MATH 122-MATH FOR SCIENCE TEACHERS

Problem Set #1
𝟏
Definition of 𝒃𝒏
𝟏 𝒏
For a real number b and a positive integer 𝒏 (𝒏 ≥ 𝟐), 𝒃𝒏 = √𝒃 𝒏
, provided that √𝒃 exist.
𝒎
Definition of 𝒃 𝒏
𝒎 𝒏
Let be a rational number with 𝒏 (𝒏 ≥ 𝟐). If b is a real number such that √𝒃 is defined, the
𝒏
𝒎 𝒎 𝟏 𝟏
=𝒏 𝒏 =
𝒃𝒏 √𝒃𝒎 =( √𝒃)𝒎 or 𝒃𝒏 (𝒃𝒏 )𝒎 = (𝒃𝒎 )𝒏 .

Rules for Radicals

𝒏 𝒏 𝒏
1. √𝒂 ∙ √𝒃 = √𝒂𝒃 multiplication of radicals
𝒏
√𝒂 𝒏 𝒂
2. 𝒏 = √𝒃 division of Radical , 𝒃 ≠ 𝟎
√𝒃
𝒏
𝒎 𝒏𝒎
3. √ √𝒂 = √𝒂
𝒏 𝒏 𝒏
4. c √𝒂 ± 𝒅 √𝒂 = (𝒄 ± 𝒅) √𝒂
𝟏 𝟏 √𝒂 √𝒂
5. = ∙ = rationalization of denominator
√ 𝒂 √𝒂 √𝒂 𝒂

General Direction: Answer the following as required. Show your complete solution for each item and
work neatly.

Simplify:
1. √8 ∙ √8
3 3
2. √−16 + √54
8
3. + √98
√2
5
4. 2√20 −
√5
5. 2√8𝑥 3 + 3𝑥 √32𝑥 − 𝑥√18𝑥
3
3 32 2 √𝑥
6. √ − 3
𝑥2 √2𝑥 3

7.

8.

9.
10.