COLEGIO DE MUNTINLUPA

ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

LESSON 06:
RADICAL EXPRESSIONS

Engr. Onofre E. Algara, Jr.

BS Electrical Engineering (DLSU-D)
MS Electrical Engineering (Mapua University)
PhD EnM ongoing, (NEUST)
Course Instructor
RADICALS
1. Irrational Numbers expressed in roots.
2. Another way to express numbers with fractional exponents.
𝑛
3. Expressed as: where 𝑎 n=index and a=radicand
Example: 3 and 3 9
4. Parts of a Radical
SAMPLE PROBLEMS
Identify the radicand and the index of the radical in the following:
1. 3
3
2. 9
4
3. 8
4. 𝑥𝑦𝑧
𝑛
TRANSFORMING RADICALS TO FRACTIONAL EXPONENTS AND VICE VERSA
POINTS TO REMEMBER IN DEALING WITH RADICALS
1. Understanding Radicals
• A radical symbol (√) represents a root operation, such as square root (√),
cube root (∛), etc.
• The expression under the radical symbol is called the radicand.
2. Simplifying Radicals
• Simplify radicals by finding perfect square factors of the radicand and taking
their square roots.
3. Basic Rules for Simplification
• √(a * b) = √a * √b (product rule)
• √(a / b) = √a / √b (quotient rule)
4. Rationalizing Denominators:
• To rationalize a denominator, multiply both the numerator and denominator
by an appropriate expression to eliminate radicals in the denominator.
POINTS TO REMEMBER IN DEALING WITH RADICALS
5. Rationalizing with Conjugates
• When dealing with binomial denominators, use the conjugate of the
denominator to rationalize it. The conjugate of (a + b) is (a - b) and vice versa.
6. Operations with Radicals:
• Adding and subtracting radicals is possible only when they have the same
radicand. Combine them accordingly and simplify.
• Multiplying and dividing radicals involves multiplying or dividing the
radicands and then simplifying the result.
7. Exponents and Radicals
• Radicals can be written using fractional exponents. √a can be written as
a^(1/2), and ∛a can be written as a^(1/3)
8. Radicals in Equations:
• When solving equations with radicals, isolate the radical and then square
both sides (or raise to the appropriate power) to eliminate the radical.
POINTS TO REMEMBER IN DEALING WITH RADICALS
5. Radicals and Variables
• Be cautious when working with variables under radicals. Some values of the
variables may result in non-real solutions (e.g., taking the square root of a
negative number).
6. Solving Radical Equations
• Check for extraneous solutions, especially when solving equations involving
radicals. Not all solutions may be valid for the original equation.7. Exponents
and Radicals
7. Practice and Familiarity
• Regular practice with various types of radical expressions will improve your
ability to simplify, manipulate, and solve problems involving radicals.
8. Check Your Work
• Always check your solutions and simplifications to ensure they are correct
and valid for the given context.
EXERCISES
END OF PRESENTATION