8.1 (7.3A1) 01 Rational - Exponents
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GLoOmItO8.1 (7.3A1) 01 Rational - Exponents
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GLoOmItONAME ______________________________________________ DATE______________________________ PERIOD ______________
3-3 Rational Exponents (7-3)
Rational Exponents For any real numbers a and b and any positive integer n, if a n = b, then a is an nth root of b.
Rational exponents can be used to represent nth roots.
1
Square Root
b = √b
2
1
3
Cube Root
b3 = √ b
1
n
nth Root
bn = √b
1 1
Example 1: Write (6 xy ) 2 in radical form. Example 2: Simplify 625 4 .
1 1 1 1
4 n
(6 xy ) 2 = √ 6 xy Definition of
b2 625 4 = √ 625 bn = √b
4 4
=√ 5 ⋅ 5⋅5 ⋅ 5 625 = 5
=5 Simplify.
Exercises
Write each expression in radical form, or write each radical in exponential form.
1 1 1
1. 14 2 2. 5 x 2 3. 17 y 2
1 1
4. 12 2 5. 19 ab 2 6. √ 17
7. √ 12 n 8. √ 18 b 9. √ 37
Simplify.
1
3 5
10. √ 343 11. √ 1024 12. 512 3
1
4 6
13. √ 2401 14. √ 64 15. 243 5
1
3 4
16. √ 1331 17. √ 6561 18. 4096 4
1
NAME ______________________________________________ DATE______________________________ PERIOD ______________
Solve Exponential Equations In an exponential equation, variables occur as exponents. Use the Power
Property of Equality and the other properties of exponents to solve exponential equations.
Example: Solve 1024 x−1 = 4.
1024 x−1 = 4 Original equation
( 45 )x−1 = 4 Rewrite 1024 as 4 .
5
4 5 x−5 = 41 Power of a Power, Distributive Property
5x − 5 = 1 Power Property of Equality
5x = 6 Add 5 to each side.
6
x= Divide each side by 5.
5
Exercises
Solve each equation.