Question

Why do whole numbers with an exponent get raised but fractions with an exponent get smaller

Answer 1

Answer:

See below for explanation...

Step-by-step explanation:

A fraction gets smaller because raising a value to an exponent means multiplying it by itself however many times depending on the exponent.  

EX:  2³ means 2 times itself 3 times, or  2 times 2 times 2 = 8

With fractions we are multiplying a fraction by itself however many times, so we have a fraction of a fraction, or a piece of a piece, which would keep getting smaller

EX:  (1/4)³  is one-fourth times itself 3 times, or one-fourth of one-forth of one-forth

so we get a smaller piece each time..

    (1/4)³ = 1/64