Indices or Powers

Indices

or

Powers

Fractional Powers
2014

S
o far we have dealt with integer powers both positive and negative. What
would we do if we had a fraction for a power, like

1
2

. To see how to deal

with fractional powers consider the following:

Suppose we have two identical numbers multiplying together to give
another number, as in, for example
7 7=49

Then we know that 7 is a square root of 49. That is, if

72=49

then

7= 4 9

Now suppose we found that

p

a a =a
That is, when we multiplied
means that a p

ap

by itself we got the result

must be a square root of

a .

However, look at this another way: noting that

the first rule,

a a =a

2p

a=a1 , and also that, from

we see that if a p a p=a

then

a2 p=a1
from which
2 p=1
and so
p=

1
2
1

This shows that a 2

a . This

must be the square root of

a . That is

Indices or Powers

a 2 = a

Jan. 1

Key Point
the power denotes a square root:

Similarly
1

a 3 = 3 a

this is the cube root of

and
1
4

a =4 a

this is the fourth root of

More generally,
Work through the following examples:
Example
1

What do we mean by 16 4 ?
For this we need to know what number when multiplied together four times
gives 16. The answer is 2. So

Example
Key Point

16 4 =2 .

Indices or Powers

What do we mean by

8 1 2 ? For this we need to know what number

1
2

when multiplied by itself gives 81. The answer is 9. So

Example
1

What about

2 43 5 ? What number when multiplied together five times

gives us 243? If we are familiar with times-tables we might spot that

2 43=3 8 1 , and also that
1

8 1=9 9 . So

2 43 5 =(3 9 9) 5 =(3 3 3 3 3) 5
So 3 multiplied by itself five times equals 243. Hence
1

2 43 5 =3
Notice in doing this how important it is to be able to recognise what factors
numbers are made up of. For example, it is important to be able to
recognise that:
4

16=2

16=4

8 1=9

8 1=3

and so on.

You will find calculations much easier if you can recognise in numbers
their composition as powers of simple numbers such as 2, 3, 4 and 5.
Once you have got these firmly fixed in your mind, this sort of calculation
becomes straightforward.
What happens if we take

3
4

We can write this as follows:

3

a 4 =( a 4 )3
Example

using the second rule

(am )n=am n

2014

8 1 = 8 1=9 .

Indices or Powers

What do we mean by 16 4 ?
3

16 4 =(1 6 4 )3
Jan. 1

( 2 )3
8

Alternatively,
3
4

3
4 4

16 =(2 )
( 2 )3
8

We can also think of this calculation performed in a slightly different way.

Note that instead of writing
because mn

is the same as

m n

(a ) =

mn

we could write

n m

mn

(a ) =a

nm .

Example
2

What do we mean by 8 3 ? One way of calculating this is to write

2

8 3 =(8 3 )2
( 2 )2
4

Alternatively,
2

8 3 =(82 ) 3
1

(6 4 )3
4

Additional Note
Doing this calculation the first way is usually easier as it requires
recognising powers of smaller numbers.
For example, it is straightforward to evaluate

27 3

as

Indices or Powers

27 3 =(27 3 )5=35 =243

because, at least with practice, you will know that the cube root of 27 is 3.
5
3

1
5 3

27 =(27 ) =1 4348907

2014

Whereas, evaluation in the following way

1
3

would require knowledge of the cube root of

1 4348907 .

Writing these results down algebraically we have the following important

point:
Key Point
Both results are exactly the same.

Further Examples
The remainder of this unit provides examples illustrating the use of the
Fractional Powers.
Example

3 a2 2 a3

Simplify
3

a a =a
2

2
3

13

a 6
Example
Simplify 4

5
2

3
2

Indices or Powers

42=

5
2

1
2 5

(4 )

1 1
=
25 3 2
Jan. 1

Example
2

Simplify 125 3 .
2

125 3 =(1 25 3 )2=52=25

Example
2
3

Simplify 8
2

83=

2
3

.
1

1
3 2

(8 )

1 1
=
22 4

Example
1
2 .
25

Simplify

1
=2 52=625
2
25
Example
3

Simplify (243) 5 .
3

(243) 5 =(2 43 5 )3=3 3=27

Example
81
16

81
16

3
4

( )

3
4

( )

Simplify
=

1
81
16

( )

3
4

Indices or Powers

16
81

3
4

( )
16
(( ) )
81
2
( )
3

1 3
4

8
27

2014

1
3

Indices or Powers

Exercises
Evaluate each of the following
1
3

125

b)

2 43 5

Jan. 1

a)

1
4

c)

256

d)

3 43 3

3
4

e)

256

f)

5 12 9

g)

3 5

h)

(9 x4 )2