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| | Math Forum - Ask Dr. Math (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-11-07) |
 | | Date: 12/10/98 at 10:51:56 From: David Burns Subject: Exponents/powers of two Dear Dr. Math, In fifth grade we've learned that 2 to the third power = 8, two squared = 4, 2 to the first power = 2, and 2 to the zero power = 1. |
 | | I understand the pattern of 2 cubed, squared, to the first power, and to the zero power (8, 4, 2, 1), but I'm still having trouble with this idea. |
 | | But you want powers to keep working the same way they always did, and one rule is this: if you divide a number to a power by the same number to a different power, the answer is the same number raised to the difference of the first two powers. |
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