Powers, Roots & Absolute Value
Exponents, square and cube roots, absolute value, and order of operations.
This page is a free outline of what the Powers, Roots & Absolute Value lesson covers — it is not the lesson itself. The interactive lesson, practice, quizzes, and AI Tutor are inside the app.
This lesson covers
- Absolute Value The absolute value of a number, written |n|, is its distance from zero — always positive. So |−4| = 4 and |4| = 4.
- Cube Roots The cube root of a number (∛n) is the value that, multiplied by itself three times, gives n — so ∛8 = 2 because 2 × 2 × 2 = 8. They turn up most in volume problems.
- Order of Operations (PEMDAS)
- Powers and Exponents An exponent is shorthand for repeated multiplication: 3⁴ means multiply the base 3 by itself 4 times (3 × 3 × 3 × 3 = 81). Any number to the 1st power is itself, and any nonzero number to the 0 power is 1.
- Square Roots The square root of a number (√n) is the value that, multiplied by itself, gives n — so √25 = 5 because 5 × 5 = 25. Perfect squares come out even; for others, estimate between the two nearest ones.
Linked concepts (purple →) have a full explanation. Hover or tap a dotted ⓘ concept for a quick definition.
Inside the app, Powers, Roots & Absolute Value comes with:
Read the explanation here for free — then practice it for real, with everything you need in one place.
24/7 AI Tutor — Ask anything and get a step-by-step explanation when you’re stuck — it teaches the concept, not just the answer. Every answer verified by three independent AIs.
- Practice sets — Open-book practice questions at your level, easiest-first — as many as you want, never scored.
- Quizzes — Scored quizzes on the whole lesson, so you know when you’re ready to move on.
- Skills Check — A concept-by-concept map of what you’ve mastered and what to focus on next.
- Worked examples — Tap the Brain Button on any example for alternative step-by-step explanations.
- Glossary — Plain-English definitions of every key term in the lesson.
- Formula sheet — The GED® & HiSET® formula sheets, on screen while you practice.
- Practice calculator — An on-screen calculator to build your calculator skills before test day.
- Math-fact flashcards — Quick drills for addition, multiplication, perfect squares, and square roots.
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