Category: Exponents

Categories
exponents Exponents Linear, Quadratic, and Exponential Models*

(16x^2)^3/4 = 1024x^11/4

Mistake

 

OK OK OK I think I’ve got where 1024 comes from but what is going on with that 11?

Update: I think banderson2 nails it in the comments. “It comes from the power of 2. 2 = 8/4 so 8/4 + 3/4 is 11/4.”

Categories
Exponents Seeing Structure in Expressions

-3X as 3 Negative X’s

JNewman

Check out this kid’s explanation for why you end up with “+3x” from “-(-3x)”:

“You have -3x, so that’s three negatives, and then you have this other negative and that makes four…”

You can find this explanation at around 3:33 in the video below:


Exponents strike again!

(Or, maybe I misunderstood the kid’s explanation in the video? Lemme know if I did, please!)

Thanks to Jonathan for the submission.

Categories
Arithmetic with Polynomials and Rational Expressions exponents Exponents

Negative Exponents with Tons of Variables

Camera 360

 

I think the temptation I have is to call this a “careless” mistake and urge more practice. Let’s probe deeper.

1. What does this kid know and understand about exponents?

2. What’s the fastest way to help?

3. What makes this mistake so tempting?

Thanks to Sadie Estrella for the awesome addition to our ever-mounting pile of exponents mistakes.