MAP 8th Grade Math
A comprehensive course covering essential 8th grade math concepts to prepare students for high school and real-world problem solving.
Advanced Topics
Exponents and Scientific Notation
Powers and Efficient Numbers
Exponents are a way to show repeated multiplication. For instance, \(2^4 = 2 \times 2 \times 2 \times 2 = 16\).
Scientific notation is a way to write very large or very small numbers using powers of ten, like \(3.5 \times 10^6\).
Why Use These?
They make it easier to work with big or tiny numbers, like populations or atoms.
Rules to Remember
- Multiplying: Add exponents when bases are the same.
- Dividing: Subtract exponents.
- Power of a power: Multiply exponents.
Examples
Expressing the distance from Earth to the Sun in scientific notation.
Calculating how many bacteria double every hour.
In a Nutshell
Understanding how to use exponents and scientific notation for large and small numbers.