Power Maths is a pre-calculus investigation designed to enable students to discover the integral and differential power rules numerically. The investigation leads the student to conjecture a simple ratio of areas, from which the rules are then deduced for the restricted domain [0,x].

Start the investigation in a new window.

Sidney Schuman is retired from teaching mathematics at Lewisham College, London, UK.

A hardcopy version of Power Maths includes calculator/graph-based investigations for both power rules. If you would like a copy, or if you have any comments, please click the Worksheet link on the Investigation page.

Power Maths (both parts) appeared originally as a booklet used while teaching at Lewisham College, London UK.

Editor's note, 11/04: When published, this investigation included only the integral power rule, and there was a separate investigation for the differential power rule.  The author has since combined these in the present version.

Acknowledgements: Grateful thanks to David A. Smith for his encouragement and to Lana Holden for the applet.

The Power Maths materials are © Copyright S. Schuman 2000.
The Java applet is © Lana Holden 2001.

Published July, 2001