COLLEGE PREP ~ Section 7.

1 -- nth Roots and Rational Exponents

Objectives:
• Evaluate nth Roots

• Simplify Expressions of the Form √
• Evaluate Expressions of the Forms ⁄ and ⁄ .

EVALUATING nth ROOTS

The “principal nth root of a number a”, symbolized by √ , where  ≥ 2 is an integer, is defined as
!
Definition:
follows:
√ = 1 means  = 1
!

• If  ≥ 2 and is even, then  and 1 must both be greater than or equal to 0.

• If  ≥ 3 and is odd, then  and 1 can be any real number (positive or negative).

Examples:

A) √27 = Since 27 = 3 , √27 = 

 
B) √256 = Since 4 = 256, √256 = 

C) √−125 = Since −5 = 125, √−125 = −


D) √−16 = Not a real number. Why?  is even, so we have to have  ≥ 0.


SIMPLIFYING EXPRESSIONS OF THE FORM √

Definition: If  ≥ 2 is a positive number and  is a real number, then

!
√ =  if  ≥ 3 is odd.
!
√ = || if  ≥ 2 is even.

Examples:
% %
E) √# $ =  is odd, so we don’t need an absolute value. √# $ = &

' − 3 = | − |
 
F) ' − 3  is even, so we need absolute values.

− '−2(  is even, so we use absolute value, but we also need to transfer the negative out front onto our
)
G)
answer.
− '−2( = −|−2| = −2 = −*
)

,-
+ =
,-


= +/ 0 =

=+

+
.
H) Rewrite the interior as powers.
. ,
, *
EVALUATING EXPRESSIONS OF THE FORM ⁄

If  is a real number and  is an integer with  ≥ 2, then ⁄ = √


Definition:

Examples: Write each of the following expressions as a radical, then simplify If possible.

162⁄, = 162⁄, = √16 = √4, = 

3 3
I)

J) −82⁄ = −82⁄ =
'−8 = '−2 = −*

−812⁄, = −812⁄, = − √81 = − √9, = −|9| = −6

3 3
K)

L) −812⁄, = −812⁄, = 3√−81 78 9:;< ;7=>:9! (You can’t take an even root of a
negative number.)

Examples: Rewrite each of the following radicals with a rational exponent.

√9# = √9# = 6&⁄

M)

 ⁄
 @
A  @
A  B
N) + = + = / 0
- - C

EVALUATING EXPRESSIONS OF THE FORM ⁄

Definition: If  is a real number, D⁄ is a rational number in lowest terms with  ≥ 2, then

⁄ = √ = E √F

(the top value is an exponent, the bottom value is a root).

Examples: Evaluate the following expressions if possible.

9 ⁄, = E√9F = 3 = *C
3
O)

P) −36 ⁄, = E√−36F
3
No solution, you can’t take a square root of a negative number.


−27⁄ = E√−27F = −3 = G

Q)

Examples: Rewrite each of the following radicals with a rational exponent.

√H = I⁄
%
R)

2√, = 2 ∙ ,⁄ = **⁄

S)

 ⁄
/'24HK , 0 = E*IL* F

T)
  
Definition: NEGATIVE-EXPONENT RULE ~ M⁄ = ⁄ N O⁄ = ⁄

Examples: Rewrite each of the following with positive exponents and completely simplify if possible.

2 2 2 
49M2⁄, = = 3 = 3 =
PQ⁄3
U)
√P √- 3 C

2
=
,
64,⁄ = E √64F = 4, = R

( O3⁄

V)


3HM ⁄ =
I⁄
W)

Homework: Page 540: # 9-67 odds (30 problems)