Key Concepts

Dividing Monomials
Objective
Introduce the notion of dividing monomials, and the idea of zero and negative numbers as exponents.

Note to the Teacher It is a good idea to allow students to experiment with computing quotients of powers of 2 in order to discover the formula for division of powers. Also, when introducing negative powers, make it clear that the definition is based on patterns, but that it does not mean that we can really take a product of a negative number of factors.

Dividing Powers of the Same Number

To understand division of powers, look at the table at the right. It shows the results when 64, which equals 26, is divided by various powers of 2. Ask students if they see a pattern in these numbers. Lead the class to the conclusion that the result is found by subtracting the exponents. Next, do an example with a variable.
n
1
26 2n
26 21 26 22 26 23 26 24 26 25 26 26 64 2 64 4 64 8 64 16 64 32 64 64

64 2n

32 or 25 16 or 24 8 or 23 4 or 22 2 or 21 1 or 20

Example 1 Divide x4 by x2.

Solution Expand x4 into x x x x and x2 into x x. Then use these expressions to write a fraction.
xxxx xx

Now cancel two of the xs from both numerator and denominator.

xxxx xx
1 1 1 1

xx 2 x 1

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Note to the Teacher Make sure to explain that cancellation just

means recognizing that
xxxx xx xx 1 xx x x
1 1 1 1

x x 1.

Students should understand that canceling is just shorthand for a process involving the properties of fractions. Also, point out that any number raised to the power 1 is that number itself.
If we divide a power of a number or variable by another (smaller) power of the same number or variable, the result is the original number raised to the power given by the difference of the two original powers.
xm x mn xn

Quotient of Powers

for m n

Write the quotient and expand the numerator and the denominator into products of xs. m factors
x x x x n x x x x
m

m n factors
x x x 1

n factors
x x x x x x

m n factors

n factors

This shows that the formula for the quotient of powers is valid.

Example 2 Simplify
5

x5 . x2

n factors

x x52 Solution 2 x

Example 4 Simplify
100

y y10025 Solution 2 5 y

x
3

Example 3 Simplify
243 3 Solution 4 81 3
5

x x x 1 xmn

243 . 81

354 31 or 3
y100 . y25

Example 5 Simplify
z z Solution 1 z z
10 10

z10 . z

75

z101 z9

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This formula can be used to simplify any quotient of monomials.

Example 6 Simplify
5 6

a5b6c . ab3
5 6

Example 7 Simplify
1 7x y

4x7y6 2 . 7x y2

c abc a b Solution 3 3 ab a b

4x7y6 4 x7 y6 Solution 2 2 2 2 7 x y 4 x72y62 7 4 x5y4 7

a51b63c a4b3c

Negative Numbers and Zero in the Exponent

Point out that we have only defined exponentiation by positive integers, not for zero or for negative numbers. Remind students that when m n,
am amn. an

If we let m n, then we get

am m amm a0. a a 1, since any number divided by itself is 1. On the other hand, m a
m

This leads to the following definition.

Zero Exponent

a0 is defined to be equal to 1.

a mn suggest if m n? For example, What would the formula n a a

let m 1 and n 2.
am a1 n a a2

a12 a1 On the other hand,

a a1 aa a2 1 1 a 1 1 . a a a a

1 So, the formula suggests that a1 should be defined to be . More

generally, it suggests that a

should be defined to be

1 . an

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Negative Exponents

1 an is defined to be equal to n. a

Note to the Teacher At this point, students may be confused by

the way the formula was used to generate a definition for negative powers. Point out that it was used only as a guide to suggest what a definition should be, but that once we make the definition, we can work with these exponents in exactly the same way that we did with positive exponents. Emphasize that with this definition, these exponents satisfy all the laws of exponents that students studied in Lesson 9-1. The definition of negative exponents can be used to simplify quotients of monomials.

Example 8 Simplify
2 9 7

3a2b9c7 . 2a5b3c7
2 9 7

3a b c 3 a b c Solution 5 3 7 5 3 7 2a b c 2 a b c

a25b93c77 a3b6c0 3
3b6 2a 3 2

3 2

End of Lesson

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