These laws of exponents worksheets cover the product rule, the quotient rule, power of a power, and zero and negative exponents across ten CSI Mini Mystery Detective math cases for 8th grade. There's a hacker theme, and the cases follow 8.EE.A.1 from your first properties of exponents lesson through to test prep. Use them in math centers or for homework, or give them to early finishers as extra exponent rules practice. Every case comes with an answer key, and there's nothing to prep.
In Cases 1 to 8 your students write each answer as a single power, like 5⁸ or 2⁻³. Cases 9 and 10 ask for the value instead, so they'll work out answers such as 1/27 the same way the standard does. Each correct answer crosses off one suspect, and a finished page has one suspect left. Students can check their negative exponents as they go, without waiting for you to grade them.
What's Inside
- 10 one-page cases, 20 problems on each, with an answer key for every case
- The product rule, quotient rule and power of a power, with positive, negative and zero exponents
- A reference page showing a worked example of each rule. Project it or print copies
- Contents page, teacher instructions, a case log and a certificate
- 30 pages in black and white
The Cases
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The Stolen Passwords - every staff password taken overnight
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The Phishing Email - a fake message from the boss
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The Trojan Horse - a free game that opened a back door
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The Logic Bomb - hidden code that wiped the payroll files
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The Infected USB - a stick left in the parking lot
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The Server Virus - a virus moving from server to server
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The Cracked Firewall - a break-in from inside the company
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The Bugged Monitor - a hidden camera in the server room
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The Drained Accounts - money missing from customer accounts
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The Final Breach - the crew leader's last attack
When to Use This Resource
Case 1 is the product rule on its own, so you can start it right after you introduce multiplying powers with the same base. Case 2 adds three factors and bases with no written exponent. Case 3 is the quotient rule and Case 4 is power of a power. Negative exponents come in with Cases 5 to 7, one rule at a time, and Case 8 mixes all the rules together. Cases 9 and 10 ask students to find the value, with zero exponents in the last case, and they make a good review before a quiz or unit test. You can also use the pack with small groups, as bell ringers or on a sub day. Algebra 1 teachers can use it to review exponent rules before starting polynomials.
Grade Levels
Made for 8th grade (8.EE.A.1). It also works as exponent rules review for 9th grade and Algebra 1 classes.
Why Teachers Love Mystery Detectives
- Ready to print, with no prep
- The suspect list lets students check answers without waiting for you
- Exponents are printed raised, the way students see them in a textbook
- Zero and negative exponents are covered as well as positive powers
- Photocopies cleanly in black and white
Want more cases like these?
Follow Kiwiland Education to discover more CSI Mini Mystery Detective cases, no-prep math activities, and detective-themed printables for middle school and high school classrooms.
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