Content Standards

7-1 Zero and Negative Prepares for N.RN.1 Explain how the definition of the
meaning of rational exponents follows from extending
the properties of integer exponents to those values . . .
Exponents Also prepares for N.RN.2

Objective To simplify expressions involving zero and negative exponents

Copy and complete the table. Make a

2x 10x
conjecture about how the value of an
exponential expression (an expression 24  ■ 104  ■
containing an exponent) changes when 23  ■ 103  ■
Look for a pattern you decrease the exponent by 1.
22  ■ 102  ■
in the values in the What do you think the value of 522 is?
table. Explain your reasoning. 21  ■ 101  ■
20  ■ 100  ■
MATHEMATICAL
PRACTICES 21  ■ 101  ■
22  ■ 102  ■

The patterns you found in the Solve It illustrate the definitions of zero and negative
exponents.

Essential Understanding You can extend the idea of exponents to include zero
and negative exponents.
Consider 33, 32, and 31. Decreasing the exponents by 1 is the same as dividing by 3. If
you continue the pattern, 30 equals 1 and 321 equals 13.

Properties Zero and Negative Exponents

Zero as an Exponent For every nonzero number a, a0 5 1.

Examples 40 5 1 (23) 0 5 1 (5.14) 0 5 1

Negative Exponent For every nonzero number a and integer n, a2n 5 a1n.
Examples 723 5 13 (25) 22 5 1 2
7 (25)

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 Why can’t you use 0 as a base with zero exponents? The first property on the previous
page implies the following pattern.
30 5 1 20 5 1 10 5 1 00 5 1
However, consider the following pattern.
03 5 0 02 5 0 01 5 0 00 5 0
It is not possible for 00 to equal both 1 and 0. Therefore 00 is undefined.
Why can’t you use 0 as a base with a negative exponent? Using 0 as a base with a
negative exponent will result in division by zero, which is undefined.

Problem 1 Simplifying Powers

What is the simplified form of each expression?
Can you use the
definition of zero A 922
as an exponent 1
when the base is a 922 5 Use the definition of negative exponent.
92
negative number? 1
Yes, the definition of zero 5 81 Simplify.
as an exponent is true for
all nonzero bases. B (23.6) 0 5 1 Use the definition of zero as an exponent.

Got It? 1. What is the simplified form of each expression?

a. 423 b. (25) 0 c. 322 d. 621 e. (24) 22

An algebraic expression is in simplest form when powers with a variable base are
written with only positive exponents.

Problem 2 Simplifying Exponential Expressions

What is the simplified form of each expression?
Which part of the
expression do you A 5a3b22
need to rewrite?
5a3b22 5 5a3 Q 12 R Use the definition of negative exponent.
The base b has a b
negative exponent, so 5a3
you need to rewrite it 5 Simplify.
b2
with a positive exponent.
1
B
x25
1
5 1 4 x 25 Rewrite using a division symbol.
x 25
5 1 4 15 Use the definition of negative exponent.
x
5 1 ? x5 Multiply by the reciprocal of 15 , which is x5.
x
5 x5 Identity Property of Multiplication

Got It? 2. What is the simplified form of each expression?

1 2 n25
a. x29 b. 23 c. 4c23b d. 23 e.
n a m2

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 When you evaluate an exponential expression, you can simplify the expression before
substituting values for the variables.

Problem 3 Evaluating an Exponential Expression

What is the value of 3s 3t22 for s 5 2 and t 5 23?
How do you simplify
the expression? Method 1 Simplify first. Method 2 Substitute first.
Use the definition of
negative exponent to 3(s) 3
rewrite the expression
3s 3t22 5 3s 3t22 5 3(2) 3 (23) 22
t2
with only positive
exponents. 3(2) 3 3(2) 3
5 5
( 23) 2 (23) 2

5 24 2
5 24 2
9 5 23 9 5 23

Got It? 3. What is the value of each expression in parts (a)–(d) for n 5 22 and w 5 5?
n 21 n0 1
a. n24w0 b. c. d.
w2 w6 nw 21
e. Reasoning Is it easier to evaluate n0w0 for n 5 22 and w 5 3 by
simplifying first or by substituting first? Explain.

Problem 4 Using an Exponential Expression STEM

Population Growth A population of marine bacteria doubles every hour under

controlled laboratory conditions. The number of bacteria is modeled by the
expression 1000 ? 2h , where h is the number of hours after a scientist measures the
population size. Evaluate the expression for h 5 0 and h 5 23. What does each
value of the expression represent in the situation?

1000 ? 2h models the Values of the expression Substitute each value of h into
population. for h 5 0 and h 5 23 the expression and simplify.

1000 ? 2h 5 1000 ? 20 Substitute 0 for h.

5 1000 ? 1 5 1000 Simplify.

The value of the expression for h 5 0 is 1000. There were 1000 bacteria at the time the
scientist measured the population.
1000 ? 2h 5 1000 ? 223 Substitute 23 for h.

5 1000 ? 18 5 125 Simplify.

The value of the expression for h 5 23 is 125. There were 125 bacteria 3 h before the
scientist measured the population.

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 Got It? 4. A population of insects triples every week. The number of insects is
modeled by the expression 5400 ? 3w, where w is the number of weeks after
the population was measured. Evaluate the expression for w 5 22, w 5 0,
and w 5 1. What does each value of the expression represent in the situation?

Lesson Check
MATHEMATICAL
Do you know HOW? Do you UNDERSTAND? PRACTICES
Simplify each expression. 7. Vocabulary A positive exponent shows repeated
1. 225 multiplication. What repeated operation does a
negative exponent show?
2. m0 n
x
8. Error Analysis A student incorrectly simplified 2n
3. 5s 2t21 a b0
4
as shown below. Find and correct the student’s error.
4.
x 23
xn a nxn
Evaluate each expression for a 5 2 and b 5 24. -n 0
= 0
a b b
5. a3b21 a nxn
= undefined
0
6. 2a24b0

MATHEMATICAL
Practice and Problem-Solving Exercises PRACTICES

A Practice Simplify each expression. See Problem 1.

9. 322 10. (24.25) 0 11. (25) 22
12. 2522 13. (24) 22 14. 226
15. 230 16. 21221 17. 10
2
18. 5821 19. 1.522 20. (25) 23

Simplify each expression. See Problem 2.

1 1
21. 4ab0 22. 27 23. 5x24 24. 21
x c
322 3x22 7ab22
25. n 26. k24j 0 27. y 28. 3w
8 7s
29. c25d27 30. c25d7 31. 32.
2s23 5t23
6a21c23 7s 0t25
33. 34. 223x 2z27 35. 120t7u211 36. 21 2
d0 2 m

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 Evaluate each expression for r 5 23 and s 5 5. See Problem 3.
3r s0
37. r23 38. s23 39. 40.
s 22 r 22
41. 4s21 42. r 0s22 43. r24s 2 44. 224r 3s22

45. Internet Traffic The number of visitors to a certain Web site triples every month. See Problem 4.
The number of visitors is modeled by the expression 8100 ? 3m, where m is the
number of months after the number of visitors was measured.
Evaluate the expression m 5 24. What does the value of the expression
represent in the situation?
STEM 46. Population Growth A Galápagos cactus finch population increases
by half every decade. The number of finches is modeled by the
expression 45 ? 1.5d, where d is the number of decades after the
population was measured. Evaluate the expression for d 5 22, d 5 0,
and d 5 1. What does each value of the expression represent in the
situation?

B Apply Mental Math Is the value of each expression positive or negative?

47. 222 48. (22) 2 49. (22) 3 50. (22) 23

Write each number as a power of 10 using negative exponents.

1 1 1 1
51. 10 52. 100 53. 1000 54. 10,000 Galápagos cactus finch

55. a. Patterns Complete the pattern using powers of 5.

1 1 1 1 1
2 5 j     
5 1 5 j     
5 0 5 j     
5 21 5 j     5 522
5j
1
b. Write 24 using a positive exponent.
5
1
c. Rewrite a2n as a power of a.

Rewrite each fraction with all the variables in the numerator.

a 4g 5m6 8c5
56. 57. 58. 3n 59.
b22 h3 11d4e22

60. Think About a Plan Suppose your drama club’s budget doubles every year. This
year the budget is $500. How much was the club’s budget 2 yr ago?
• What expression models what the budget of the club will be in 1 yr?
In 2 yr? In y years?
• What value of y can you substitute into your expression to find the budget of the
club 2 yr ago?
61. Copy and complete the table at the right. 5
n 3 ■ ■ 8 ■
62. a. Simplify an? a2n.
1
b. Reasoning What is the mathematical n1 ■ 6 7 ■ 0.5
relationship between an and a2n ? Explain.

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 63. Open-Ended Choose a fraction to use as a value for the variable a. Find the values
of a21, a2, and a22.
STEM 64. Manufacturing A company is making metal rods with a target diameter of 1.5 mm.
A rod is acceptable when its diameter is within 1023 mm of the target diameter.
Write an inequality for the acceptable range of diameters.
65. Reasoning Are 3x22 and 3x 2 reciprocals? Explain.

C Challenge Simplify each expression.

27 28 0 6 5m22
66. Q r 24b 1 R 67. (25) 2 2 (0.5) 22 68. 2 1 23
t w m 3
2x25y 3 r 2y 5 1 1
69. 23 A50 2 6m2 B 70. 4 2n
21
71. 2 2 22 1 5 Q 2 R
n2 3 2
5
72. For what value or values of n is n23 5 Q n1 R ?

Standardized Test Prep

SAT/ACT 73. What is the simplified form of 26(26) 21 ?
74. Segment CD represents the flight of a bird that passes through the points y
4
(1, 2) and (5, 4). What is the slope of a line that represents the flight of a D
second bird that flew perpendicular to the first bird? 2
C
75. What is the solution of the equation 1.5(x 2 2.5) 5 3? x
O 2 4
76. What is the simplified form of u 3.5 2 4.7 u 1 5.6?
77. What is the y-intercept of the graph of 3x 2 2y 5 28?

Mixed Review
Solve each system by graphing. See Lesson 6-6.
78. y . 3x 1 4 79. y # 22x 1 1 80. y $ 0.5x
y # 23x 1 1 y , 2x 2 1 y#x12

Write an equation in slope-intercept form for the line with the given slope m See Lesson 5-3.
and y-intercept b.
81. m 5 21, b 5 4 82. m 5 5, b 5 22 83. m 5 25, b 5 23
3 5
84. m 5 211, b 5 217 85. m 5 9, b 5 13 86. m 5 1.25, b 5 23.79

Get Ready! To prepare for Lesson 7-2, do Exercises 87–91.

Simplify each expression. See Lesson 7-1.
87. 6 ? 104 88. 7 ? 1022 89. 8.2 ? 105 90. 3 ? 1023 91. 3.4 ? 105

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