RADICALS

For every operation there is an opposite or inverse that can be used to cancel the operation.
Example: + inverse – x2 inverse x
× inverse ÷ x 3
inverse 3
x

The opposite/inverse of exponents are called radicals. If the exponent is a square, or 2, the opposite
would be a square root; if the exponent is 3, the opposite would be a cubic root, and so on.

Examples: 22 = 4 inverse 4=2

23 = 8 inverse 3
8=2
35 = 243 inverse 5
243 = 3

Radicals can also be written in exponent notation, however, in this case the exponent would be a
fraction.

Examples: 4 = 41 2 3
8 = 81 3 5
243 = 2431 5

The expression 3 8 is called a radical expression, where 3 is called the index, is the radical sign,
and 8 is called the radicand. The index of a radical expression must always be a positive integer
greater than 1. When no index is written it is assumed to be 2, or a square root.

Negative Radicals – The only restriction that exists for negative signs and radicals is that there cannot
be a negative sign under an even root since there is no real solution to this problem. However, you can
have a negative in front of a radical or under odd roots and still be able to obtain a real number.

Examples: − 16 ← Negative sign under even root, no real answer.

(4)(4) = 16 or (− 4)(− 4) = 16
3
−8 ← Negative sign under odd root, real answer.
(− 2)(− 2)(− 2) = −8

− 81 ← Negative sign is outside the radical, the sign does not affect the
calculations, it is only carried out to the final answer.
− 81 = −(9 )(9 ) = −81
Radicals Containing Large Numbers – When working with large numbers under a radical sign, it is
always easier to break down the number and work on smaller part rather than trying to find an exact
root.

Example: 525 ← Break down the number into smaller numbers.

21 ⋅ 25 ← Find the root of each of the smaller numbers.

21 ⋅ 5 ← Write final answer with single digits first and radicals

at the end.
5 21

Sometimes it is not easy to find two small numbers that when multiplied give you the large numbers.
In this case, you may break down the large number little by little.

Example: 525 ← Follow the same procedure as described above. It

takes a little longer, but at the end the same results are
105 ⋅ 5 obtained.

105 ⋅ 5

21 ⋅ 5 ⋅ 5

21 ⋅ 25

21 ⋅ 5

5 21
 LAWS OF EXPONENTS AND RADICALS

1. x m ⋅ x n = x m+ n 2. x 0 = 1 where x ≠ 0

1 1
3. x − n = 4. = xn
xn x −n

xm xm
5. = x m− n 6. =1
xn xm

7. (x ) m n
= x mn 8. (xy )n = x n y n

n −n
 x x
n
xn  y
9.   = n 10.   = 
 y y  y x

1 1
− 1
11. x = x n n
12. x n
= n
x

n
x x
13. n
x ⋅ n y = n xy 14. =n
n y y

( x)
m
m
15. m n
x = mn
x 16. x = n x m =
n n

17. ( x)m
m
=x

n
Note 1: The division of any number by zero is undefined. Also, if x is negative and n is even, x
1
n
and x are not defined.

x
Note 2: is undefined 1x = 1
0
0 x = 0 for x ≠ 0 0⋅ x = 0
x
1⋅ x = x =x
1
 EXPONENTS AND RADICALS - EXERCISES

Simplify:

1. x 5 ⋅ x 7 2. x 0 (for x ≠ 0 ) 3. (a + b )0 (for a + b ≠ 0)

22
4. 5 −3
5. 3 6. (3x )2
2

−2 2
5
7.  
5
8.   9. (x )
3 2

2 2

10.
x2 y
xy
11. (3 ) 2 −2
12. 9 ⋅ 9 2

13. − a 2 ( ) 4
14. (− a ) 2 4
15.
c7 ⋅ c ⋅ c2
c5 ⋅ c 2 ⋅ c 3

16. (a b c ) (− ab)
2 2 2 3 4
17. (a ) −1 −1
18. (4a b) (3a b )
2 2 2 3 3

3 −2
 x3 
19.  2 
1
20.   21. (a x )
2 −3 2

x  k

22.
(a x )
2 −3 2
23. (− 1)5 24. ( −1)
9

(a b )
4 −1 3

2
−
 8  3
25.   26. 27 27. 72
 27 

7
 1 2
3
28. 4
16 29. 9 2
30.  
4

3
31. 50 32. 250
 EXPONENTS AND RADICALS - ANSWERS TO EXERCISES

1. x 5 ⋅ x 7 = x 12 2. x 0 = 1

1 1
3. (a + b )0 = 1 4. 5−3 = 3
=
5 125
22 1
= −3
22= −1
2= ( 3x )
2
5. 3
6. = 32 ⋅ x 2 = 9 x 2
2 2

−2 2 2
5 2 22 4 5 52 25
7.  =  = = 8.  = =
2 5 2
2
5 25 22 4

x2 y
(=
x ) ( 3)( 2 )
= x( 2−1) ⋅ y (1−1) = x1 ⋅ y 0 = x
2
9. 3
x= x6 10.
xy

11. (3 ) 2 −2
= 3− 4 =
1
34
=
1
81
12. 9 ⋅ 9 2 = 9 3

13. − ( a 2 ) =
− ( a 2 )( a 2 )( a 2 )( a 2 ) = ( −a ) =
( −a )( −a )( −a )( −a ) =
4 4
−a8 14. 2 2
a 2 2 2 8

c 7 ⋅ c ⋅ c 2 c10
15. =
c5 ⋅ c 2 ⋅ c 3 c10
=1 16. (a b c ) (− ab)
2 2 2 3 4
= a10b10c 6

17. (a ) −1 −1
=a 18. (4a b) (3a b )
2 2 2 3 3
= 432a10b11

3 −2
 x3  x9 1 1−2
19.  2 = = x3 20.  = = −2
k2
k
6
x  x k

21. (a x )
2 −3 2
=a x 4 −6 a4
= 6 22.
(a x )
2 −3 2
=
a 4 x−6
=
b3
x (a b )
4 −1 3 a12b − 3 a8 x 6

( −1) ( −1)
5 9
23. =
−1 24. =
−1
−
2 −2 −2 −2
 8  3  8   38  2 9
25. =
  =
3
 =  =
  26. 27 = 3 ⋅ 9 = 3 3
 27   27 
3
 27  3 4

27. 72 = 36 ⋅ 2 = 6 2 28. 4
16 = 2

7 7
 1 2 1
7
 1   1 7 1
29. 9 32
= 9 = 81 ⋅ 9 = 81 ⋅ 9 = 9 ⋅ 3 = 27
3
30.   =   =   =  =

4 4  4   2  128

31. 50 = 25 ⋅ 2 = 5 2 32. 3
250 = 3 125 ⋅ 2 = 53 2