Algebra II : Understanding Exponents

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for Algebra II

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Example Questions

Example Question #71 : Understanding Exponents

Evaluate:  

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Simplify the first term.  Rewrite the negative exponent as a fraction.

Rewrite the complex fraction.

Simplify the second term.

Add the terms.

The answer is:  

Example Question #72 : Understanding Exponents

Evaluate:  

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

For negative exponents, convert all terms into fractional form by the following property.

The fractions become:

Identify the least common denominator of these numbers and convert all numbers with the same LCD.

The LCD is 108.

The answer is:  

Example Question #73 : Understanding Exponents

Solve:  

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Eliminate the negative exponent by the following property: 

Simplify and rewrite the expression.

Simplify the complex fraction.

The answer is:  

Example Question #74 : Understanding Exponents

Evaluate:  

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Simplify the negative exponents by converting the terms into fractions.

Evaluate each term of .  

Simplify the complex fraction.

Evaluate the second term.

The answer is:  

Example Question #75 : Understanding Exponents

Solve:  

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Rewrite the negative exponents as fractions using the following property.

Multiply the denominators together.

The answer is:  

Example Question #76 : Understanding Exponents

Simplify:  

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The terms as a quantity can be rewritten by the following property:

Rewrite the expression.

Expand the terms by distributing the third power with every term in the denominator.

The answer is:  

Example Question #541 : Mathematical Relationships And Basic Graphs

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

When we find negative exponents in an expression, we move only what is raised to the negative power to the bottom of the fraction. 

In this case, only the x was raised to the (-2) power, so it is moved to the bottom of the fraction. 

When this has been moved to the bottom of the fraction, it becomes a positive 2. 

*Remember, there should be no negative exponents in a final answer. 

Example Question #78 : Understanding Exponents

Solve:   

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Convert both terms in negative exponents to fractional form.

Add the two fractions by converting the first fraction to a common denominator.

The answer is:  

Example Question #72 : Exponents

Evaluate:  

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The negative exponents can be simplified as follows:

Rewrite the expression.

Convert the one-ninth to  to match denominators, and add the fractions.

The answer is:  

Example Question #80 : Understanding Exponents

Simplify:  

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The negative exponent can be rewritten into a fraction.

Convert the expression.

Ignoring the negative sign, multiply the denominator with the whole number and add the numerator will give an improper fraction.  The denominator stays the same.

The answer is:  

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