Description
This award-winning series helps students to build confidence in their ability to "do math" and develop the knowledge and skills required to become mathematically literate. This lesson introduces two important pre-algebra topics. The first exponents, or powers, are used to simplify repeated multiplication. The vocabulary of exponents is discussed. Patterns in powers of various numbers are discovered. The various properties of exponents are studied. This study is not based on memorization. Instead, a logical approach is used for working with exponential numbers. The second topic is the order of operations. The rationale for the PEMDAS (parentheses, exponentiation, multiply/divide, add/subtract) rule is discussed and problems are used to reinforce the process. Students will learn the meaning of the word exponent, the ability to multiply and divide numbers given in exponential form with the same base and simplifying expressions.