Illustrative Mathematics Grade 8, Unit 7, Lesson 7: Practice with Rational Bases

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Illustrative Math
Grade 8

Lesson 7: Practice with Rational Bases

Let’s practice with exponents.

Illustrative Math Unit 8.7, Lesson 7 (printable worksheets)

Lesson 7 Summary

In the past few lessons, we found rules to more easily keep track of repeated factors when using exponents. We also extended these rules to make sense of negative exponents as repeated factors of the reciprocal of the base, as well as defining a number to the power of 0 to have a value of 1. These rules can be written symbolically as:

In this lesson, we practiced using these exponent rules for different bases and exponents.

Lesson 7.1 Which One Doesn’t Belong: Exponents

Which expression doesn’t belong?

• See Video for Whole Lesson

Lesson 7.2 Exponent Rule Practice

1. Choose 6 of the following to write using a single exponent:
2. Which problems did you want to skip in the previous question? Explain your thinking.
3. Choose 3 of the following to write using a single, positive exponent:
4. Choose 3 of the following to evaluate:

Lesson 7.3 Inconsistent Bases

Mark each equation as true or false. What could you change about the false equations to make them true?

Are you ready for more?

1. Solve this equation: 3^x-5 = 9^x+4. Explain or show your reasoning.
   • Show Answer

     3^x-5 = 9^x+4
     3^x-5 = (3²)^x+4
     x - 5 = 2(x + 4)
     x - 5 = 2x + 8
     x = -13

Lesson 7 Practice Problems

1. Write with a single exponent:
2. Noah says that 2⁴ · 3² = 6⁶. Tyler says that 2⁴ · 4² = 16². a. Do you agree with Noah? Explain or show your reasoning. b. Do you agree with Tyler? Explain or show your reasoning.

The Open Up Resources math curriculum is free to download from the Open Up Resources website and is also available from Illustrative Mathematics.

Try the free Mathway calculator and problem solver below to practice various math topics. Try the given examples, or type in your own problem and check your answer with the step-by-step explanations.

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