Laws of Exponents that you should know:
 

	When you multiply two exponential numbers with the same base, keep the base and add the exponents.
	When you raise an exponential number to another power, keep the base and multiply the exponents.
	When you raise a product to a power, you raise each factor to that power.

If you divide two exponential numbers with the same base, keep the base and subtract the exponents.

What about........?
 

	Given Problem
	Using the definition of exponents, and cancellation, we see that the answer is 1.
	Using the exponential law, we see that the answer is a to the zero power.
	We now have an important new law of exponents. If the base is a non zero number, when taken to the zero power, the result is one (1).

and what about.......?

	Given Problem
	Using the definition of exponents, and cancellation, we see that the answer has 1 in the numerator and b to the fourth power in the denominator.
	Using the exponential law, we see that the answer is b to the negative 4 power.
	We now have an inportant meaning for a negative exponent. A negative in an exponent means reciprocal.

For any real number a, except a=0, and any integer n, and .

A negative in an exponent means reciprocal.

For any nonzero real numbers a and b, and integer n,  and

A negative in an exponent means reciprocal.