Foundations & Pre-Calculus Math 10

Page |1

Algebra
Radicals and Exponents

A. Radicals

a. Square & Cube Roots

Why is squaring called squaring?

When a value is squared, like 32 , the base, 3, is just

multiplied by itself:

32

Think of a square with sides 3 units

long:

3 3
9

Likewise, when a value is cubed, like 63 , three 6s are

multiplied together:

63

3
To find the area of this square, we
multiply length by width, or, for a
square, we square the side length.

6 6 6
216

The answers to these questions are special. 9 is a perfect

square, since it is a whole number squared. 8 is not a
perfect square, since there is no number that can be
squared to get 8. 216 is a perfect cube, since it is a whole
number cubed.

When we square a value, we are

turning it into the area of a square
with that side length.
Similarly, when we cube a value, we
are imagining the volume of a cube
with that side length. To find
volume we multiply length, width
and height. For a cube, these
values are all the same, so it
becomes side x side x side, or side3.

Examples.
1. Write out the first 10 perfect squares and the first 10 perfect cubes.
This is easy to set up in a chart:
Number 1
Perfect 1
Squares
Perfect 1
Cubes

2
4

3
9

4
16

5
25

6
36

7
49

8
64

9
81

10
100

27

64

125

216

343

512

729

1000

HINOOK CYBER SCHOOL

Foundations & Pre-Calculus Math 10

Page |2

Students often ask if they should memorize that chart. Realize how easy it is to figure out
by just doing the math and dont waste good practice time memorizing it!
perfect squares numbers that can be written as the product of 2 equal factors
perfect cubes numbers that can be written as the product of 3 equal factors

Roots
If you are given a perfect square and asked to find the 2 equal factors, you are really
finding the square root of the number. The symbol for square root looks like
are finding the 3 equal factors in a perfect cube, you are finding the cube root,

. If you
3

These types of roots are actually called radicals. The number under the radical sign is
called the radicand. The number in the little notch, that tells whether it is a square root
or a cube root, is called the index. For square roots, although it isnt written down, the
index is 2.

Examples.

2. For each radical, identify the radicand and the index.

a.

14
The radicand is 14. Since it is a square root, the index is 2.

In b, the 4 in front of the

radical is just a coefficient just

b. 4 3 125
The radicand is 125 . The index is 3.

HINOOK CYBER SCHOOL

like in 4x . To read 4 3 125 ,

we say 4 times the cube root
of negative 125.

Foundations & Pre-Calculus Math 10

Page |3

3. Evaluate each of the following.

a.

144
This is a square root so you are looking for a
number that squares to get 144. So, since

122

b.

144 , then 144

12 .

Your calculator can find roots

for you somewhere on it is a
button or buttons for finding
roots. Since there are many
different calculators, the
calculator directions for how to
do this are not here but your
teacher can likely help you if
you cant figure it out!

27

This is a cube root so you are looking for a number that cubes to get 27 .
So, since ( 3)3
27 , then 3 27
3

c.

16
What squares to get 16 ? Nothing! Anytime we square a number, the
answer is positive. As a result, no negative number has a square root. If you
are asked to evaluate the square root of a negative, the answer is no real
solution. So,

16 has no real solution.

4. Use a calculator to evaluate

20 to the nearest 100th.

Obviously, the square root of 20 is between 4 and 5, since 20 is between 16 and 25.
A good estimate for this question would be 4.45, since 20 is slightly closer to 16
than it is to 25. When you use your calculator to find the answer, you get
4.472135955..., which rounds to 4.47.
So, does 20 4.47 ? NO! 20 is approximately 4.47. Since we rounded the
answer, we have lost some accuracy. This is a key idea to the rest of this unit!
If the radicand of a square root is a perfect square, the answer will be exact. If not, it
will be approximate.
If the radicand of a cube root is a perfect cube, the answer will be exact. If not, it will
be approximate.
HINOOK CYBER SCHOOL

Foundations & Pre-Calculus Math 10

Page |4

5. Which of the following are exact?

121

12

216

1728

0.25

512

Use your calculator if you have to but all you are looking at is whether the
radicand (number under the root sign) is a perfect square if the root is a square
root, or a perfect cube if the root is a cube root.
Since 121 is a perfect square, then 121 is exact. Since 12 is not a perfect square,

12 is not exact, it is approximate.

For further explanation of exact vs. approximate roots, there is a video link you can
choose to view.

158 #

For practice, complete

Pearson p. 206 # 2 4

HINOOK CYBER SCHOOL