Question

Why do whole numbers rise to an exponent get greater while fractions raise to an exponent get smaller?

Answer 1

Answer:

This is because exponents increase a number, for example $2, and, 2^2$ squaring a number is basically multiplying it by itself. So $2 * 2 = 2^2=4$. Now obiviously 4 is greater than 2. But lets make the numbers like this:

$\frac{1}{2}, and, \frac{1}{2}^2$

And again, $\frac{1}{2}*\frac{1}{2} = (\frac{1}{2})^2 = \frac{1}{4}$

Now, which is bigger $\frac{1}{2}or\frac{1}{4}$

A quarter is smaller than a half right?

So in this case we can see that fractions raised to an exponent get smaller while numbers raised to an exponent get bigger.