The Power of Exponents, Part 1 – Introductory
From the CUNY Math Packet
In these materials, students learn about exponents and roots as well as how to break numbers down and examine how they work.
Topics in Part 1 include:
- Multiplication, including factors, multiples, and arrays
- Characteristics of numbers, including factors, prime factorization, and finding common factors between numbers
- An introduction to exponents, square roots and cube roots, with connections to geometry
- What it means when an exponent is 1 or less (fractional exponents, to the power of zero, and negative exponents).
Please note that these materials also have a Part 2, which builds on what students learn in Part 1. For teachers who continue on to Part 2, Part 1 provides an excellent foundation for helping students make sense of the algebraic exponent rules. These materials are recommended even for teachers who don’t plan on getting into the abstract algebra work with exponents; the activities in Part 1 will deepen students understanding of numbers and help them build flexibility and fluency.