- #1
mather
- 146
- 0
hello!
I want to know what happens, what means, what the properties are etc of a negative exponent
I read on wikipedia "When n is a negative integer and b is non-zero, b^n is naturally defined as 1/b^−n"
So based on the above, 3^-2 = 1/3^2
1) Is this correct?
2) Why does this happen? How can the number of multiplication of a base be a negative number? Also, how can it be a none natural number? Since we are talking about an amount of times of multiplication of a base, isn't by definition only 0, 1, 2, 3, etc? (not sure how this set of number is called, naturals maybe?)
3) Also, what about x^0? Does it equal always (ie. with every real number x) with 0 ?
4) Last, in x^n, I expect x to be any real number, is this correct? Or there are any limitations?
Thanks
I want to know what happens, what means, what the properties are etc of a negative exponent
I read on wikipedia "When n is a negative integer and b is non-zero, b^n is naturally defined as 1/b^−n"
So based on the above, 3^-2 = 1/3^2
1) Is this correct?
2) Why does this happen? How can the number of multiplication of a base be a negative number? Also, how can it be a none natural number? Since we are talking about an amount of times of multiplication of a base, isn't by definition only 0, 1, 2, 3, etc? (not sure how this set of number is called, naturals maybe?)
3) Also, what about x^0? Does it equal always (ie. with every real number x) with 0 ?
4) Last, in x^n, I expect x to be any real number, is this correct? Or there are any limitations?
Thanks