Numerical comparisons of exponential expressions: The saliency of the base component.

ABSTRACT: Exponential expressions represent series that grow at a fast pace such as carbon pollution and the spread of disease. Despite their importance, people tend to struggle with these expressions. In two experiments, participants chose the larger of two exponential expressions as quickly and accurately as possible. We manipulated the distance between the base/power components and their compatibility. In base-power compatible pairs, both the base and power of one expression were larger than the other (e.g., 2³ vs. 3⁴), while in base-power incompatible pairs, the base of one expression was larger than the base in the other expression but the relation between the power components of the two expressions was reversed (e.g., 3² vs. 2⁴). Moreover, while in t

SUBMITTER: Feder A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12000108 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature