Exponents: An Introduction
"The Island of Exponents"
This video introduces students to the concept of exponents. It explains what base numbers and exponents are and that an exponential expression tells you to multiply. You multiply the base not by the exponent, but by itself the number of times specified by the exponent. The song includes several examples of exponents.
Welcome to the Island of Exponents.
2 to the power of 9,
Multiply 2 by itself, 9 times.
3 to the power of 3,
Is 3 times 3 times 3, you see?
10 to the power of 5,
Multiply 10 by itself, 5 times.
4 to the power of 4,
Is 4 times 4 times 4 times 4, for sure.
We get it in with exponents,
The tiny numbers that pack a punch, let’s begin.
Exponents are little numbers that ride
On the shoulders of a base number, all right?
Exponents tell you to multiply,
But don’t multiply the exponent by the base that it rides.
That’s a common mistake,
Hold up, wait, pump the breaks.
39 isn’t 3 · 9,
It’s 3 · 3, 9 times.
Or take 25,
If you said 10, you need help Einstein.
It’s 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2,
Which is 32.
So get wild and excited like an expo,
To reach our exponential potential, now let’s go!
2 to the power of 9,
Multiply 2 by itself, 9 times.
3 to the power of 3,
Is 3 times 3 times 3, you see?
10 to the power of 5,
Multiply 10 by itself, 5 times.
4 to the power of 4,
Is 4 times 4 times 4 times 4, for sure.
Example: 103 In this case, 10 is the base, and 3 is the exponent. That means you’re multiplying 10 by itself three times, or 10 · 10 · 10.
Example: 103 In this case, 10 is the base, and 3 is the exponent. That means you’re multiplying 10 by itself three times, or 10 · 10 · 10.
39 is 3 · 3 · 3 · 3 · 3 · 3 · 3 · 3 · 3. That’s a lot of threes! Do you see why writing 39 is a lot easier? Another way of writing that is 19,683. Exponents can form big numbers very quickly!
39 is 3 · 3 · 3 · 3 · 3 · 3 · 3 · 3 · 3. That’s a lot of threes! Do you see why writing 39 is a lot easier? Another way of writing that is 19,683. Exponents can form big numbers very quickly!
25 is 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2, or 32.
How about 43? Easy: 4 · 4 · 4, which is 64.
Can you solve 55? How about 64?
25 is 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2, or 32.
How about 43? Easy: 4 · 4 · 4, which is 64.
Can you solve 55? How about 64?
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