Mastering Exponents, Exponential Expressions and Equations

Are you struggling with exponents in your mathematics or science class?  This course will help you to master the use of exponents in a variety of contexts.  Learn the basics of exponents and the rules that govern their use in mathematical and scientific applications.

Develop confidence with exponents and their applications in this course designed to supplement your existing and future mathematics and science classes

Included in this course:

• Learn basics of exponents
• Apply rules governing exponents

Extend your understanding of exponents by 

• Using Scientific Notation to represent quantities and solve problems
• Solving exponential equations (equations involving an exponent)
• Simplifying exponential expressions (expressions involving exponents)  

Exponents Are Powerful Mathematical Tools!

Believe it or not, we can use an exponent to reduce the enormously large number 12,157,665,459,056,928,801 to a compact expression involving only 2 numbers!  It is written simply as 9²⁰

Also, if we know the volume of a cube is 2744 cubic feet, we can work backward to find that the cube has a side length of exactly 14 feet in only a matter of seconds!  

How is such a powerful simplification involving a very large number and finding the side length of a cube in only a few seconds possible?  Come and see these answers and much, much more!  Put these useful tools to work to solve real-life problems in addition to those found in your high school and college level mathematics and science courses.

Content and Overview

All Algebra-based mathematics courses and most science courses require a clear understanding of exponents, so learning the fundamental principles of exponents opens up a new world of understanding for you and gives you a leg up in your studies.  This course was designed for high school and college level students who are beginning to work with exponents, and those who need a review of fundamentals and applications of exponents.  As you master these fundamental concepts, you will form the basis for mastering other mathematical topics such as quadratic functions, polynomials, exponential functions and logarithms.  

In addition to the stated topics of exponent basics, rules of exponents, Scientific Notation, solving exponential equations and simplifying exponential functions, there are several additional topics included in this course.  These include:

• use of a scientific calculator to evaluate exponential expressions, powers, negative exponents
• the Zero Exponent
• non-integer bases and exponents (exponents represented as decimals and fractions) and how they produce "intermediate values"
• substituting in numerical values to evaluate exponential expressions
• use of variables (such as x and y) in  exponents
• powers (the combination of a base and an exponent)
• roots and radicals of numbers, including specially named roots
• the Principal Square Root (when we only recognize a single square root)
• rationalizing denominators containing radicals
• combining powers and roots into a single (fractional) exponent

The course is designed for you with lessons, short quizzes, checks for understanding and a set of practice problems in each section for you to assess your progress.  Over 200 practice problems are provided with the course materials.  Answers can be checked using the provided answer keys or you can follow along with me on video as I work out the solutions to problems you are having trouble with.