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What are the exponent rules?
Are power and exponent same?
What is the negative exponent rule and the power of a power rule in algebra?
Power of a power rule: $(a^{m})^{n} = a^{mn}$
Negative Exponent Rule: $a^{-m} = \frac{1}{a^{m}}$
Both are commonly used: contrary to popular belief, mathematical language is not consistent around the world, nor is it always completely precise. If one says "the power " or "the power
in the expression
", there is no ambiguity and therefore no problem.
And BTW there is no reason to find it embarrassing: that's just the way language is, in mathematics as elsewhere.
Welcome to the marvelous world of mathematics and its expression in natural language!
Mathematicians invented formulae to be able to express precise concepts. When you write , anybody can understand what you mean, whatever their native language is. A more relevant example if the following formula used in limits definition:
It is clear for any mathematician that the value of depends on the value of
. Depending on the language and the proficiency of both the writer and the reader, a natural language formulation may be ambiguous on that point.
TL/DR: do not expect the natural language expressions for mathematics to be as precise and unambiguous as true mathematics expressions are...



