Negative and fractional exponents
A negative exponent flips the result: 2⁻³ = 1/(2³) = 0.125. A fractional exponent is a root: x^(1/2) is √x and x^(1/3) is the cube root of x.
Key exponent rules
Multiply powers with the same base by adding exponents (x² × x³ = x⁵). Raise a power to another power by multiplying exponents ((x²)³ = x⁶). These rules let you simplify big expressions before computing.