Activity Overview
Students explore patterns and rules in dealing with exponents and logarithms. They evaluate expressions with exponents and logarithms and display them in various notations. They will use their calculators to discover the power of exponents and their usefulness in the world.
Before the Activity
See the attached PDF file for detailed instructions for this activity
Print pages 50 - 52 from the attached PDF file for your class
During the Activity
Distribute the pages to the class.
Follow the activity procedures:
Evaluate exponential expressions and display the result as decimals rounded to the nearest thousandth
Examine patterns that result from algebraic manipulation, and make and verify conjectures about general algebraic properties
Realize that negative numbers raised to odd powers produce negative results, and even powers produce positive results
Use the calculator to determine if expressions are equivalent
Express numbers in scientific notation
Learn how to calculate common and natural logarithms using the calculator
Determine the number of bytes in a kilobyte and a megabyte
After the Activity
Students complete the Student Activity pages.
Review student results
As a class, discuss questions that appeared to be more challenging
Re-teach concepts as necessary