1. Zero Exponent? Product or quotient of powers with the same base? Simplify Negative Exponents.

2. Any power with a zero exponent simplifies to 1.

3.  When raising a product to a power, each factor is raised to the power.  When raising a quotient to a power, the numerator and the denominator are both raised to the power.  If a power is raised to a power, multiply the exponents. Example

4. (4x -2 ) 3 Next step. 4 3 (x -2 ) 3 64x -6 64 x 6

5.  If there is a product of powers with the same base, keep the base and add the exponents.  If there is a quotient of powers with the same base, keep the base and subtract the exponents.

6.  Simplify all negative exponents by rewriting the power as the reciprocal of the base with the positive exponent.  If there is a negative exponent in the numerator of a fraction, move the power to the denominator and change it to a positive exponent.  If there is a negative exponent in the denominator of a fraction, move it to the numerator and change it to a positive exponent.