What happened when the exponent went negative?
Noor computed 2^-3 as -8. She treated the exponent's sign as the answer's sign, but exponents and values are different things.
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1 lesson for “Zero and negative exponents”
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How many solutions does x^2 - 5x + 3 = 0 have?
Before solving a quadratic, the discriminant can tell you how many real answers it will have. One number, three cases.
Try this lessonWhere did the negative sign go?
A negative sign belongs to the number next to it. Keeping that number together can prevent an almost-correct equation from turning into the wrong answer.
Try this lessonWhy do exponents add when I multiply?
Rafi computed 2^3 * 2^2 by multiplying the exponents: 3 * 2 = 6, so he wrote 2^6 = 64. The exponents should add.
Try this lessonWhat do two negatives in a row do?
Priya multiplied -3 by -4 and wrote -12. She remembered that negatives matter, but she got the rule backwards.
Try this lessonWhat does minus a negative really mean?
Diego saw 5 - (-3) and wrote 2, as if the problem were 5 - 3. But the two minus signs are doing different jobs.
Try this lessonWhat is f(-2) when f(x) = x^2 - 4x?
f(x) is a rule with a name, not multiplication. f(-2) means: feed -2 into the rule and see what comes out.
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