Back to Write and evaluate numerical expressions involving whole-number exponents — Problem 2 · Task Set 23

6.EE.A.1 Tutor Intake -- Exponential Notation

This short check helps your tutor understand where to start. Answer each
question on your own. If you are not sure, give your best try — every
response helps your tutor plan your sessions.

Grade 6·8 problems·~10 min·Common Core Math - Grade 6·standard·6-ee-a-1

Work through problems with immediate feedback

Procedures

A student evaluates $3^4$ and writes: $3 + 3 + 3 + 3 = 12$ . What error did
the student make?

The student added the four 3's instead of multiplying them; $3^4$ means
$3 \times 3 \times 3 \times 3 = 81$ , not repeated addition.

The student used the wrong number of terms — there should be three 3's, not four.

The student's arithmetic is correct, but the sign should be negative.

The student should have multiplied 3 by 4 to get 12, which is correct as written.