Lesson 14

Evaluating Expressions with Exponents

Lesson Narrative

The focus of this lesson is evaluating expressions that have an exponent and one other operation by carrying out operations in the conventional order. This is accomplished through an example with surface area, where the context provides a clear reason for evaluating the exponential expression before performing the multiplication. Students practice evaluating numeric expressions that include exponents.

Learning Goals

Teacher Facing

• Evaluate numerical expressions that have an exponent and one other operation, and justify (orally) the process.
• Explain (orally and in writing) that the convention is to evaluate the exponent before the other operations in an expression with no grouping symbols.
• Interpret expressions with exponents that represent the surface area or volume of a cube.

Student Facing

Let’s find the values of expressions with exponents.

Student Facing

• I how how to evaluate expressions that have both an exponent and addition or subtraction.
• I know how to evaluate expressions that have both an exponent and multiplication or division.