Study Guides | linear equations | Multiplying and Dividing Monomials

Study Guide: Multiplying and Dividing Monomials

Vocabulary

1. Power: A base raised to an exponent, such as $2^8$.
2. Base: The number that is being raised. In $2^8$, 2 is the base.
3. Exponent: The number of times to multiply the base to itself. $2^8 = (2 \times 2 \times 2 \times 2 \times 2 \times 2 \times 2 \times 2) = 256$.

Tips

1. When multiplying powers, add the exponents.
2. When dividing powers, subtract the exponents.
3. When converting a decimal into scientific notation, move the decimal point to the right of the first non-zero digit, and count the number of digits moved. Each digit is a multiple of 10.
4. Positive exponents are a form of multiplication: $ 3200 = 3.2 \times 10^3$
5. Negative exponents are a form of division: $ 0.00058 = 5.8 \times 10^{-4}$