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New
Year 7

Powers and roots using a calculator

I can use the keys for squares and other powers and square root on a calculator.

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New
New
Year 7

Powers and roots using a calculator

I can use the keys for squares and other powers and square root on a calculator.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The square root of any number can be found using a calculator but it may not be an integer.
  2. The power button on a calculator can be used to evaluate a number written using exponents.
  3. The 10^x button on a calculator can be used when the base is 10.

Common misconception

Students forget to scroll right to exit the exponent function.

Encourage students to check what they have on their screen matches the calculation exactly.

Keywords

  • Evaluate - Evaluate means to find the value of a numerical or an algebraic expression.

Use Classwiz 991 for consistency
Teacher tip

Equipment

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Here is $$6^9$$. What does the number 9 represent?
the base
Correct answer: the exponent
the factor
the multiple
Q2.
Here is $$3^5$$. What does this mean?
3 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 3
Correct answer: $$3\times3\times3\times3\times3$$
$$3\times4$$
3 lots of 5
Q3.
How would you pronounce $$5^8$$?
Correct answer: Five to the power of eight
Five multiplied by eight
Eight to the power of five
Five squared four times
Q4.
Alex says, "$$1^{100}$$ is 100 as there is only one 100". Select the statement which explains if Alex is correct or not.
$$1^{100}$$ is 100 as it means $$1\times100$$ so Alex is correct
$$1^{100}$$ is 100 as it means 100 ones added together so Alex is correct
Correct answer: $$1^{100}$$ is 1 because 1 times by itself 100 times is 1 so Alex is incorrect
$$1^{100}$$ is 100 because 1 times by itself 100 times is 100 so Alex is correct
Q5.
Starting with the smallest, put these numbers in ascending order of size.
1 - $$1^8$$
2 - $$2^3$$
3 - $$3^2$$
4 - $$12^1$$
5 - $$5^2$$
6 - $$10^2$$
Q6.
The square root of the square root of 81 is
Correct Answer: 3, three

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
__________ means to find the value of a numerical or an algebraic expression.
Solve
Figure out
Correct answer: Evaluate
Square root
Q2.
Evaluate $$\sqrt{64} + 2^3$$
40
38
20
Correct answer: 16
Q3.
Use a calculator to evaluate $$39.5^4$$. Write all the digits from your calculator display.
Correct Answer: 2 434 380.063
Q4.
Use a calculator to evaluate $$3.4^3 - 2.1^4$$. Write all the digits from your calculator display.
Correct Answer: 19.8559
Q5.
Use a calculator to evaluate $$\sqrt{76.7376} - 2.3^2$$. Write all the digits from your calculator display.
Correct Answer: 3.47
Q6.
Use a calculator to evaluate $$3.4\times10^3+\sqrt{4738}-6.3^3-9.1^2$$. Write all the digits from your calculator display.
Correct Answer: 3135.976132, 3135.97613