Chapter 9 : Rational Exponents & Roots

Standards:
2.0 Students understand and use such operations taking a
root, and raising to a fractional power. They
understand and use the rules of exponents.
12.0 Students simplify fractions with polynomials in the
numerator and denominator by factoring both and
reducing them to the lowest terms.
Chapter 9 Vocabulary:

1. rational exponents
2. radical expressions
3. square root
4. cube root
5. nth root
6. radicand
7. radical sign
8. index
9. spiral roots
10. rationalizing the denominator
11. similar radicals
12. golden rectangle
13. extraneous solution
14. complex number
15. square root of negative numbers

The Pythagorean Theorem & Golden Rectangle
If we let a = 1 and b = 1
Then c = 2
Lesson 9.1: Rational Exponents
Objectives:
Within the learning period, I will be able to
1. Simplify radical expressions using the definition for
roots.
2. Simplify expressions with rational exponents.
Review: Radicals
Finding a root of a number is the inverse
operation of raising a number to a power.
This symbol is the radical or the radical sign
n
a
index
radical sign
radicand
The expression under the radical sign is the radicand.
The index defines the root to be taken.

positive or principal root of a number

negative root of a number
Definition
If x is a nonnegative real number, then the expression
is called the positive square root of x and is the
nonnegative number such that
x
(x)
2
= x

In Words: is the nonnegative number we square to get x.
x

If a is a positive number, then
a
is the positive square root of a and
100 =
a
is the negative square root of a.
A square root of any positive number has two roots one is
positive and the other is negative.
Examples:
10
25
49
=
5
7
0.81 = 0.9
36 =
6
9 =
non-real #
=
8
x
4
x
Square Roots
Definition
If x is a real number, and n is a positive integer, then

Positive square root of x, is such that = x, x 0

cube root of x, is such that = x

Positive fourth root of x, , is such that = x


The nth root of x, is such that = x, x 0 if x is even
x,
(x)
2

3
x,
(
3
x)
3

4
x
(
4
x)
4

n
x,
(
n
x)
n
Rdicals
3
27 =
A cube root of any positive number is positive.
Examples:
3
5
4
3
125
64
=
3
8 = 2
A cube root of any negative number is negative.
=
3 3
x
x
=
3 12
x
4
x
Cube Roots
3
a
An n
th
root of any number a is a number whose n
th
power is a.
Examples:
2
4
81 = 3
4
16 =
5
32 = 2
4
3 =
81
4
2 = 16
( )
5
2 =
32
n
th
Roots
4
16 =
1
5
1 =
Non-real number
6
1 = Non-real number
3
27 = 3
n
th
Roots
An n
th
root of any number a is a number whose n
th
power is a.
Examples:
Definition
If x is a real number, and n is a positive integer
greater than 1, then

x
1/n
(x 0 when n is even)

In words: The quantity x
1/n
is the nth root of x.
=
n
x

The Rational Exponent Theorem
If a is a nonnegative real number, m is an integer, and n is a
positive integer, then

a
m/n
= (a
1/n
)
m
= (a
m
)
1/n



In words: The quantity x
1/n
is the nth root of x.
If x is a real number, and n is a positive integer
greater than 1, then

x
1/n
(x 0 when n is even)


Rational Exponents
The value of the numerator represents the power of the radicand.
Examples:
:
n
m
a of Definition
The value of the denominator represents the index or root of the expression.
n m
a
or
m
n
a
3
1
27
25
2
1
25
3
5
3
27
7
2
1 2 + x
3
4
2
3
4
64
7
2
1 2 + x
8

27
4
3
= 27
4 3
= 27
3
( )
4

3 Ways to Write Rational Exponents

2. 27
4
3

= 27
3
( )
4

1. 36
3
2

= 3
( )
4

= 81

= 36
( )
3

= 6
( )
3

= 216

3. 81
3
4

= 81
4
( )
3

= 3
( )
3

= 27
5
3
= x
( )
3
5

= x
( )
3
5
1
x
=
6 . 0
x
Convert the
decimal to a
fraction
Exponents in Decimal Form
Properties of Exponents
If a and b are real numbers and r and s are rational
numbers, and a and b are nonnegative whenever r and s
indicate even roots, then

1. a
r
a
s
= a
r + s
2. (a
r
)
s
= a
r + s


3. (ab)
r
= a
r
b
r
4. a
-r
= 1 (a 0)
a
r


5. a
r
= a
r
(b 0) 6. a
r
= a
r-s
(a 0)
b b
r
a
s


Rational Exponents
3
2
3
2
27
1
3
2
27
1
|
.
|

\
|
3 2
3 2
27
1
9
1
3
3
729
1
3
2
3
2
27
1
3
2
27
1
|
.
|

\
|
2
3
2
3
27
1
9
1
2
2
3
1
or
Negative Rational Exponents
Examples:
:
n
m
a of Definition

n m
a
1
m
n
a
1
2
1
25
1
2
1
25

25
1
5
1
3
2
1
x
3
2

x
3 2
1
x
2
3
1
x
n
m
a
1
or or
or
Rational Exponents
Use the properties of exponents to simplify each expression.
3
5
3
4
x x
3
9
x
3
x
10
1
5
3

x
10
1
5
3
x
x
10
1
10
6

x
10
5
x
4
2
3x
4 2
81x
2
1
3x
3
5
3
4
+
x
2
1
x
3 2
12
x x
12
8
12
1
+
x
12
9
x
4
3
x
3
2
12
1
x x
1.)
2.)
3.)
4.)
Simplifying Rational Exponents
No negative exponents
No fractional exponents in the
denominator
No complex fractions (fraction within a
fraction)
The index of any remaining radical is the
least possible number

Individual Practice/Homework

Problem Set 9.1, TB pp. 543-545
Multiples of 4 (4, 8, , 80, 82, 84, 86)