3.

6– Radicals
Radical Expressions
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

radical sign
index
n
a radicand

The expression under the radical sign is the radicand.

The index defines the root to be taken.
 Radicals
Radical Expressions

The above symbol represents the positive or principal

root of a number.


The symbol represents the negative root of a number.
 7.1 – Radicals
Square Roots
A square root of any positive number has two roots – one is
positive and the other is negative.
If a is a positive number, then

a is the positive square root of a and

 a is the negative square root of a.

Examples:
100  10  36  6 x8  x 4
25 5
 0.81  0.9 9  non-real #
49 7
 7.1 Rdicals
– Radicals
Cube Roots

3
a
A cube root of any positive number is positive.
A cube root of any negative number is negative.
Examples:
125 5
3
27  3 3
8  2 3 
64 4

4
3
x  x
3 3
x 
12
x
 7.1 – Radicals
nth Roots
An nth root of any number a is a number whose nth power is a.
Examples:

3  81
4 4
81  3

2  16
4 4
16  2

 2 
5
 32 5
32  2
 7.1 – Radicals
nth Roots
An nth root of any number a is a number whose nth power is a.
Examples:
5
1  1

4
16  Non-real number

6
1  Non-real number

3
27  3
 7.2 – Rational Exponents
Definition of a :
m
n n
a m
or  a
n
m

The value of the numerator represents the power of the

radicand.
The value of the denominator represents the index or root of
the expression.
Examples:
1 1
25 2 25 5 27 3 3
27 3
3
4 2 43 64 8

2 x  1 7 2 7
2 x  1 2
 7.2 – Rational Exponents
Definition of a :
m
n n
a m
or  a
n
m

More Examples:
2 2
3 2
 1  3 1 3
1 3
1 1
  2
 27  27 3 3
27 2 3
729 9

or

 1 
2
3 1
2
3
13
2
1 2
1
 
 27  27
2
3
 27 
3
2
3 2
9
 7.2 – Rational Exponents
 mn 1 1 1
Definition of a : or or
a
m
n n
a m
 a
n
m

Examples:

 12
1 1 1
25 1
25 2 25 5

 23
1 1 1
x
x
2
3 3
x 2
or
 x
3
2
 7.2 – Rational Exponents
Use the properties of exponents to simplify each expression
4 5 4 5 9
x x 3 3
x 3 3
x 3 x3

3
x 5
3 1 6  1 5 1
1 x 5 10
x 10 10
x 10
x 2
x 10

2 1
4
81x 2
3x 4 3x 2

1 2 1 8 9 3
12
x x 3 2
x 12
x 3
x 12 12
x 12
x 4
Lesson 3.6
 3.7 – Simplifying Rational Expressions
RADICAL LAW 1: Product Rule
If a and b are real numbers, then a  b  a  b
Examples:
40  4 10  4 10  2 10

7 75  7 25  3  7 25 3  7  5 3  35 3
8
16x17
 16 x x 
16
4 x x

5 3 2
3
16x 17
 3
8  2x x  2x
15 2
2x
 3.7 – Simplifying Rational Expressions
Examples:

x  11
x x 
10
x5 x

18x 4  9  2x 4  3 x 2 2
3
88  3
8 11  2 3 11
3
27m3n 7  3 3 m3n 6 n  3mn 2 3 n
RADICAL LAW 2: POWER RULE
• Extracting the root of a number expressed
as 𝑎𝑚 where 𝑚 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑛 are positive numbers
is equal to the nth root of the number raised
to a power m, in symbols, =
Examples:
1.
=
=
= 27
 RADICAL LAW 2: POWER RULE

Examples:
2. 3.
= =
= =
= 16 = 36
 3.7 – Simplifying Rational Expressions
RADICAL LAW 3: Quotient Rule
a a
If a and b are real numbers and b  0, then 
b b
Examples:
16 16 4 2 2 2
   
81 81 9 25 25 5

45 45 95 3 5
  
49 49 7 7
 3.7 – Simplifying Rational Expressions
RADICAL LAW 3: Quotient Rule
a a
If a and b are real numbers and b  0, then 
b b
15 35 3 5
   5
3 3 3

90 9 10 9 25 9 2 5
    3 5
2 2 2 2
 3.7 – Simplifying Rational Expressions
Examples:
7y 7
7  y6 y y3 7 y
 
25 25 5

√
√ 2 𝑟 √ 10
4 3

3 80 𝑟 12
¿3
3
80 𝑟 12
√
3

¿ 3
8( 10)𝑟 12
¿
15 √ 27 𝑠
15
√27 𝑠 15 3 𝑠5
27 𝑠
27 27 93 3 3
8
   4
x x 8
x 8
x

81 3
81 3
27  3 33 3
3   
8 3
8 2 2
 3.7 – Simplifying Rational Expressions
Examples:

√ √
18 4
4 162𝑚 ¿
162 𝑚18

625 𝑚
20 √ 625 𝑚
4 20

¿
√
4
81 ( 2 ) 𝑚 16
𝑚2

√ 625𝑚
4 20

3 𝑚4 √ 2 𝑚2
4
¿ 5
5𝑚

3 √ 2 𝑚2
4
¿ 5 −4 – Apply the Quotient Rule of Exponent
5𝑚

3 √ 2 𝑚2
4
¿
5𝑚
Radical Law 4A: Same Exponent-
Index Rule
• Extracting the root of a number that has same
number on its power and index is equal to the
number itself, in symbols, =𝑚, when 𝑎 𝑛𝑑 𝑛
are same odd numbers.
Examples:
1. 2.
=
= 8b
Radical Law 4B: Same Exponent-
Index Rule
• Extracting the root of a number that has same
number on its power and index is equal to the
absolute value of the number itself, in symbols,
=/𝒂/, when 𝑚 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑛 are same even numbers.
Examples:
1.
= 2.
=3 = 7c
Radical Law 5: Different Indices Rule

• Extracting the root of another root of a number

is equal to the nth root of the number whose
indices 𝑚 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑛 are multiplied, in symbols,,
when 𝑚 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑛 are same even numbers.
Examples:
1.
= 2.
= =
= 3c2
7.3 – Simplifying Rational Expressions

One Big Final Example

5
64x y z 
12 4 18

5
32  2x10 x 2 y 4 z15 z 3 

2 3 5 2 4 3
2x z 2x y z
 Assignment 3.4
•
 Remedial on Assignment 3.4
• kllllkkkkllllllll
 Assignment #3.5
•
 Assignment #3.5
• llll

• llll 9.
10.
 7.4 – Adding, Subtracting, Multiplying Radical
Expressions
Review and Examples:

5 x  3 x  8x
12 y  7 y  5y

6 11  9 11  15 11

7  3 7  2 7
7.4 – Adding, Subtracting, Multiplying Radical
Expressions
Simplifying Radicals Prior to Adding or Subtracting

27  75  9  3  25  3  3 3  5 3  8 3

3 20  7 45  3 4  5  7 9  5  3  2 5  7  3 5 
6 5  21 5  15 5

36  48  4 3  9  6  16  3  4 3  3 

6 4 3  4 3 3  38 3
7.4 – Adding, Subtracting, Multiplying Radical
Expressions
Simplifying Radicals Prior to Adding or Subtracting

9 x 4  36 x 3  x 3  3x 2  6 x 2 x  x 2 x 

3x  6 x x  x x 
2
3 x 2
 5x x

10 3 81 p 6  3 24 p 6  10 3 27  3 p 6  3 8  3 p 6 

10  3 p 23
3 2p 23
3 30 p 23
3 2p 23
3
23
28 p 3
7.4 – Adding, Subtracting, Multiplying Radical
Expressions
If a and b are real numbers, then a  b  a  b

7 7  49  7

5 2  10

6  3  18  9  2  3 2

10 x  2 x  20x  4  5x 
2 2
2x 5
7.4 – Adding, Subtracting, Multiplying Radical
Expressions
7  7 3  7 7 7 3  49  21 
7  21

5x  x 3 5   5 x 2  3 25 x  x 5  3  5 x 
x 5  15 x

 x 5  x 3   x  3x  5 x  15 
2

x 2  3x  5 x  15
7.4 – Adding, Subtracting, Multiplying Radical
Expressions

 36  3 6  9  6 3  6 3  36  3  36 
33

    
2
5x  4  5x  4 5x  4 

25 x 2  4 5 x  4 5 x  16 

5 x  8 5 x  16