POSITIVE INTEGRAL, NEGATIVE

INTEGRAL, AND ZERO

EXPONENTS
for Mathematics Grade 9
Quarter 2 / Week 3

1
 FOREWORD
This Self Learning Kit (SLK) will serve as a guide in applying the
laws of exponents involving positive integral exponents to zero
and negative integral exponents. It will be your aid as you learn
new ideas and enrich your existing knowledge about
mathematical concepts.
In this learning kit you will gain knowledge about simplifying
expressions with positive integral, negative integral and zero
exponents by applying the laws of exponents.

2
 LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
K: Recalls the laws of exponents.
S: Applies the laws involving positive integral exponents to zero and
negative integral exponents.
A: Show accuracy in simplifying expressions involving positive, zero
and negative integral exponents.

I. WHAT HAPPENED
PRETEST (Note: Write your answers on a sperate sheet of
paper/notebook)
ACTIVITY 1. Remember Me This Way!
Simplify the following expressions.

1. x3 ∙ x4 = _____
3
𝑚3
2. ( 𝑡 4 ) = _____

3. (-3)3 = _____
6𝑝2
4. = _____
3𝑝4

5. (s4)2 = ______
Activity 2. You Complete Me!
Fill in the missing parts of the solution in simplifying the given expression. Assume
that x ≠ 0.

𝑥3
1. = 𝑥 3−3 = 𝑥 = 1
𝑥3

2
2. = 23−3 = 𝑥 0 = 1
23
𝑥4
3. = 𝑥 4−4 = 𝑥 0 = _____
𝑥4
4
4. = 54−4 = 5 = _____
54
𝑥7
5. = _____ = _____ = _____
𝑥7

3
Activity 3. Agree or Disagree?
Write A if you agree with the statement and D if you disagree.

1. Any number raised to zero is equal to zero.

2. An expression with a negative exponent CAN be written as an
expression with a positive
a. exponent.
1
3. 2 is equal to 8 .
-3

4. Laws of exponents may be used to simplify expressions with rational

exponents.
1 -2
5. (3) is equivalent to -9.
0 -2
6. 3 4 = 16
1 2
3
7. -2 may be written as (32x y5 ) where x ≠ 0 and y ≠ 0.
3
(32x y5 )

II. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

DISCUSSION:
EXPONENT
An exponent is defined as a number that appears as a superscript of a
base (any constant, variable, term, expression or equation) and indicates
how many times such base is taken as a factor or multiplied by itself for a
given number of times.
Exponent is also called Power or Index.
The exponent of a number says how many times to use the number in a
multiplication.
Example: 82 = 8 ∙ 8 = 64 → 8 is the base and 2 is the exponent.
In words, 82 could be called:
" 8 to the second power ",
" 8 to the power 2 "
or simply " 8 squared "

4
Review: Laws of Exponents
For a ≠ 0, b ≠ 0;
Multiplication Rule ax ∙ ay = ax+y
Division Rule ax ÷ ay =ax-y
Power of a Power Rule (ax )y = axy
Power of a Product Rule (ab)x = ax bx
a x ax
Power of a Fraction Rule ( ) = x
b b
0
Zero Exponent a =1
1
Negative exponent a-x = x
a
x y
Fractional Exponent ay = √ax

Integral Exponents
An exponent is integral if it is a whole number/an integer.

Example 1:

a. y5 = y ∙ y ∙ y ∙ y ∙ y (There are 5 lots of y being multiplied together.)

4
b. 2 = 2 ∙ 2 ∙2 ∙2 =16 (There are 4 lots of 2 multiplied together.)

c. (-3)5 = (-3)(-3)(-3)(-3)(-3) = -243

Negative Exponents

Example 2:

a. Analyze the difference between these two:

1 1 1
1) (-3)-2 = 2= ( ) =
(-3) -3 (-3) 9

1 1 1 1
2) -(3)-2 = 2 = -[(3)∙(3)] = -(9) =- 9
-(3)

The first one is squaring a negative number and the second is squaring
a positive number and then making the whole result negative.

Example 3:
1 7 7
3) 7 ∙ 2-3 = 7 ∙ 3 = =
2 2∙2∙2 8

-3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
4) (7 ∙ 2)-3 = 7-3 ∙ 2 = ∙ = ∙ = ∙ =
73 2
3 7∙7∙7 2∙2∙2 343 8 2744

5
 The first one raises the power then multiplies, while the second one
multiplies first then raises the power.

Example 4:
-2 1 a
a. ab = a 2 = 2
b b

1
b. (ab)-2 =
(ab)2

1 1 1 1 1 1 a5 1
c. -5 = ∙ = ∙ 1⁄ = ∙ = a5
3a 3 a-5 3 3 1 3
a5

1 1 (3a)5
d. (3a)-5
= 1⁄ =1∙ = (3a)5
1
(3a)5

Zero Exponent Rule: “Any number raised to the zero power is always equal to
one (1)” (Bryant et al., 2014).

Examples: 1. x0 = 1 2. (-3)0 = 1 3. 4000 = 1

III. WHAT HAVE I LEARNED

Practice Exercises (Write your answers on a sperate
sheet/notebook)
A. Draw a if you agree with the statement; otherwise, draw a .
1. Any non-zero number raised to zero is equal to one (1).
2. An expression with a negative exponent CANNOT be written as an
expression with a positive exponent.
1
3. 2-3 is equal to 8 .

4. Laws of exponents may be used to simplify expressions with rational

exponents.
1 -2
5. (3) = 9
0 -2
6. 3 4 = 16
1 2
3
7. -2 may be written as (32x y5 ) where x ≠ 0 and y ≠ 0.
3
(32x y5 )

6
B. Simplify the next set of expressions C. Match column A with column B.
by filling in the missing parts of the Write the letter only.
solution. Column A Column B
-2
2
-2 1 1 1.) (3xy ) A. 1
1. 3 = 2 =
3
1 1 1 -3 -3n
-3
2. 4 = = 2.) ( ) B.
4m m2 p4
4

2 10,125
1 -2 1 1 1 3.) 8x y0 z-1 C.
206
3. (2) = = 1 = 1 =1∙ =4
1 ∙ 1
( )
2 2 1 64y15
4.) 2 D.
5 x12
1 1 1 9
4. -2 = 1 = 1⁄ =1∙ =
3 ⁄ -2 8x2
3 5.) -3m np-4 E.
z
1 0 0
5. ( x) = 6.) (8o p2 q)
4
F. 25

3-3 (-2)-5
7.) -1 G. 64m3
6

-8 1
8.) d (100xy)0 H.
9x2 y4

3 1
-4
9.) (4x y5 ) I. -
144

-1 1
-4 -3
10.) (3 +5 ) J.
d8

7
POST TEST:
What’s the Message?
Decode the message by simplifying first each of the given expressions
and fill in the blank the correct letter from the given choices.
2 -5 9x
12
2
1.) (-10z y-4 ) (z3 y) Y y6 z14

2
n-2 m b
2.) U
7m-4 n-3 2ab -1
2

5x-1 y-4 5m12 n15 q32

3.) 5 -2
S -
(3y ) x9 7p24

6
z-5 m5 n
4.) (z-2x-1) O 7

3 -8 -2
24a b x6
5.) ( -5 ) L
6a b z18

-3 2
a-2 a-3 1
6.) ( 2 ) ( 5 ) V 4
b b b

-1 3 0
5(2a b ) c5 e8
7.) -5 6 E 6
10c d e-8 2d
-3
-5(m-4 n-5 ) 100
8.) -4 G 11
7(p-6 q8 ) y13 z

-4 -2
3x y-5 z-2
9.) ( 2 ) O 2
9x y-8 z-9

18
0 5 b
10.) 6e + (11f)0 - O 16
g0 16a

-1 45y
6
-2
11.) (2a- b ) D x10

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

8
 REFERENCES
Bryant, M., et al. 2014. Mathematics Grade 9 Learner’s Module First Edition.
Pasig City: DepEd-IMCS

Interactive Mathematics. 2019. Simplifying Expressions with Integral Exponents.

https://www.intmath.com/exponents-radicals/1-integral-exponent-laws.php

Math is Fun. n.d. Laws of Exponents.

https://www.mathsisfun.com/algebra/exponent-laws.html

Paul’s Online Notes. 2018. Integer Exponents.

https://tutorial.math.lamar.edu/classes/alg/integerexponents.asp

SYNOPSIS ANSWER KEY

This Self Learning Kit is focused on one
of the competencies in Grade 9 Mathematics GOD LOVES YOU
which is simplifying expressions with positive, Posttest:
negative integral and zero exponents by 9. D 10. C
applying the laws of exponents. 8. J 5. B 6. A 7. I
It is hoped that this kit could help 4. F C. 1. H 2. G 3. E
learners in develop their skills and apply their 5. 1
knowledge in everyday living. 4. 2 ; 9 ; 1 ; 9
3. 2 ; ½ ; 4 ; 4
ABOUT THE AUTHOR 2. 3 ; 64
B. 1. 9
7.
6. 5. 4.
3. 2. A. 1.
What Have I Learned
7. A
3. A 6. D
2. A 5. D
1. D 4. A
Cheryl Verbo Acabal is a Master Teacher I at Activity 3.
Manjuyod National High School, Sundo-an, 5. 𝑥 7−7 ; 𝑥 0 ; 1
Manjuyod, Negros Oriental. She is one of the 4. 5 ; 0 ; 1
pioneer graduates in Bachelor of Secondary 1. 0 2. 3 3. 1
Education (BSE-Math) at Central Visayas Activity 2.
Polytechnic College (now NORSU), Main 4. 𝑝2
Campus, Dumaguete City in 1997. She earned
5. s8
2

a degree in Master of Arts in Teaching major

𝑡 12
3. -27 1. 𝑥7 2.
𝑚9
in Mathematics at South Western University, Activity I.
Cebu City last 2012. PRETEST:

9
 DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
SCHOOLS DIVISION OF NEGROS ORIENTAL

SENEN PRISCILLO P. PAULIN, CESO V

Schools Division Superintendent

NILITA L. RAGAY, EdD

OIC - Assistant Schools Division Superintendent
Acting CID Chief

JOELYZA M. ARCILLA, EdD

OIC - Assistant Schools Division Superintendent

MARCELO K. PALISPIS, EdD

OIC - Assistant Schools Division Superintendent

ROSELA R. ABIERA
Education Program Supervisor – (LRMS)

ELISA L. BAGUIO, EdD

Education Program Supervisor in MATH

MARICEL S. RASID
Librarian II (LRMDS)

ELMAR L. CABRERA
PDO II (LRMDS)

CHERYL V. ACABAL
Writer

CHRISTIAN EVEN D. SANTILLAN

Illustrator/ Lay-out Artist
_________________________________

ALPHA QA TEAM
FLORENCIO M. BARTOLO JR.
TERESITA P. BUBOLE
CHRISTIAN EVEN D. SANTILLAN
MELBA S. TUMARONG

BETA QA TEAM
MELBA S. TUMARONG

ENHANCEMENT TEAM
TERESITA P. BUBOLE
CHERYL V. ACABAL
MELBA S. TUMARONG

10