ACT Preparation / Unit 7 ACT 0606 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Zero and Negative Exponents
Captions available
The idea
Any nonzero number to the zero power is 1. A negative exponent means a reciprocal: a to the negative n equals 1 over a to the n.
In practice
5⁰ = 1; 2⁻³ = 1/8; 1/x⁻² = x².
Where people slip
A negative exponent never makes the number negative: 2⁻³ is a positive eighth.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
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