Math Foundation
Everyday Australian words, slang and life-admin terms for migrants, students and workers — explained in plain English and 8 other languages.
Reviewed entries
35 entriespower
nounIn maths, a number written with an exponent, such as 3⁴; also the exponent itself.
Three to the fourth power, 3⁴, equals 81.
power of a power
nounThe exponent rule (aᵐ)ⁿ = aᵐⁿ: multiply the exponents.
Using the power of a power rule, (2³)² = 2⁶ = 64.
The rule log(aⁿ) = n log a.
The power rule for logarithms turns log(x³) into 3 log x.
product rule
nounThe exponent rule aᵐ × aⁿ = aᵐ⁺ⁿ: when multiplying powers with the same base, add the exponents.
By the product rule, x³ × x⁴ = x⁷.
The rule log(ab) = log a + log b.
By the product rule for logarithms, log 6 = log 2 + log 3.
quotient rule
nounThe exponent rule aᵐ ÷ aⁿ = aᵐ⁻ⁿ: when dividing powers with the same base, subtract the exponents.
By the quotient rule, 5⁷ ÷ 5⁴ = 5³.
The rule log(a ÷ b) = log a − log b.
Using the quotient rule for logarithms, log 5 = log 10 − log 2.
An exponent written as a fraction, showing a root: a^(m/n) is the nth root of a to the m.
The rational exponent in 8^(1/3) means the cube root of 8, which is 2.
A way of writing very large or small numbers as a number between 1 and 10 times a power of 10.
3,500,000 in scientific notation is 3.5 × 10⁶.
zero exponent
nounThe rule that any non-zero number to the power 0 equals 1.
Because of the zero exponent rule, 7⁰ = 1.