Transcript Zero/Negative Exponents

Vocabulary
• Reciprocal – two expressions that multiply
together to get 1
5 is the reciprocal of 1
5
5x 1
5
= 1
because:
Zero Property of Exponents
A nonzero number to the zero power is 1:
a  1, a  0
0
Evaluate the following expressions.
A.
 7
0
B. 4 2  4 2
E. 0
0
C. 20  5 3
 3
D.  
 8
is undefined.
0
E. 00
a -n is the reciprocal
n
of a :
a
n

1
a
n
,
a0
Evaluate the
following expressions.
A. 3
2
B.
1
4
-3
Rewrite the following
expressions using positive
exponents.
A. 5x 4
a -3
B. -5
b