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Lesson Planning Sheet Title: Negative Powers Learning Objectives: By the end of the lesson: All students should be able to simplify and evaluate terms written in index form where an integer base is raised to a negative power. Most students should be able to simplify and evaluate terms written in index form where a decimal base is raised to a negative power. Some students should be able to simplify and evaluate terms written in index form where the base is written as a fraction or mixed number is raised to a negative power. Key words: Index form, Reciprocal, Base, Power, Evaluate, Simplify, Negative power Learning Activities Starter/Introduction Students recap calculating reciprocals of integers, fractions, mixed numbers and algebraic expressions. Students should be aware that the reciprocal represents the mathematical inverse of a number. The matched pairs could be presented on mini-whiteboards for the teacher to assess prior understanding. Students could check their answers using the button on their calculator. Development Using the table on the second slide guide the students into recognising the pattern between the ordinary numbers and those written in index and fraction form when the power changes from a positive to zero to negative. Students could complete the missing terms in the sequences themselves or work through them with the teacher. Pose the question What effect does raising a base of to a power of negative have? The ideal response would be that it becomes the reciprocal of the base. Develop the conversation through powers less than negative one through using the pattern established in the table. By the end of this students should be able to derive the relationship Resources: Calculators Mini-Whiteboards

Students work through the problems on the third slide independently. To check their solutions students should evaluate the terms using a scientific calculator. Plenary Pose the two questions on the final side. Students should recognise that the expressions need to be evaluated. Have the class work through the problems on mini-whiteboards so that their progress can be assessed. All, should access question a, question b involves a double negative. Question C required a solid understanding of the multiplication rule. Differentiation More able: Students could solve equations with negative powers using the divison and multiplication rules. For example, . Negative fractional powers could be introduced. Less Able Students could stick to using powers of -1 and -2. Knowledge of reciprocals may need to be taught over the course of an entire lesson.

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