NCERT Ganita Prakash, Class 8, textbook pages 23–60 (Part 1)

How to teach Class 8 Maths Chapter 2, Power Play, at home

Exponents, powers of 10 and scientific notation, taught with things you already have at home: a 30-minute activity, a game for the week, a 5-day plan and the mistakes to watch for.

2³ × 2⁴ = 2⁷150,000,000 km= 1.5 × 10⁸ km

NCERT Class 8 Maths Chapter 2 Power Play: what it teaches

Fold a paper 46 times and its thickness would reach the Moon. Your child explores exponents, the laws of exponents, negative and zero powers, powers of 10 and scientific notation for very large and very small numbers.

Why it matters later. Exponents are used in science, compound interest and algebra from Class 9.

See it: this chapter in pictures

fold 1: 2 layersfold 10: 2¹⁰ = 1024fold 46: to the Moon!
Doubling grows astonishingly fast.
2³ ÷ 2³ = 2⁰= 8 ÷ 8 = 1so a⁰ = 1
Laws explain zero powers.
10⁻³= 1/1000= 0.001
Negative powers make small numbers.

You need

  • a sheet of paper
  • a calculator
  • science facts with big numbers

Tonight’s 30 minutes

  1. Fold paper: layers double: 2, 4, 8… After 10 folds? (2¹⁰ = 1024)
  2. Laws: 2³ × 2⁴ = 2⁷; 2⁶ ÷ 2² = 2⁴; (2³)² = 2⁶.
  3. Why is 2⁰ = 1? Divide 2³ by 2³.
  4. Write the distance to the Sun (150,000,000 km) as 1.5 × 10⁸ km.

Words to use

  • exponent
  • base
  • power
  • scientific notation
  • laws of exponents

Watch for

  • Multiplying base by exponent: 2³ = 6. 2³ = 2 × 2 × 2 = 8.
  • Adding exponents when multiplying different bases. Laws apply only for the same base.

What it sounds like at home

A short example of the conversation. Your words will differ; the questions are what matter.

You2³ × 2⁴. Add or multiply the exponents?

Your childAdd: 2⁷ = 128.

A game for this week: Power race

  1. Roll two dice: one base, one exponent.
  2. Calculate the power.
  3. Highest value wins the round.
  4. Write winners in scientific notation.

A 5-day plan, 30 minutes a day

  1. Day 1Paper folding powers of 2.
  2. Day 2Laws of exponents.
  3. Day 3Zero and negative powers.
  4. Day 4Scientific notation.
  5. Day 5Power race.

Everyday moments to practise

  • Bacteria doubling.
  • Distances in space.
  • Tiny sizes like cells.
  • Phone storage in GB.

Quick check

Ask these at the end of the week. Tap to see the answer.

2¹⁰?

1024.

5⁰?

1.

Write 3,40,000 in scientific notation.

3.4 × 10⁵.

Ready for the next chapter when your child…

  • Uses laws of exponents.
  • Explains zero and negative exponents.
  • Writes numbers in scientific notation.

Activities, wording and illustrations are Mathify Kids’ own, following the topics of NCERT’s Ganita Prakash (Class 8). See the full Class 8 parent guide for every chapter.

Questions parents ask

Why is any number to the power 0 equal to 1?

aⁿ ÷ aⁿ = a⁰ and also equals 1.

What does 10⁻³ mean?

1/1000 = 0.001.

What is scientific notation?

A number from 1 to 10 times a power of 10.