Exponent and Radical Rules (6.1, 6.

2) Day 20
Name: ___________________________________________________ Block: ______________

Topic Definition/Rule Example(s)

Multiplication x a ⋅ x b = x a+b

b
Power to a Power ( x a ) = x ab

n
Power of a
Product (ab ) = a nbn

Zero

Exponents
x 0 =1

Division
x a = x a−b
xb
n
Power of a ⎛ x ⎞⎟ = x n
Quotient ⎜
⎝ y⎠ yn
1.

Simplifying 2.

3.
 Simplifying Exponents
Step Method Example

1 Label all unlabeled exponents “1”

Take the reciprocal of the fraction and make the outside

2
exponent positive.

3 Get rid of any inside parentheses.

4 Reduce any fractional coefficients.

Move all negatives either up or down.

5
Make the exponents positive.

6 Combine all like bases.

7 Distribute the power to all exponents.

Use properties of exponents to simplify the following expressions.
 f.

g. h. 121/8 125/6 =

i. (51/3 x1/4)3 = j. (26 46)-1/6 =

k. = l.
RATIONAL EXPONENTS

QUESTION: What is the square root of a number?

Determine what number fits into the .

a. 5 i 5 = 5 is the _____________ of 25

b. 10 i 10 = 10 is the _____________ of 100

c. x i x = _____ is the square root of ______

d. x3 i x3 = _____ is the square root of ______

e. x9 i x9 = _____ is the square root of ______

QUESTION: What does the square root of x mean?

x ix = x1 is the square root of x.

RULE: __________________________
FRACTIONAL EXPONENT RULE:

For any real number a and integers n and m: _____________________________

Examples:

a. 161/2 = =4 b. 271/3 = = 3

c. (-8)1/3 = = -2 d. (16)1/4 = =2

RATIONAL EXPONENTS

Exponent (numerator)
Exponential
 Radical
Notation

Notation


x1/2
 

x1/2
x2/3
 

Base (x) Root (denominator) x3/4
 




RADICALS

Index am/n

a-m/n

Radicand
RULE:

EXAMPLES:

Evaluate each of the following without the use of a calculator!

1. 2. 3. 4.

5. 6. 7. 8.

9. 10. 11. 12.

RULE:

EXAMPLES:

Evaluate each of the following without the use of a calculator!

1. 2. 3. 4.

5. 6. 7. 8.

9. 10. 11. 12.

A negative exponent was slipped into that last problem! How did you deal with it?

RULE:

EXAMPLES:

Evaluate each of the following without the use of a calculator!

1. 2. 3. 4.

5. 7. 8.
6.

9. 10. 11.
12.
 Mad Math Minute!

Name: __________________________________ Date: __________

( ) ( )
2 3 7
1. x = 3 ______ 2. 2x = ______ 3. 4x = ______

( )
4 1 1
4. 3x = _____ 5. x3= ______ 6. 100 2 = ______

1 ⎛4 3⎞
7. y3= ______ 8. ⎜⎝ x ⎟⎠ = ______ 9. x2=
3
______

⎛
10. 49
1
2 = ______ 11.
1
x5= ______ 12. ⎜⎝ x 4 ⎞⎟⎠ = ______

⎛5 3⎞
13. x 12 = ______ 14. 16
1
2 = ____ 15. ⎜⎝ x ⎟⎠ = ______

3
5 ⎛ 15 x ⎞ = ______ 3
16. x =
1 ______ 17. ⎝ ⎠ 18. 4 2 = ______
 RADICALS
Warm Up Simplify the following square root and cube root expressions

1. 3.

2. 4.

EXAMPLE ONE  Simplifying square roots with variables

a) b)

EXAMPLE TWO  Rationalizing the denominator

5 7
a) b)
3
6 1+ 2 5

EXAMPLE THREE  Multiplying Radical Expressions

c) d)

EXAMPLE FOUR  Adding and Subtracting Radical Expressions

a) b) c)
 PRACTICE

1. 2. 3. x 11

4. 5. 6.

Simplify using the exponent rules. (No decimals, keep as fractions)

1.

 
 


 2.

 
 3.

 




5.
 (a3b‐6)(a2b0)

6.
 

4.

 
 



8.

 
 9.

 

7.
 

1. 
 5. 
 6.

9. 10. 

7.

15. 63 32 − 53 4
12.
3
24 − 3 

3
4.

5 2
2. 
 13.
 
 14.
3+7 1− 4 3
 EXPONENT PROPERTIES

EXAMPLE FOUR Re-write the radical expression in exponential form.

a) b) c) d)

EXAMPLE FIVE Simplify the expression without using a calculator.

a) b) c) d)