MATTEO'S ACADEMY

Exponents & Scientific Notation

Welcome to your class 🎓

This module gets you ready for Topic 2 Assessment Form B. Do it in order — each topic has a video, the rules ("laws"), and a mini quiz. Every question explains what went wrong, so getting it wrong is how you learn. Finish all four quizzes and the practice test unlocks.

  1. ▶ Watch the video for the topic
  2. 📖 Read the laws — say them out loud
  3. ✍️ Take the mini quiz (get them all right to move on)
  4. 🎯 After all 4 quizzes, the practice test unlocks

Your progress is saved in the browser — close this and come back anytime, it remembers where you were.

Topic 1 · What is an exponent?

An exponent is a shortcut for repeated multiplication. The big number is the base. The small floating number (the exponent) says how many times the base multiplies by itself.

Example: (−1.7)³ = (−1.7) × (−1.7) × (−1.7) — that is three factors multiplied, NOT "−1.7 times 3".

LAW 1 — Multiplying same bases: ADD the exponents am × an = am+n  →  (−1.7)10 × (−1.7)2 = (−1.7)12
LAW 2 — Dividing same bases: SUBTRACT the exponents y8 ÷ y3 = y8−3 = y5

In this next video the same rules are used with letters like x and y — same idea, works exactly the same.

Quick check — Topic 1

✅ Topic 1 done — nice work. Keep going!

Topic 2 · The laws of exponents

Here is the full toolkit. These five laws handle almost every question on the test.

LAW 3 — Power of a power: MULTIPLY the exponents (x2)4 = x2·4 = x8
LAW 4 — Power of a product: the outside exponent goes to EVERYTHING inside (pq−1)4 = p4q−4  ·  (5a)2 = 25a2 (the 5 gets squared too!)
LAW 5 — Anything (except 0) to the power 0 equals 1 (w5y)0 = 1  →  w3(w5y)0z8 = w3z8 (the middle factor is just 1)

Quick check — Topic 2

✅ Topic 2 done — you have the toolkit!
Matteo's Academy · Built by Leo for Matteo · Week 1: Exponents & Scientific Notation · Videos: Math Antics • Khan Academy • The Organic Chemistry Tutor