When raising a number to the power of zero, what is the value of any non-zero base number?

When raising a number to the power of zero, what is the value of any non-zero base number?

• A. A. 0
• B. B. 1
• C. C. The number itself
• D. D. Undefined

Answer: (B)

When raising a number to the power of zero, the value is always 1, provided that the base number is non-zero. This is an important rule in mathematics and can be understood in several ways. One way to see why this is true is by looking at the laws of exponents. According to these laws, when you divide two numbers with the same base, you subtract the exponents. For example, if \( a \) is a non-zero number: \[ a^m / a^m = a^{m-m} = a^0 \] But since \( a^m / a^m \) equals 1 (any non-zero number divided by itself is 1), it follows that: \[ a^0 = 1 \] Another approach is by considering the concept of repeated multiplication. For any number raised to a positive exponent, you’re multiplying that number by itself several times. If you decrease the exponent to zero, you are essentially expressing how many times you do that multiplication; doing it zero times results in the multiplicative identity, which is 1. Thus, the value of any non-zero base number raised to the power of zero is consistently established as 1, reinforcing this important

When raising a number to the power of zero, the value is always 1, provided that the base number is non-zero. This is an important rule in mathematics and can be understood in several ways.

One way to see why this is true is by looking at the laws of exponents. According to these laws, when you divide two numbers with the same base, you subtract the exponents. For example, if ( a ) is a non-zero number:

[

a^m / a^m = a^{m-m} = a^0

]

But since ( a^m / a^m ) equals 1 (any non-zero number divided by itself is 1), it follows that:

[

a^0 = 1

]

Another approach is by considering the concept of repeated multiplication. For any number raised to a positive exponent, you’re multiplying that number by itself several times. If you decrease the exponent to zero, you are essentially expressing how many times you do that multiplication; doing it zero times results in the multiplicative identity, which is 1.

Thus, the value of any non-zero base number raised to the power of zero is consistently established as 1, reinforcing this important