In Module 1, Topic A, students begin by learning the precise definition of exponential notation where the exponent is restricted to being a positive integer. In Lessons 2 and 3, students discern the structure of exponents by relating multiplication and division of expressions with the same base to combining like terms using the distributive property, and by relating multiplying three factors using the associative property to raising a power to a power.

Lesson 4 expands the definition of exponential notation to include what it means to raise a nonzero number to a zero power; students verify that the properties of exponents developed in Lessons 2 and 3 remain true. Properties of exponents are extended again in Lesson 5 when a positive integer, raised to a negative exponent, is defined. In Lesson 5, students accept the properties of exponents as true for all integer exponents and are shown the value of learning them, i.e., if the three properties of exponents are known, then facts about dividing numbers in exponential notation with the same base and raising fractions to a power are also known.