CliffsStudySolver Algebra II
Chapter One
The Basics
Algebra is a language. You need to know the rules and definitions to understand this language
and its many manipulations. In this chapter is a review of some of the important
basics of algebra: rules for exponents and operations involving polynomials. These should
be reviewed before going on to some of the advanced topics in Algebra II.
Rules for Exponents
A power or exponent tells how many times a number multiplies itself. Many opportunities exist
in algebra for combining and simplifying expressions with two or more of these exponential
terms in them. The rules used here to combine numbers and variables work for any expression
with exponents. They are found in formulas and applications in science, business, and technology,
as well as math. The term [a.sup.4] has an exponent of 4 and a base of a. The base is what gets
multiplied repeatedly. The exponent tells how many times that repeatedly is.
Laws for Using Exponents
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