Lesson SIMPLIFYING RADICAL

7 EXPRESSIONS

What I Need to Know

As you go through this lesson, you will learn how to simplify radical expressions
using the laws of radicals.

What I Know

In previous lesson, you have used properties of integer exponents to simplify

and evaluate expressions, as shown here for a few simple examples.

42 ∙ 43 = 42+3 = 45 = 1,024 (4 ∙ 𝑥 )2 = 42 ∙ 𝑥 2 = 16𝑥 2

42 1
(42 )3 = 42∙3 = 46 = 4,096 = 42−3 = 4−1 = 4
43

4 3 43 64
( ) = 3= 3
𝑥 𝑥 𝑥

Now that you have been introduced to expressions involving rational exponents,
you can explore the properties that apply to simplify them.

Activity 1: Recall

Simplify the following expressions.

1 24 1 1
3 7 1 −
12 0 9 ) 𝑟4 𝑚 3𝑛 6
1. (25 ) (25 )
5 5 2. (𝑥 𝑦 𝑧 3 3. ( 1 ) 4. 2
𝑠8 𝑚 3𝑛 0

This activity helped you recall how to simplify expressions with zero, negative
integral, and rational exponents. This also elicited your ideas about radicals.
Now, were you able to answer the problem correctly? If no, kindly review again the
previous lessons. If yes, answer the next activity that will require you to write
expressions with rational exponents as radicals and vice versa.
Activity 2: Fill-Me-In!

For parts A and B, carefully analyze the first two examples then fill in the rest of the
exercises with the correct answer.

A.

2 3
53
3
√52 ξ25

3 5
(2𝑥)5
5
√23𝑥 3 √8𝑥 3

2
35

2
4𝑦 5

2
2 3
( )
5𝑚

B.

1
3
ξ6 63

5 3
√8𝑚6 5
√23 (𝑚2 )3 (2𝑚2 )5

√5𝑥 3
 1
3
ξ5

Questions:

1. What are the processes you observed in transforming expressions with a rational
exponent into radicals and vice versa?

Answer:
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

2. What mathematical ideas are needed in transforming the expressions?

Answer:
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

1⁄
In the previous lesson, you learned that 𝑎 𝑛 is defined as the principal 𝑛𝑡ℎ root of
1
𝑛
𝑏. In radical symbols: ξ𝑎 = 𝑎 ; and for 𝑎 > 0 and positive integers 𝑚 and 𝑛 where
𝑛
𝑚 𝑚 𝑛
𝑛 > 1, 𝑎 𝑛 = ( 𝑛ξ𝑎) = ξ𝑎𝑚 , provided that it is defined.

Using this knowledge, did you correctly answer most of the problems in the previous
activities? You will need those skills to succeed in the next activities.

What’s In

This time let’s test your skills on how the laws of radicals are illustrated.

Activity 3: Justify Me

Identify the laws of radicals used to justify the results of each radical expression.

𝒏
𝒏 ξ𝒂 𝒏 𝒂
a. ξ𝒂𝒏 = 𝜶 c. 𝒏 = √𝒃
ξ𝒃

𝒏 𝒏 𝒎 𝒏
b. 𝒏ξ𝒂 • 𝒎𝒏
ξ𝒃 = ξ𝒂𝒃 d. √ ξ𝒂 = ξ𝒂
 3
______ 1.
12 4
ξ16 = √ ξ16 ______ 6. 4√𝑥 4 𝑦 4 = 𝑥𝑦
3 3 3 3 3
______ 2. ξ27 = 3 ______ 7. ξ16 = ξ8 ∙ 2 = ξ8 ∙ ξ2
5 4
ξ10 5 10 4 𝑎 10 ξ𝑎 10
______ 3. 5 = √35 ______ 8. √ 16 = 4
ξ35 ξ16

______ 4. ξ𝑥 10 = √(𝑥 2 )5 = 𝑥 5 10
______ 9. ξ32𝑚5 = √ ξ32𝑚5
5

3 5 5 5 5
______ 5. 3√8𝑦 3 = ξ8 ∙ 3√𝑦 3 ______ 10. ξ32𝑚10 𝑛2 = ξ32 ∙ ξ𝑚10 ∙ ξ𝑛2

What’s New

Since you are now capable of writing expressions with rational exponents as
radicals and vice versa, and illustrate the laws of radicals, let us now learn how to use
these concepts in simplifying radical expressions.

Activity 4: Why Am I True/ Why Am I False?

Given below are examples of how to simplify radicals. Identify if the given
process below is TRUE or FALSE, then state your reason. For those you identified as
false, make it true by writing the correct part of the solution.

If false, write the

True or False Why? correct part of the
solution
𝟑
1. Simplify ξ𝟑𝟐
𝟑 𝟑
ξ𝟑𝟐 = ξ𝟖 ∙ 𝟒
𝟑
= ξ𝟖 ∙ ξ𝟒
𝟑 𝟑
= √𝟐𝟑 ∙ ξ𝟒
𝟑
= 𝟐 ∙ ξ𝟒
𝟑 𝟑
ξ𝟑𝟐 = 𝟐ξ𝟒

If false, write the

True or False Why? correct part of the
solution
𝟔
2. Simplify ξ𝒙𝟐𝟎 , where 𝒙 > 𝟎
𝟔 𝟐𝟎
√𝒙𝟐𝟎 = 𝒙 𝟔
𝟏𝟎
= 𝒙𝟑
𝟏𝟎
= √ 𝒙𝟑
 𝟑
= √ 𝒙𝟑 ∙ 𝒙𝟑 ∙ 𝒙𝟑 ∙ 𝒙
𝟑 𝟑 𝟑 𝟏
= 𝒙𝟑 ∙ 𝒙 𝟑 ∙ 𝒙𝟑 ∙ 𝒙𝟑
𝟏
= 𝒙 ∙ 𝒙 ∙ 𝒙 ∙ 𝒙𝟑
𝟏
= 𝒙𝟑 ∙ 𝒙 𝟑
𝟔
√𝒙𝟐𝟎 = 𝒙𝟑 √𝒙𝟑

If false, write the

True or False Why? correct part of the
solution
𝟔 𝟏
3. Simplify √ 𝟐𝒎 where 𝒎 ≠ 𝟎.

𝟔 𝟏 𝟔 𝟏 𝟐𝟓 𝒎𝟓
√ =√ ∙
𝟐𝒎 𝟐𝒎 𝟐𝟓 𝒎𝟓

𝟔 𝟐𝟓 𝒎𝟓
=√
𝟐𝟔 𝒎𝟔
𝟔
ξ𝟐𝟓 𝒎𝟓
=
ξ𝟐𝟔 𝒎𝟔
𝟔
𝟔 𝟏 ξ𝟑𝟐𝒎𝟓
√ =
𝟐𝒎 𝟐𝒎

Questions to Ponder:

1. How do you think the given expressions were simplified? What processes have you
observed?

2. How do we simplify radicals with the same index?

3. How do we simplify radicals with different indices?

4. How do we simplify expressions with radicals in the denominator?

5. What important understanding is necessary to simplify the given expression?

Were you able to identify which part of the process is true or false? Have you
determined the reason for each process? If yes, try to develop your own
conclusion about it.
Activity 5: Generalization

Refer to the guide questions provided from the left in writing your generalization
on the space provided at the right regarding simplifying radicals.

What will you do to the radicand of the We can simplify radicals by…
radical expression if it contains perfect nth
powers?

What can you possibly do to the index

of the radical expressions?

What will you do if the denominator of

a fraction has radical sign?

What Is It

Simplifying Radical Expressions Using the Laws of Radicals

a. Removing Perfect 𝒏𝒕𝒉 Powers from a Radicand

The idea here is to find a perfect 𝑛𝑡ℎ factor of the radicand, write the radicand as a
𝒏 𝒏 𝒏
product, and then used the product property ξ𝒂𝒃 = ξ𝒂 ∙ ξ𝒃 to simplify.

Examples:
3 3 3 3
1. ξ54 = ξ27 ∙ 2 = ξ33 ∙ 2 = 3ξ2
2. √16𝑥 4 𝑦 7 = √(4𝑥 2 𝑦 3 )2 𝑦 = 4𝑥 2 𝑦 3 √𝑦

b. Reduction of the Index of the Radical to the Lowest Possible Order

Express the radical into an expression with a rational exponent then simplify the
𝑚 𝑛
exponent or apply the property √ 𝑛ξ𝑎 = 𝑚𝑛ξ𝑎 = √ 𝑚ξ𝑎.
Examples:
4 4
1. ξ64 = ξ26 = 26⁄4 = 23⁄2 = ξ23 = ξ22 ∙ 2 = 2ξ2
6 6 3 3
2. ξ16𝑥 6 = √(4𝑥 3 )2 = (4𝑥 3 )2⁄6 = (4𝑥 3 )1⁄3 = ξ4𝑥 3 = 𝑥 ξ4
 20 5 4 4
3. ξ32𝑚15 𝑛5 = √ √25 (𝑚3 )5 𝑛5 = ξ2𝑚3 𝑛

In the first example the index was reduced from 4 to 2 and in the second example it
was reduced from 6 to 3. We note that the process involves converting to exponential
𝑚
notation and then converting back. In the third example, it uses the property √ 𝑛ξ𝑎 =
𝑚𝑛 𝑛 𝑚
ξ 𝑎 = √ ξ𝑎 .

c. Rationalization of the Denominator of the Radicand

Rationalization is the process of removing the radical sign in the denominator.
Examples:

3
3 13 3 13 22 3 13∙22 3 13∙4 ξ52
1. √ 2 = √ 2 ∙ 22 = √ =√ =
23 23 2
4 4 4
4 9𝑎 3 𝑦 2 4 9𝑎 3𝑦 2 2𝑏2 𝑥 4 18𝑎 3𝑦 2 𝑏2 𝑥 √18𝑎 3 𝑦 2𝑏2 𝑥 √18𝑎 3 𝑦 2 𝑏2𝑥 √18𝑎 3 𝑦 2 𝑏2 𝑥
2. √8𝑏6 𝑥 3 = √8𝑏6 𝑥 3 ∙ 2𝑏2 𝑥 = √ = 4 = 4 =
16𝑏8 𝑥 4 ξ24 𝑏8 𝑥 4 √(2𝑏2 𝑥)4 2𝑏2 𝑥

A radical expression is said to be in its simplest form if

 NO prime factor of a radicand that has an exponent equal to or greater than the
index and that the index of the radical is as small as possible.
 NO fractions are present in the radicand that is the denominator has been
rationalized.
 NO denominator contains a radical sign.

Now, let us try your skill in simplifying radicals by answering the succeeding activities .

What’s More

Activity 6: What Is It?

Using your knowledge of simplifying radical expressions, decode the following.

In 1916, a Spanish stone fort in Iligan was washed away by a destructive flood. It stood
on the eastern bank of the Iligan river in the general area where PNB now stands.
What do you call this fort?

To find out, simplify the following radical expressions. Then write the letter that
corresponds to the correct answer on the space provided. These letters will spell out
the name of this Spanish fort. Have fun!

1) √25𝑥 18 𝑦 20 T. 𝑥𝑦 3√2𝑥𝑦 2
5
2) √25𝑥 12 𝑦 10 O.
𝑥 ξ𝑥
𝑦2
3 4
3) √8𝑥 10 𝑦 21 2𝑥 √2𝑥 2𝑦 2
I. 𝑦
12 𝑥2
4) √16𝑥 16 𝑦 20 R. 3
 5 𝑥6 V. 5𝑥 9 𝑦 10
5) √𝑦 10

3 𝑥6 A. 2𝑥 2 𝑦 4
6) √
27

4 32𝑥 6 I. 5𝑥 6 𝑦 5
7) √ 𝑦2

3 8𝑥 6 C. 2𝑥 3 𝑦 7 3ξ𝑥
8) √𝑦 −12

FORT
_______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _____
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Activity 7: Reflect

In Activity 6, number 7, the factor 4√𝑦 2 should be used when rationalizing the
denominator. Why do you think so? What factor would you use to rationalize a
denominator of 5√16𝑦 3?

Answer:
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

What I have Learned

Simplify the following radical expressions using the laws of radicals. Assume
that all variables are positive. Rationalize any irrational denominators.

3
1) √27𝑥 12 𝑦 15 4
6) √𝑥 14
16

4
2) ξ81𝑚18 𝑛15 3 3
7) √4𝑘

30
3) √32𝑑 20 𝑛15 𝑝25 4 4𝑎 3 𝑏2
8) √2𝑎2 𝑏3

8 4 3𝑥 6𝑦 5
4) √5 9) √16𝑥 −2 𝑦 13

5 64 ξ3𝑡 2 𝑠 3
5) √ 𝑟 10)
4ξ5𝑡𝑠 3
REFERENCES:

DepEd Mathematics Learners Material 9.pp

Miller, James. (______). Radicals. Laws. Simplification. Reduction of the index.

Rationalization of the Denominator. https://solitaryroad.com/c629.html. Date Retrieved: May
23, 2020

___________. Iligan History – as published in the Symbols of the State(Republic of the

Philippines). http://www.iligan.gov.ph/iligan-history-published-symbols-staterepublic-
philippines/. Date Retrieved: May 24, 2020

___________. Simplifying Radical Expressions.

http://www.mrwallacesmath.com/uploads/1/2/8/8/12886841/unit_7_day_4_homework_pg_5
96.pdf Date Retrieved: May 24, 2020

Prepared by:
Eraljane V. Permites
Teacher I, Maria Cristina National High School