= Exponents and Polynomials Apple Power of 10: Negative exponent Evaluate. \( 10^{-8} \)

The negative exponent means you're dealing with the reciprocal of the base raised to the positive exponent. So, \( 10^{-8} \) is the same as \( \frac{1}{10^8} \). Now, \( 10^8 \) equals 100,000,000, making \( 10^{-8} = \frac{1}{100,000,000} \), which is a tiny number, approximately 0.00000001! Understanding negative exponents is essential in many fields, especially in science and engineering, where you often encounter extremely small or large numbers. For instance, in physics, the size of atoms or distances in space can be represented using negative or positive powers of ten, providing a straightforward way to express values that would otherwise be cumbersome to write out fully!