How Powers Behave

When we raise numbers to powers, there are lots of interesting properties to be discovered. We hope this selection of problems will pique your interest and help you to develop your understanding of powers and indices.

Power Mad!

Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:

Powers of numbers behave in surprising ways. Take a look at some of these and try to explain why they are true.

Power Countdown

Age 14 to 16 Challenge Level:

In this twist on the well-known Countdown numbers game, use your knowledge of Powers and Roots to make a target.

Tens

Age 16 to 18 Challenge Level:

When is $7^n + 3^n$ a multiple of 10? Can you prove the result by two different methods?

Giants

Age 16 to 18 Challenge Level:

Which is the bigger, 9^10 or 10^9 ? Which is the bigger, 99^100 or 100^99 ?

How Powers Behave