Radicals and Exponents

Shirin Sultana
Senior Lecturer
Department of GED
Daffodil International University
Definition
Exponent
If 𝑎 is any real number and 𝑛 is a positive integer, Exponent
Base
then the product of 𝑛 numbers is defined as
(real number) (integer)
𝑎 ⋅ 𝑎 ⋅ 𝑎 ⋅⋅⋅ 𝑎 = 𝑎𝑛
𝑎 𝑛
𝑛 𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑠
Where 𝑛 is the index or exponent or power and 𝑎 is
the base.
Radical
An expression containing the radical symbol √ is
Index Radical Sign
called a radical. 𝑛
The general form of a radical is 𝑛 𝑎, where 𝑛 is the 𝑎
index and 𝑎 is the radicand. Radicand
Note:
2
If 𝑛 = 2 omit the index and write 𝑎 rather than 𝑎.
2
Properties of Exponents
Let 𝑎 and 𝑏 be real numbers, variables, or algebraic expressions and let 𝑚 and 𝑛 be integers
(All denominators and bases are nonzero).
Property Example
1. 𝑎0 = 1, 𝑎1 = 𝑎 𝑥2 + 1 0 = 1, 𝑥 2 + 1 1 = 𝑥2 + 1
4
1 1 𝑛 1 1
2. 𝑎−𝑛 = = −4
3 = 4=
𝑎𝑛 𝑎 3 3
3. 𝑎𝑚 𝑎𝑛 = 𝑎𝑚+𝑛 32 34 = 32+4 = 36 = 729
𝑎𝑚 32 1 1
4. 𝑛 = 𝑎𝑚−𝑛 =3 2−4 −2
=3 = 2=
𝑎 3 4 3 9
1
5. 𝑎𝑚 𝑛 = 𝑎𝑚𝑛 𝑦 3 −4 = 𝑦 3(−4) = 𝑦 −12 = 12
𝑦
6. 𝑎𝑏 𝑚 = 𝑎𝑚 𝑏 𝑚 5𝑥 3 = 53 𝑥 3 = 125𝑥 3
3
𝑎 𝑚 𝑎𝑚 2 23 8
7. = 𝑚 = 3= 3
𝑏 𝑏 𝑥 𝑥 𝑥 3
Properties of Radicals
Let 𝑎 and 𝑏 be real numbers, variables, or algebraic expressions such that the indicated roots
are real numbers, and let 𝑚 and 𝑛 be positive integers.
Property Example
𝑛 𝑛 𝑚 3 3 2
1. 𝑎𝑚 = 𝑎 82 = 8 = 2 2 =4

2. For 𝑛 even, 𝑛 𝑎𝑛 = 𝑎 4
(−12)4 = −12 = 12
𝑛 3
3. For 𝑛 odd, 𝑎𝑛 = 𝑎 (−12)3 = −12
𝑛 𝑛 𝑛
4. 𝑎𝑏 = 𝑎⋅ 𝑏 35 = 5 ⋅ 7 = 5 ⋅ 7
𝑛 3 3
𝑛 𝑎 𝑎 3 27 27 33 3
5. = 𝑛 , 𝑏≠0 = = =
𝑏 𝑏 8 3
8
3
2 3 2
m 𝑛 3 5 (3×5) 15
6. 𝑎= mn
a 10 = 10 = 10 4
Simplification of Radicals
An expression involving radicals can be simplified by,
1. by removing the perfect nth powers of the radicand.
2. by reducing the index of the radical
3. by rationalizing of the denominator of the radicand.
Find the simplest form of the followings:
3 3 4 5 5 3 3
a. 6 b. 6480 c. d. 27 4 e. 5
32

3 3 Property 3 Property 5 Property 1

a. We have 6 5 5 d. We have 3 27 4
1 c. We have 32 4
.3 3
= 6 3 = 33
5
=6 5 = 34
4 = 5
b. We have 6480 Property 4 32 = 81
4
= 34 ⋅ 24 ⋅ 5 5
5 3 Property 6
4 4 4 = 5 e. We have 5
= 34 ⋅ 24 ⋅ 5 25 3⋅2
4 5 = 5
=3⋅2⋅ 5 5 6
4 = = 5
=6 5 2 5
Find the simplest form of the followings:
𝟐 𝟑 𝒙+𝟏 𝟑
𝟔 𝟑 𝟑
𝒂. 𝟖𝟏𝒂𝟐 b. 𝟕 𝟒𝒂𝒃 c. 𝟔𝟒𝒙𝟕 𝒚−𝟔 d. 𝟔
𝒚−𝟐
6
a. We have, 81𝑎2
6
= 92 𝑎2 c. We have,
6 2
d. We have,
= 9𝑎 3
64𝑥 7 𝑦 −6
3 𝑥+1 3
1
2 6
= 9𝑎 =
3
43 ⋅ 𝑥 6 ⋅ 𝑥 ⋅ 𝑦 −6 𝑦−2 6

1 3
= 9𝑎 3 = 9𝑎 3 3 3 3
3
𝑥+1 3
= 43 ⋅ 𝑥2 3 ⋅ 𝑥⋅ 𝑦 −6 = 3 6
3 2 𝑦−2
b. We have, 7 4𝑎𝑏
= 4 ⋅ 𝑥 2 ⋅ 3 𝑥 ⋅ 𝑦 −2 𝑥+1
2
= 49 ⋅
3
4𝑎𝑏 =
𝑦−2 2
3
4𝑥 2 3
= 49 ⋅ 4𝑎𝑏 2 = 2 𝑥
𝑦
3
= 49 ⋅ 23 . 2𝑎2 𝑏2
3
= 98 ⋅ 2𝑎2 𝑏2 6
Calculate the followings:
𝟏𝟏𝟐 𝟓𝟕𝟔 𝟐𝟓𝟔
𝒂. 𝟏𝟖 + 𝟓𝟎 − 𝟕𝟐 𝐛. 𝟐 𝟐𝟕 − 𝟒 𝟏𝟐 𝐜. × × 𝒅. 𝟐𝟒𝟖 + 𝟓𝟐 + 𝟏𝟒𝟒
𝟏𝟗𝟔 𝟏𝟐 𝟖

a. 18 + 50 − 72
d. 248 + 52 + 144
= 2 ⋅ 32 + 2 ⋅ 52 − 23 ⋅ 32
112 576 256
c. × ×
= 3 2 + 5 2 − 3 22 ⋅ 2 196 12 8 = 248 + 52 + 24 ⋅ 32
=3 2+5 2−6 2
112 26 ⋅ 32 28
= × × = 248 + 52 + 22 ⋅ 3
=2 2 2
2 ⋅72 12 8

112 23 ⋅ 3 24 = 248 + 52 + 12
b. 2 27 − 4 12 = × ×
2⋅7 12 8
= 248 + 64
= 2 32 ⋅ 3 − 4 22 ⋅ 3 112 8 ⋅ 3 16
= × × = 32
2⋅7 12 8
=2⋅3 3−4⋅2 3 = 248 + 26
= 32
=6 3−8 3 = 248 + 23
= 248 + 8
= −2 3
= 28 = 24 = 16 7
 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏
Show that 𝟑 + + − =𝟑
𝟑 𝟑+ 𝟑 𝟑− 𝟑
1 1 1
L.H.S = 3 + + −
3 3+ 3 3− 3

3 3− 3 3+ 3
=3+ + −
3 3 3+ 3 3− 3 3− 3 3+ 3

3 3− 3 3+ 3
=3+ + 2 − 2
3 32 − 3 32 − 3
18 + 2 3 + 3 − 3 − 3 − 3
L. H. S. =
3 3− 3 3+ 3 6
=3+ + −
3 9−3 9−3
18
= =3
3 3− 3 3+ 3 6
=3+ + −
3 6 6
8
 𝟕 𝟑+𝟓 𝟐
Find the value of 𝒂 & 𝒃 if 𝒂 + 𝒃 𝟔 =
𝟒𝟖− 𝟏𝟖
Given that,
7 3+5 2
𝑎+𝑏 6=
48 − 18

114 + 41 6
7 3+5 2 =
= 30
4 3−3 2
114 41
𝑜𝑟, 𝑎 + 𝑏 6 = + 6
7 3+5 2 4 3+3 2 30 30
=
4 3−3 2 4 3+3 2
114 19 41
∴𝑎= = and 𝑏 =
30 5 30
28 × 3 + 21 2 3 + 20 2 3 + 15 × 2
=
48 − 18

84 + 21 6 + 20 6 + 30
=
30
9
 𝟐
𝟒− 𝟑
Express in the form of 𝒂 + 𝒃 𝟑 where a and b are integers.
𝟐+ 𝟑
Given that,
2
4− 3
2+ 3
62 − 35 3
16 − 8 3 + 3 =
1
=
2+ 3
= 62 + −35 3,
19 − 8 3
=
2+ 3 which has been expressd in the form of
𝑎 + 𝑏 3, where 𝑎 = 62 and 𝑏 = −35.
19 − 8 3 2 − 3
=
2+ 3 2− 3

38 − 19 3 − 16 3 + 24
=
4−3
10
What will be come in the place of question mark 𝟖𝟔. 𝟒𝟗 + 𝟓 + ? = 𝟏𝟐. 𝟑 ?
Let the required value is 𝑥
According to the question we can write,
86.49 + 5 + 𝑥 = 12.3 2
123 93
or, 𝑥 = − −5
or, 5 + 𝑥 = 12.3 − 86.49 10 10
2
2 30
or, 𝑥 = −5
123 8649 10
or, 5 + 𝑥 = −
10 100 or, 𝑥 = 3 2 − 5

2
or, 𝑥 = 9 − 5
123 8649
or, 𝑥 = − −5 or, 𝑥 = 4
10 100

11
 𝟏
𝟒𝟖
What will be come in the place of question mark ? 𝟒 = 𝟑 ?
? 𝟒

Let the required value is 𝑥

According to the question we can write,
1 48
𝑥 4 = 3
𝑥 4
1 3
or, 𝑥 4 𝑥 4 = 48
1 3
+
or, 𝑥 4 4 = 48
4
or, 𝑥 4 = 48

∴ 𝑥 = 48

12
If 𝟖𝟒𝟏 = 𝟐𝟗 then find the value of 𝟖𝟒𝟏 + 𝟖. 𝟒𝟏 + 𝟎. 𝟎𝟖𝟒𝟏 + 𝟎. 𝟎𝟎𝟎𝟖𝟒𝟏
Given that, 841 = 29
Now, 841 + 8.41 + 0.0841 + 0.000841
841 841 841
= 841 + + +
100 10000 1000000

841 841 841

= 841 + + +
100 10000 1000000
29 29 29
= 29 + + +
10 100 1000
29000 + 2900 + 290 + 29
=
1000
32219
=
1000
= 32.219 13
 𝒙 𝟏𝟑
If 𝟏 + = , then find the value of 𝒙
𝟏𝟒𝟒 𝟏𝟐

We have, 𝑥 13
1+ =
144 12
2
𝑥 13
or, 1 + =
144 12
𝑥 169
or, = −1
144 144
𝑥 169 − 144
or, =
144 144
𝑥 25
or, =
144 144
∴ 𝑥 = 25
14
 𝒏
𝟐𝟒𝟑 𝟓 ×𝟑𝟐𝒏+𝟏
Find the value of
𝟗𝒏 ×𝟑𝒏−𝟏
𝑛
We have, 243 × 32𝑛+1
5

9𝑛 × 3𝑛−1
𝑛
5⋅ 5
3 × 32𝑛+1 3𝑛 × 32𝑛+1
= 2𝑛 𝑛−1 = 2𝑛+𝑛−1
3 ×3 3

3𝑛+2𝑛+1 33𝑛+1
= 2𝑛+𝑛−1 = 3𝑛−1
3 3

= 33𝑛+1−3𝑛+1

= 32

=9
15
If 𝟐𝒙 + 𝟐𝟏−𝒙 = 𝟑, then find the value of 𝒙
Given that, 2𝑥 + 21−𝑥 = 3
or, 2𝑥 + 21 ⋅ 2−𝑥 = 3
𝑥
1
or, 2 + 2 ⋅ 𝑥 = 3
2
1
or, 𝑎 + 2 ⋅ = 3 Let 2𝑥 = 𝑎
𝑎
or, 𝑎2 + 2 = 3𝑎
or, 𝑎2 − 3𝑎 + 2 = 0
or, 𝑎2 − 2𝑎 − 𝑎 + 2 = 0
or, 𝑎 𝑎 − 2 − 1 𝑎 − 2 = 0
or, 𝑎 − 1 𝑎 − 2 = 0
Therefore 𝑎 − 1 = 0 and 𝑎 − 2 = 0
⇒ 𝑎=1 ⇒ 𝑎=2
⇒ 2 𝑥 = 20 ⇒ 2𝑥 = 21
⇒ 𝑥=0 ⇒𝑥=1 16
If 𝟖𝒙 . 𝟐𝒚 = 𝟓𝟏𝟐 and 𝟑𝟑𝒙+𝟐𝒚 = 𝟗𝟔 , then what is the value of 𝒙 and 𝒚?
Given that, 8𝑥 . 2𝑦 = 512
Subtracting equation (𝑖) from equation (𝑖𝑖) we get,
or, (23 )𝑥 . 2𝑦 = 29
𝑦=3
or, 23𝑥 . 2𝑦 = 29
Putting the value of 𝑦 in equation (𝑖) we get,
or, 23𝑥+𝑦 = 29
3𝑥 + 3 = 9
∴ 3𝑥 + 𝑦 = 9 … … … (𝑖)
or, 3𝑥 = 9 − 3 = 6

Again, 33𝑥+2𝑦 = 96 ∴ 𝑥=2

or, 33𝑥+2𝑦 = (32 )6 Therefore, 𝑥=2 & 𝑦=3

or, 33𝑥+2𝑦 = 312
∴ 3𝑥 + 2𝑦 = 12 … … … (𝑖𝑖)

17
 𝟓𝟒𝒚−𝟏 𝟏𝟐𝟓𝒚+𝟑
Solve the equation = .
𝟐𝟓𝒚 𝟐𝟓 𝟐−𝒚

Given that,
54𝑦−1 125𝑦+3
= or, 2𝑦 − 1 = 5𝑦 + 5
25 𝑦 252−𝑦
or, − 3𝑦 = 6
54𝑦−1 53 𝑦+3
or, =
52 𝑦 52 2−𝑦
6
or, 𝑦 = −
3
54𝑦−1 53𝑦+9
or, 2𝑦 = 4−2𝑦
5 5 ∴ 𝑦 = −2

or, 54𝑦−1−2𝑦 = 53𝑦+9−4+2𝑦

or, 52𝑦−1 = 55𝑦+5

18
 𝟑
𝟓𝟒 𝟐𝟕𝟐𝒙
Express as a fraction in its simplest form.
𝟗𝒙+𝟏 ×𝟐𝟏𝟔 𝟑𝟐𝒙−𝟏

Given that,
54
3
272𝑥 32𝑥
= 4𝑥+1
9𝑥+1 × 216 32𝑥−1 3 ×4

3 2𝑥 32𝑥−4𝑥−1
27 =
= 2 𝑥+1 4
3 × 4 × 32𝑥−1
3−2𝑥−1
3 2𝑥 =
33 4
=
32𝑥+2 × 4 × 32𝑥−1 1
=
4 × 32𝑥+1
32𝑥
=
32𝑥+2+2𝑥−1 × 4
19
Find the values of 6 + 6 + 6 + ⋯.

Let, 𝑥= 6+ 6+ 6+⋯ 𝑥 2 − 3𝑥 + 2𝑥 − 6 = 0

𝑥 𝑥−3 +2 𝑥−3 =0
Squaring both sides we get,
𝑥−3 𝑥+2 =0

𝑥2 = 6 + 6 + 6 + 6 + ⋯
∴ 𝑥 = 3, −2

𝑥2 = 6 + 𝑥 Since a negative number cannot be

under root, hence 𝑥 = 3.
𝑥2 − 𝑥 − 6 = 0

20
Exercise
𝑎+𝑏 𝑐
• Rationalize these surds, writing them in the form of , where a, b, c, and d are integers.
𝑑

1 1 1 1+3 3 3− 2 2− 7
𝑖 𝑖𝑖 𝑖𝑖𝑖 𝑖𝑣 𝑣 𝑣𝑖
1− 3 3+ 2 3− 7 2−2 3 2+3 2 3+ 7
• Show that 5 + 2 6 = 3 + 2.
• Find the cube root of 2744.
• If 𝑥 = 1 + 2 and 𝑦 = 1 − 2 then find the value of 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 .
• If 2𝑥−1 + 2𝑥+1 = 1280 then find the values of 𝑥.
5+2 3
• If = 𝑎 + 𝑏 3 then what are the values of 𝑎 & 𝑏?
7+4 3

12− 12− 12−⋯

• Find the value of is a rational number.
6+ 6+ 6+⋯
3 3
• If 𝑡 = 2 + 4 + 2, determine the value of 𝑡 3 − 6𝑡 2 + 6𝑡 − 2.

21