percentage shortcuts

Times table shortcuts

Time, speed and distance shortcuts

Ratio and proportion shortcuts

Domain and range of rational functions

Domain and range of rational functions with holes

Graphing rational functions

Graphing rational functions with holes

Converting repeating decimals in to fractions

Decimal representation of rational numbers

Finding square root using long division

L.C.M method to solve time and work problems

Translating the word problems in to algebraic expressions

Remainder when 2 power 256 is divided by 17

Remainder when 17 power 23 is divided by 16

Sum of all three digit numbers divisible by 6

Sum of all three digit numbers divisible by 7

Sum of all three digit numbers divisible by 8

Sum of all three digit numbers formed using 1, 3, 4

Sum of all three four digit numbers formed with non zero digits

Sum of all three four digit numbers formed using 0, 1, 2, 3

Sum of all three four digit numbers formed using 1, 2, 5, 6