For any number a, a^1 equals which value?

For any number a, a^1 equals which value?

• A. a
• B. a^0
• C. 1
• D. a^2

Answer: (A)

Multiplying the base by itself one time means you just have the base once, so a^1 is simply a. This holds for any number a, including zero—0^1 is 0, 5^1 is 5, and (-3)^1 is -3. Other possibilities don’t fit for all a. a^0 always equals 1, not a. a^2 is a multiplied by itself, which is generally not the same as a unless a happens to be 0 or 1. And 1 would only equal a^1 if a were 1. So the universal result is a.

Multiplying the base by itself one time means you just have the base once, so a^1 is simply a. This holds for any number a, including zero—0^1 is 0, 5^1 is 5, and (-3)^1 is -3.

Other possibilities don’t fit for all a. a^0 always equals 1, not a. a^2 is a multiplied by itself, which is generally not the same as a unless a happens to be 0 or 1. And 1 would only equal a^1 if a were 1. So the universal result is a.