You Can Do Math: Powers, Exponents, Indices and Surds

Exponentiation, raising a number to a power, is usually the next mathematical operation that students learn about after mastering addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. This book is principally about exponentiation and performing mathematical operations on expressions that involve exponents. Additionally, the book introduces surds such as square roots, and explains how to perform common mathematical operations involving such surds.

In this book, among other things, you will learn:

• How exponents are pronounced
• The meanings of the words base, exponent, index (plural: indices), and exponentiation
• How to multiply numbers and algebraic symbols with exponents
• How to divide numbers and algebraic symbols with exponents
• How to raise numbers and algebraic symbols with exponents to a power
• How multiplications and divisions involving different base numbers with exponents can sometimes be simplified
• How to solve problems with fractional exponents
• What are surds
• How to perform arithmetic on expressions that contain surds
• How to simplify surds and expressions containing surds
• How to expand brackets when surds are involved
• How to simplify fractions containing surds including "rationalizing the denominator"