Math Monday - How is 5^-2 equal to 1/25?

11/26/2012

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     5^-2 equals 1/25 because five to the second power equals 25, it is five times five. Most people forget or don't get this part, but it is actually really easy. Since the exponent is a negative you put a one on top of the 25, and that makes 1/25. You always put a one on top of the answer when the exponent is negative. 1 represents the negative, so you do not put the negative after solving the problem. 
     Another example could be 9^-5. Nine times nine equals eighty-one, and nine times nine again equals eighty-one. Eighty-one times eighty one equals six thousand, five hundred fifty-one. Then five times six thousand, five hundred fifty-one times five again equals thirty-two thousand, eight hundred five. Then change the negative into a one and the answer will be one thirty-two thousand, eight hundred five(32,805). So as you can see this is a very simple way of solving the answer. All you have to do is to do the exponent out and add the one. (REMEMBER it is always okay to show out your work or the problem.)
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Math Monday - Exponents

11/5/2012

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       I don't see much of exponents anywhere, but only in math. Exponents is used for multiplying how many times number a number multiply itself together. It looks like a smaller version of the number and is up on the right hand corner of the number. When you solve exponents you multiply the number how many times the exponent tells you. Like if you have four and an exponent that says five, don't multiply the it together. Since the exponent is five do four times four times four times four times four. Four times four is sixteen, sixteen times four is sixty-four, sixty-four times four is two hundred fifty-six, and two hundred fifty-six times four is one thousand twenty-four. So the answer is one thousand twenty-four. Exponents are shorter ways to write out the whole repeating problem. However they are a little complicated to solve because sometimes people forget and multiply the exponent with the number.  
     To solve exponet is to know the process too. If you do not know it well sometimes it looks like another type of problem you've never seen before. So examine the problem closely because there are also several kinds of exponent problems. Such as exponent that must turn to a fraction when solved or exponent used in solving for (x). 
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