In their Key Stage 2 SATs they may be asked questions such as “Work out 5 2 + 10” and “Write down a square number between 15 and 20”. Students first see index notation in Year 5 when they are introduced to square numbers and cube numbers. We now teach our students to use this notation fluently, as maths teachers have done for centuries. He wrote: “ … and aa, or a 2, in order to multiply a by itself and a 3, in order to multiply it once more by a, and thus to infinity …” In 1637, index notation as we now know it was popularised by Descartes. It wasn’t until the 17th century that mathematicians started using raised numerals to represent powers. Who would want to write 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 when you could write 2 10? Even the most reluctant mathematician can’t argue with that. On the surface it seems so straightforward: indices are simply a concise, efficient space saver. I’m not sure I’ve ever met a maths teacher who doesn’t love teaching indices. It will probably come as no surprise to you that indices finished in the top four, along with surds, trigonometry and quadratics. Negative exponent rule common misconceptions series#Maths teachers, what’s your favourite topic to teach?Ī couple of years ago I ran a series of polls on Twitter in which hundreds of specialists answered this exact question. Download free resources to accompany this feature here.
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