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How to Teach Exponents in Mathematics
- 1). Show the student that one "tens" bar of Montessori beads is the same as saying "10 times 1." It is one set of 10. Write "10 x 1 = 10^1" on a note card and lay a bar of ten beads next to it.
- 2). Bring out a square made of 100 beads. Show how 10 of the bars of 10 beads equal the square of 100 beads. Write "10 x 10 = 10^2" on a note card and lay the square next to it.
- 3). Display a cube of 1,000 beads. Show how 10 of the squares made from 100 beads are equal to the cube. Do this by piling the squares atop one another. Write "10 x 10 x 10 = 10^3" on a note card and place the cube next to it.
- 4). Lay out 10 of the cubes in a line. Show how these 10 cubes form another line of cubes similar to the line of beads in the bars used in Step 2. Write "10 x 10 x 10 x 10 = 10^4" on a note card and place the row of 10 cubes next to it.
- 5). Repeat the above process with other bead bars. For example, show the same progression with bars of seven beads. For example, "7 x 1 = 7^1" and "7 x 7 = 7^2."
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