Find the Exponent: Solving 1/a^□ = (1/a)×(1/a)×(1/a)×(1/a)×(1/a)×(1/a)

Exponential Notation with Repeated Multiplication

Fill in the missing number:

1a=1a1a1a1a1a1a \frac{1}{a}^☐=\frac{1}{a}\cdot\frac{1}{a}\cdot\frac{1}{a}\cdot\frac{1}{a}\cdot\frac{1}{a}\cdot\frac{1}{a}

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Step-by-step video solution

Watch the teacher solve the problem with clear explanations
00:00 Complete the missing number
00:03 Let's use the exponent formula
00:06 Any number (X) to the power of (N)
00:09 equals X multiplied by itself N times
00:17 Let's use this formula in our exercise
00:21 X is the number being multiplied
00:25 The number of multiplications equals the exponent (N)
00:30 And this is the solution to the question

Step-by-step written solution

Follow each step carefully to understand the complete solution
1

Understand the problem

Fill in the missing number:

1a=1a1a1a1a1a1a \frac{1}{a}^☐=\frac{1}{a}\cdot\frac{1}{a}\cdot\frac{1}{a}\cdot\frac{1}{a}\cdot\frac{1}{a}\cdot\frac{1}{a}

2

Step-by-step solution

To solve this problem, we'll follow these steps:

  • Step 1: Identify the structure of the exponentiation in the problem.
  • Step 2: Count the number of terms multiplied on the right-hand side.
  • Step 3: Equate the number of terms to the exponent, thereby finding the missing number.

Now, let's work through each step:

Step 1: The problem provides the expression: 1a \frac{1}{a}^☐ on the left-hand side, and 1a1a1a1a1a1a\frac{1}{a} \cdot \frac{1}{a} \cdot \frac{1}{a} \cdot \frac{1}{a} \cdot \frac{1}{a} \cdot \frac{1}{a} on the right-hand side.

Step 2: Count the number of 1a\frac{1}{a} terms on the right. There are 6 terms.

Step 3: The property of exponents allows us to say (1a)\left(\frac{1}{a}\right)^☐ should equal to 1a\frac{1}{a} multiplied by itself 6 times. Thus, the exponent on the left, indicated by ☐, must match the count of the terms:

Therefore, the missing number for ☐ is 6 6 .

3

Final Answer

6

Key Points to Remember

Essential concepts to master this topic
  • Rule: An exponent tells how many times to multiply the base
  • Technique: Count multiplication terms: 1a1a1a1a1a1a=6 terms \frac{1}{a} \cdot \frac{1}{a} \cdot \frac{1}{a} \cdot \frac{1}{a} \cdot \frac{1}{a} \cdot \frac{1}{a} = 6 \text{ terms}
  • Check: Verify (1a)6 \left(\frac{1}{a}\right)^6 means multiply 1a \frac{1}{a} by itself 6 times ✓

Common Mistakes

Avoid these frequent errors
  • Counting the multiplication signs instead of the terms
    Don't count the 5 multiplication signs (·) = wrong answer 5! The multiplication signs connect the terms but don't represent the quantity being multiplied. Always count the actual terms being multiplied together, which is 6 in this problem.

Practice Quiz

Test your knowledge with interactive questions

Which of the following is equivalent to the expression below?

\( \)\( 10,000^1 \)

FAQ

Everything you need to know about this question

Why is the answer 6 and not 5?

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Count the terms, not the multiplication signs! You have 6 copies of 1a \frac{1}{a} multiplied together, even though there are only 5 multiplication signs connecting them.

What does the exponent actually mean?

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An exponent tells you how many times to use the base as a factor. So (1a)6 \left(\frac{1}{a}\right)^6 means use 1a \frac{1}{a} as a factor 6 times in multiplication.

How do I count the terms correctly?

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Look at each 1a \frac{1}{a} separately and count: first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth. That's 6 terms total, so the exponent is 6.

Is this the same as regular numbers?

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Yes! Just like 23=2×2×2 2^3 = 2 \times 2 \times 2 (3 times), here (1a)6 \left(\frac{1}{a}\right)^6 means 1a \frac{1}{a} multiplied 6 times. The pattern is exactly the same!

What if the base was different?

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The method stays the same! Whether it's xn x^n , (12)n \left(\frac{1}{2}\right)^n , or any other base, just count how many times the base appears in the multiplication.

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