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Numbers and operations · Ages 13–14

Zero and negative indices worksheet

Part of: Laws of integral indices

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Zero and negative indices worksheet

Numbers and operations · Ages 13–14

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Name:Date:Score:/48

Write each answer in the space. For word problems, show your working and write a sentence answer.

Part A: Working out and filling in (2 marks each)

  1. 1.As a fraction: 4−1 =

    Answer in simplest form

    Answer:

  2. 2.880 × 12 =

    Answer:

  3. 3.(13)−4 =

    Answer:

  4. 4.As a decimal: 10−1 =

    Answer:

  5. 5.As a fraction: (38)−3 =

    Answer in simplest form

    Answer:

  6. 6.3−2 = 1 ÷ 3□ = 1

    Fill in each blank

    Answer:

  7. 7.As a decimal: 10−4 =

    Answer:

  8. 8.As a fraction: 70 + 7−1 + 7−2 =

    Answer in simplest form

    Answer:

  9. 9.As a fraction: 90 + 9−1 + 9−2 =

    Answer in simplest form

    Answer:

Part B: Choose, or true or false (2 marks each)

  1. 10.3−3 = 19

    True or false?

    Answer:

  2. 11.3−3 = ?

    • A. −9
    • B. −27
    • C. 127
    • D. 19

    Choose the right answer

    Answer:

  3. 12.(−8)−2 = ?

    • A. 64
    • B. −164
    • C. 164
    • D. −64

    Choose the right answer

    Answer:

Part C: Word problems (4 marks each)

  1. 13.1 micrometre is 10−6 m and 1 millimetre is 10−3 m. How many millimetres is 579 micrometres?

    Working:

    Answer:

  2. 14.A kind of bacterium splits once an hour, doubling the number. There are 16 now. How many were there 2 hours ago?

    Working:

    Answer:

  3. 15.The amount of a medicine in the blood halves every hour. It starts at 224 mg, and after t hours 224 × 2−t mg is left. If 28 mg is left, what is t?

    Working:

    Answer:

  4. 16.What is 18 as a power of 2?

    • A. 2−4
    • B. −23
    • C. 23
    • D. 2−3

    Choose the right answer

    Working:

    Answer:

  5. 17.Ka-yee says (49)−3 is less than 1. Ka-yee is right.

    True or false?

    Working:

    Answer:

  6. 18.Work out (29)−3. Put the steps in order.

    • A. 1 ÷ (29)3 = 1 ÷ 8729
    • B. 1 ÷ 8729 = 7298
    • C. (29)−3 = 1 ÷ (29)3

    Write the letters in the right order

    Working:

    Answer:

Show the answers and working

Zero and negative indices worksheet: Answers and working

Part A: Working out and filling in

  1. 1. 14

    4−1 = 141 = 14. A negative index isn't a negative number.

  2. 2. 12

    Any number but 0 to the power 0 is 1: 880 = 1, and 1 × 12 = 12.

  3. 3. 81

    A fraction to a negative index: turn it over first. (13)−4 = 34 = 81.

  4. 4. 0.1

    10−1 = 1101 = 110 = 0.1.

  5. 5. 51227

    Turn the fraction over first: (38)−3 = (83)3 = 51227.

  6. 6. 2, 9

    a−n = 1 ÷ an: 3−2 = 1 ÷ 32 = 19.

  7. 7. 0.0001

    10−4 = 1104 = 110000 = 0.0001.

  8. 8. 5749

    70 = 1, 7−1 = 17, 7−2 = 149; over 49: 4949 + 749 + 149 = 5749.

  9. 9. 9181

    90 = 1, 9−1 = 19, 9−2 = 181; over 81: 8181 + 981 + 181 = 9181.

Part B: Choose, or true or false

  1. 10. False

    3−3 = 133, and 33 is 3 lots of 3 multiplied, 27, not 3 × 3.

  2. 11. C. 127

    3−3 = 133 = 127.

  3. 12. C. 164

    (−8)−2 = 1(−8)2 = 164.

Part C: Word problems

Marking: 2 for the working, 1 for the answer, 1 for the sentence.

  1. 13. 0.579 mm

    1 micrometre = 10−6 ÷ 10−3 = 10−3 mm, so 579 micrometres = 579 × 10−3 = 0.579 mm.

  2. 14. 4 bacteria

    Each hour back divides by 2: 16 × 2−2 = 16 ÷ 22 = 4.

  3. 15. 3 hours

    224 × 2−t = 28, so 2t = 224 ÷ 28 = 23 and t = 3.

  4. 16. D. 2−3

    8 = 23, so 18 = 123 = 2−3.

  5. 17. False

    (49)−3 = (94)3: when 94 is under 1 its powers are too; over 1, they are over 1.

  6. 18. C → A → B

    a−n = 1 ÷ an; a fraction's power raises top and bottom; dividing by a fraction multiplies by its reciprocal: 7298.

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