5.

1
Polynomials - Exponent Properties
Objective: Simplify expressions using the properties of exponents.
Problems with expoenents can often be simplified using a few basic exponent
properties. Exponents represent repeated multiplication. We will use this fact to
discover the important properties.
World View Note: The word exponent comes from the Latin “expo” meaning
out of and “ponere” meaning place. While there is some debate, it seems that the
Babylonians living in Iraq were the first to do work with exponents (dating back
to the 23rd century BC or earlier!)

Example 1.

a3a2 Expand exponents to multiplication problem

(aaa)(aa) Now we have 5a ′s being multiplied together
a5 Our Solution

A quicker method to arrive at our answer would have been to just add the expo-
nents: a3a2 = a3+2 = a5 This is known as the product rule of exponents

Product Rule of Exponents: aman = am+n

The product rule of exponents can be used to simplify many problems. We will
add the exponent on like variables. This is shown in the following examples

Example 2.

32 · 36 · 3 Same base, add the exponents 2 + 6 + 1

39 Our Solution

Example 3.

2x3 y 5z · 5xy 2z 3 Multiply 2 · 5, add exponents on x, y and z

10x4 y 7z 4 Our Solution

Rather than multiplying, we will now try to divide with exponents

Example 4.
a5
Expand exponents
a2
aaaaa
Divide out two of the a ′s
aa
aaa Convert to exponents
a3 Our Solution

1
A quicker method to arrive at the solution would have been to just subtract the
a5
exponents, a2 = a5−2 = a3. This is known as the quotient rule of exponents.

am
Quotient Rule of Exponents: = am−n
an

The quotient rule of exponents can similarly be used to simplify exponent prob-
lems by subtracting exponents on like variables. This is shown in the following
examples.

Example 5.

713
Same base, subtract the exponents
75
78 Our Solution

Example 6.

5a3b5c2
Subtract exponents on a, b and c
2ab3c

5 2 2
abc Our Solution
2

A third property we will look at will have an exponent problem raised to a second
exponent. This is investigated in the following example.

Example 7.

3
a2 This means we have a2 three times
a2 · a2 · a2 Add exponents
a6 Our solution

A quicker method to arrive at the solution would have been to just multiply the
exponents, (a2)3 = a2·3 = a6. This is known as the power of a power rule of expo-
nents.
Power of a Power Rule of Exponents: (am)n = amn

This property is often combined with two other properties which we will investi-
gate now.

Example 8.

(ab)3 This means we have (ab) three times

(ab)(ab)(ab) Three a ′s and three b ′s can be written with exponents
a3b3 Our Solution

2
A quicker method to arrive at the solution would have been to take the exponent
of three and put it on each factor in parenthesis, (ab)3 = a3b3. This is known as
the power of a product rule or exponents.

Power of a Product Rule of Exponents: (ab)m = ambm

It is important to be careful to only use the power of a product rule with multipli-
cation inside parenthesis. This property does NOT work if there is addition or
subtraction.

Warning 9.

(a + b)m  am + bm These are NOT equal, beware of this error!

Another property that is very similar to the power of a product rule is considered
next.

Example 10.
 a 3
This means we have the fraction three timse
b
 a  a  a 
Multiply fractions across the top and bottom, using exponents
b b b

a3
Our Solution
b3

A quicker method to arrive at the solution would have been to put the exponent
a
3 a3
on every factor in both the numerator and denominator, b = b3 . This is known
as the power of a quotient rule of exponents.
 a m am
Power of a Quotient Rule of Exponents: =
b bm

The power of a power, product and quotient rules are often used together to sim-
plify expressions. This is shown in the following examples.

Example 11.

(x3 yz 2)4 Put the exponent of 4 on each factor, multiplying powers

x12y 4z 8 Our solution

3
Example 12.
 3 2
ab
Put the exponent of 2 on each factor, multiplying powers
c8d5

a6b2
Our Solution
c8d10
As we multiply exponents its important to remember these properties apply to
exponents, not bases. An expressions such as 53 does not mean we multipy 5 by 3,
rather we multiply 5 three times, 5 × 5 × 5 = 125. This is shown in the next
example.

Example 13.

(4x2 y 5)3 Put the exponent of 3 on each factor, multiplying powers

43x6 y 15 Evaluate 43
64x6 y 15 Our Solution

In the previous example we did not put the 3 on the 4 and multipy to get 12, this
would have been incorrect. Never multipy a base by the exponent. These proper-
ties pertain to exponents only, not bases.
In this lesson we have discussed 5 different exponent properties. These rules are
summarized in the following table.
Rules of Exponents

Product Rule of Exponents aman = am+n

am
Quotient Rule of Exponents = am−n
an
Power of a Power Rule of Exponents (am)n = amn
Power of a Product Rule of Exponents (ab)m = ambm
 a m am
Power of a Quotient Rule of Exponents = m
b b
These five properties are often mixed up in the same problem. Often there is a bit
of flexibility as to which property is used first. However, order of operations still
applies to a problem. For this reason it is the suggestion of the auther to simplify
inside any parenthesis first, then simplify any exponents (using power rules), and
finally simplify any multiplication or division (using product and quotient rules).
This is illustrated in the next few examples.

Example 14.

(4x3 y · 5x4 y 2)3 In parenthesis simplify using product rule, adding exponents
(20x7 y 3)3 With power rules, put three on each factor, multiplying exponents
203x21y 9 Evaluate 203
8000x21y 9 Our Solution

4
Example 15.

7a3(2a4)3 Parenthesis are already simplified, next use power rules

7a3(8a12) Using product rule, add exponents and multiply numbers
56a15 Our Solution

Example 16.
3a3b · 10a4b3
Simplify numerator with product rule, adding exponents
2a4b2

30a7b4
Now use the quotient rule to subtract exponents
2a4b2

15a3b2 Our Solution

Example 17.
3m8n12
Use power rule in denominator
(m2n3)3

3m8n12
Use quotient rule
m6n9

3m2n3 Our solution

Example 18.
2
3ab2(2a4b2)3

Simplify inside parenthesis first, using power rule in numerator
6a5b7
2
3ab2(8a12b6)

Simplify numerator using product rule
6a5b7
2
24a13b8

Simplify using the quotient rule
6a5b7

4a8b)2 Now that the parenthesis are simplified, use the power rules
16a16b2 Our Solution

Clearly these problems can quickly become quite involved. Remember to follow
order of operations as a guide, simplify inside parenthesis first, then power rules,
then product and quotient rules.

Beginning and Intermediate Algebra by Tyler Wallace is licensed under a Creative Commons
Attribution 3.0 Unported License. (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/)

5
 5.1 Practice - Exponent Properties
Simplify.
1) 4 · 44 · 44 2) 4 · 44 · 42
3) 4 · 22 4) 3 · 33 · 32
5) 3m · 4mn 6) 3x · 4x2
7) 2m4n2 · 4nm2 8) x2 y 4 · xy 2
9) (33)4 10) (43)4
11) (44)2 12) (32)3
13) (2u3v 2)2 14) (xy)3
15) (2a4)4
16) (2xy)4
45
17) 37
43 18) 33
32
19) 3 34
20) 3
3nm2
21) 3n x2 y 4
22) 4xy
4x3 y 4
23) 3xy 3 xy 3
24) 4xy
25) (x3 y 4 · 2x2 y 3)2
26) (u2v 2 · 2u4)3
27) 2x(x4 y 4)4
3vu5 · 2v3
29)
2x 7 y 5 28) uv 2 · 2u3v
3x3 y · 4x2 y 3
2ba7 · 2b4

(2x)3
2 30) ba2 · 3a3b4
31) x3
2a2b2a7
 3 32) (ba4)2
2y 17
33) (2x2 y 4)4
yx2 · (y 4)2
34) 2y 4
4 3
 
2m n4 · 2m4n
35) mn4 n3(n4)2
36) 2mn
2xy 5 · 2x2 y 3
37) 2xy 4 · y 3 (2y 3x2)2
38) 2x2 y 4 · x2
q 3r 2 · (2p2 q 2r 3)2
39) 2p3 2x4 y 5 · 2z 10 x2 y 7
 4 40) (xy 2z 2)4
zy 3 · z 3 x4 y 4
41) x3 y 3z 3
 4
2q 3 p3r 4 · 2p3
42) (qrp3)2
2x2 y 2z 6 · 2zx2 y 2
43) (x2z 3)2

Beginning and Intermediate Algebra by Tyler Wallace is licensed under a Creative Commons
Attribution 3.0 Unported License. (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/)

6
5.1

Answers to Exponent Properties

1) 49 17) 42 32) 2a
2) 47 18) 34 y3
33) 512x24
3) 24 19) 3
y 5 x2
4) 36 20) 33 34) 2

5) 12m2n 21) m2
35) 64m12n12
3 xy 3
6) 12x 22) 4
n10
7) 8m6n3 4x2 y 36) 2m
23) 3
3 6
8) x y y2 37) 2x2 y
24) 4
9) 312
12 25) 4x10 y 14 38) 2y 2
10) 4
26) 8u18v 6 39) 2q 7r 8 p
11) 48
6
27) 2x17 y 16
12) 3 40) 4x2 y 4z 2
28) 3uv
13) 4u6v 4
x2 y 41) x4 y 16z 4
3 3 29)
14) x y 6

30)
4a2 42) 256q 4r 8
15) 16a16 3

16) 16x4 y 4 31) 64 43) 4y 4z

Beginning and Intermediate Algebra by Tyler Wallace is licensed under a Creative Commons
Attribution 3.0 Unported License. (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/)