Jobs That Use Exponents:

By Ron White, Demand Media

For many math students, exponents, which appear in subscript
in mathematical equations and formulas, rarely have use in
their daily jobs. For some careers, though, exponents, numbers
that indicate how many times you must multiple another
number by itself, serve an important purpose. Their jobs require
them to use exponents for real-world applications, such as
calculating area or volume, determining growth or decay, and
figuring out the impact of force. Whether you fear exponential
math or seek to apply it in the workforce, knowing which jobs
require you to master it may help in making career decisions.

Finance Jobs
Exponents play a key role in the finance industry. Bankers, investors and accountants use exponents to
calculate interest earned on investments, interest due on loans and depreciation of assets. These
professionals plug numbers into equations, which have variables for principal, the interest rate applied, the
frequency at which interest is compounded and the number of months or years remaining in the loan or
investment account. The equations allow banks to figure monthly mortgage and auto loan payments, and give
investors information about how much they are earning on savings accounts, pension plans and stock
portfolios.

Scientists
Chemists, biologists, physicists and other scientists use exponents to make calculations. They can measure the
half-life of isotopes like uranium by plugging numbers into equations featuring exponents. The half-life
determines the time needed for the isotope to decay by half. Scientists also can measure growth of bacteria,
which doubles in size over time if allowed to grow. Exponents also figure into a formula used by geoscientists
to determine the intensity of earthquakes. The formula allows them to calculate magnitude on the Richter
scale. Volume and area calculations also require the use of exponents.

Builders
To work in construction, you must know how to use exponents to calculate area and volume. Builders
calculate area in square feet, which allows them to measure floors, lawns, foundations, sidewalks, driveways,
roads and roofs for width and length. Builders also use exponents to calculate volume, which measures width,
length and depth. By using exponents, carpenters, bricklayers, concrete workers and other builders can design
projects, estimate how much material they will need and prepare the material as needed.

Engineering
All types of engineers and architects use exponents daily to help them design and build machinery, structures
and equipment. They use exponents to calculate tensile strength, which determines the amount of stress that
a structure can withstand. Sound engineers use exponents to calculate sound waves. Exponents also allow
aeronautical engineers to predict how jets and rockets will perform during flight. They use formulas that
predict wave behavior to calculate potential and kinetic energy and to measure pressure, heat and airflow.

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