Hello and welcome to my blog! In this post, you’ll be reading about my process of learning how to use exponents. Our project was to create a card game with at least 3 exponent laws. Anyways, let’s jump right into the blog post.

So in Math 9, we’ve been learning about exponents. Before we stated, we had to do a project start mind map. In the mind map, we needed to include things we already know about exponents. When we finish the unit, we would then do a project end mind map. That includes everything we learned during the unit. So here are both of mine.

Project End

Project Start

Now, I want to talk about 4 curriculum competencies. The first one is Demonstrate and apply mental math strategies. We showed this in our game by using small numbers. The only exception to this is the wildcard. Our game uses this for each turn the player takes. This also helped me because I now memorized some of the simple exponents.

The next one is use logic and patterns to solve puzzles and play games. For our game, we had three exponent laws. Multiplication, division, and multiplying exponents. I improved in this because we use these frequently in our game and by playing our game, this helped me understand these laws.

The next one is use mathematical arguments to supports personal choices. Now for this one, by playing the game we made, I learned that the base number doesn’t necessarily have to be bigger to be a larger number. Since our rule was whoever have the most points wins, sometimes people can think that the larger the base is, the larger the number is. That is correct if the exponent for both sets of powers are the same. I learned that the exponent can make the differece between bigger numbers.

The last one is develop, demonstrate, and apply mathematical understanding through play, inquiry, and problem solving. For this one, you need to know the basics of exponent. It bascailly sums up this unit. We have to learn exponents through the process of playing the card game. For me, I learned how to multiply exponents, divide exponents, add exponents, subtract exponents, etc.

Now let’s talk about the project it self. First, we were put into groups of 2 or 3 to create a project with at least 3 exponent laws. The laws could be multiplying exponents, adding exponents, subtracting exponents etc. So I got put into a group with Nik. We created a sport game that included multiplying, dividing, and only multiplying the exponents. When the numbers have the same base, you can add the exponents together. 5^4 x 5^3= 5^7. It’s the same thing with division. Except this time, you subtract the exponent. For our card game, we had 4 sets of powers. Powers are bas basically everything together, the exponent and the base. The objective was to find the sets with the same base and multiply or divide it depending on a coin flip. Before you flip the coin, you call heads or tails. If you get it correct, you multiply the exponents, if not you divide them. There’s also something called the wildcard. That’s when you multiply the number of the wildcard with the exponent on one of the powers. In the end, the person with the highest score gets to keep both yours and your opponents. The deck has 30 cards with a sports star on each card. Whoever has the most card when the deck runs out wins.

Before I end this, I want to talk about what I improved on. Well, there are quite a bit. Mostly, I can understand the exponent laws. Maybe not all, but some of it. I learned the structure of the power, how to multiply, divide, etc. We got to use exponents in a unique way so that we remember it. Well, that’s basically it. For now, I’ll see you next time. Peace.