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5.6 Simplifying Radicals
5.6 Simplifying Radicals
6 Simplifying Radicals
Definitions
A perfect square is the square of a natural
number. 1, 4, 9, 16, 25, and 36 are the first
six perfect squares.
Examples:
3
32 = 8 4 = 2 4
3 3 3
3
− 250 = 3 −125 3 2 = −53 2
4
48 = 4 16 4 3 = 24 3
Product Rule for Radicals
To Simplify Radicals Using the Product Rule
2. If the radicand contains a coefficient other than 1, write it
as a product of the two numbers, one of which is the largest
perfect power for the index.
3. Write each variable factor as a product of two factors, one
of which is the largest perfect power of the variable for the
index.
4. Use the product rule to write the radical expression as a
product of radicals. Place all the perfect powers under the
same radical.
5. Simplify the radical containing the perfect powers.
Product Rule for Radicals
Examples:
72 = 36 ⋅ 2 = 36 2 = 6 2
4
b 23 = 4 b 20b 3 = 4 b 20 4 b 3 = b 5 4 b 3
3
16 x y = 8 x y
3 6 3 3 63
2 = 2 xy 23
2
− 32 x y
4 18 31
= − 16 x y
4 16 28 4 2
2x y 3
More Examples:
64 x 6 3
64 x 6 4x2
3
12
= = 4
y 3
y12 y
64 x 5 64 x 5 32 x 2 16 x 2 2
= 3
= = = 4x 2
2x 3 2x 1 1
3a 6b 5 3a 8 4
3a 8 4
a 84
3 a 24
3
4
−2 13
= 4
8
= = = 2
16a b 16b 4
16b 8 4
16b 8 2 b
Adding, Subtracting,
and Multiplying
Radicals
Like Radicals
Example:
54 2 + 4 4 2 = 9 4 2
3 xyz + 10 xyz − 5 xyz = 8 xyz
2 2 2 2
Examples:
3 250 + 5 160 = 3 ⋅ 25 10 + 5 ⋅ 16 10 =
3 ⋅ 5 10 + 5 ⋅ 4 10 = 15 10 + 20 10 = 35 10
3 y 4 48 x 5 − x 4 3x 5 y 4 = 3 y 4 16 x 4 4 3 x − x 4 x 4 y 4 4 3 x =
3 y ⋅ 2 x 4 3 x − x ⋅ xy 4 3 x = 6 xy 4 3 x − x 2 y 4 3x =
= 3 x (6 xy − x y )
4 2
CAUTION!
a ⋅ b = a ⋅b
a + b = a+b
Multiplying Radicals
Multiply:
3( 5 − x ) = 3 5 − 3 x
48 − 8 2 + 6 5 − 10
( 3 + 6)( 3 − 6) = ( 3) 2
− 6 3 + 6 3 − 36 =
3 − 36 = −33 Notice that the inner and outer terms
cancel.
Multiplying Radicals
More Examples:
3
23 4 = 3 8 = 2
3 y ( 27 y 2 − y ) = 81 y 3 − 3 y 2 = 9 y y − y 3
5
x 24 y 30 z 9 5 x13 y 8 z 7 = 5 x 37 y 38 z16 =
5
x 35 y 35 z15 5 x 2 y 3 z = x 7 y 7 z 3 5 x 2 y 3 z
Dividing Radicals
Rationalizing Denominators
To Rationalize a Denominator
Multiply both the numerator and the denominator of the fraction
by a radical that will result in the radicand in the denominator
becoming a perfect power.
Examples: 2 2 3 6
= ⋅ = Cannot be simplified further.
3 3 3 3
x2 x2 y3 x 2 y 3 xy y x y
3
= ⋅ = 3
= 3
= 2
y y 3
y 3 y y y
5 pq 4 5 pq 4 2r 10 pq 4 r 10 pq 4 r q 2 10 pr
= ⋅ = = =
2r 2r 2r 2r 2r 2r
Conjugates
When the denominator of a rational expression is a
binomial that contains a radical, the denominator is
rationalized. This is done by using the conjugate of
the denominator. The conjugate of a binomial is a
binomial having the same two terms with the sign
of the second term changed.
The conjugate of 5 + 6 is 5 − 6
The conjugate of 3 x − 4 2 y is 3 x + 4 2 y
Simplifying Radicals
5 5 2 − 1 5( 2 − 1)
= ⋅ =
2 +1 2 +1 2 −1 2 −1
c − 2d c − 2d c+ d
= ⋅ =
c− d c− d c+ d
( c − 2d )( c + d ) c − cd − 2cd − d 2
=
( c − d )( c + d ) c−d
Simplifying Radicals
6
( r + 3)5 ( r + 3)5 6 ( 5 6 ) −( 5 3 ) ( 5 6 ) −(10 6 ) −5 6
= = ( r + 3) = ( r + 3) = ( r + 3) =
3
( r + 3) 5 ( r + 3) 53
1
(r + 3) 5 6
Rational Exponents
Changing a Radical Expression
1
n
a =a n
3
x y= x y
4
( ) 4 13
9
3x + 7 z 4
= ( 3x + 7 z ) 4 19
Changing a Radical Expression
1
n
a =a n
n
a = m
( a)n
m
= am n Index
b2 3 = 3 b2
(8 x 2
−9y ) 73
= ( 3
8x − 9 y
2
) 7
Rules of Exponents
The rules of exponents from Section 5.1 also apply
when the exponents are rational numbers.
For all real numbers a and b and all rational numbers m and
n,
Product rule: am • an = am + n
am m −n
n
= a , a≠0
a
Quotient rule:
−m 1
a = m , a≠0
a
Negative exponent rule:
Rules of Exponents
For all real numbers a and b and all rational numbers m and
n,
(a )
m n
= a m ⋅n
Raising a power to a power:
( ab ) m = a m b m
Raising a product to a power : m
a am
= m , b≠0
Raising a quotient to a power : b b
Rules of Exponents
Examples:
1.) Simplify x-1/2x-2/5.
−1 2 −2 5 ( -1 2 ) + ( − 2 5 ) ( −5 10 ) + ( − 4 10 ) − 9 10 1
x x =x =x =x =
x 9 10
2.) Simplify (y-4/5)1/3.
(y ) −4 5 1 3
= y ( − 4 5 )(1 3 ) = y − 4 15 =
1
y 4 15
3.) Multiply –3a-4/9(2a1/9 – a2).
6
− 6a ( − 4 9 ) + ( 1 9 ) + 3a ( − 4 9 ) + 2 = −6a −3 9 + 3a14 9 = − + 3a 14 9
a1 3
Factoring Expressions
Examples:
1.) Factor x1/4 – x5/4. The smallest of the two exponents is 1/4.
x1/4 – x5/4 = x1/4 (1 – x5/4-(1/4)) = x1/4 (1 – x4/4) = x1/4 (1 – x)
Original Exponent
exponent factored out
2.) Factor x-1/2 + x1/2. The smallest of the two exponents is -1/2.
1+ x
x + x = x (1– x
-1/2 1/2 -1/2 1/2-(-1/2)
) = x (1– x) = 1 2
-1/2
x
Original Exponent
exponent factored out
Solving Radical
Equations
Radical Equations
A radical equation is an equation that
contains a variable in a radicand.
x =9 x − 2 = 17 3y + 4 = y − 2
( x)
2
2
=9 2 x − 2 = 17 2
3y + 4 = y2 − 4 y + 4
x = 81 x − 2 = 289
0 = y2 − 7 y
x = 291 0 = y ( y − 7) y = 0 ; y = 7
Extraneous Roots
In the previous example, an extraneous root
was obtained when both sides were squared. An
extraneous root is not a solution to the original
equation. Always check all of your solutions into
the original equation.
y = 0; y = 7
Check: Check:
y=7 3y + 4 = y − 2 y=0 3y + 4 = y − 2
3⋅ 7 + 4 = 7 − 2 3⋅ 0 + 4 = 0 − 2
21 + 4 = 5 4 = −2
25 = 5 FALSE!
Two Square Root Terms
To solve equations with two square root terms,
rewrite the equation, if necessary so that there
is only one term containing a square root on
each side of the equation.
Solve the equation:
Check:
2c − 5 = c + 2 2( 7 ) − 5 = 7 + 2
c=7
( ) (
2
2c − 5 = c+2 ) 2
14 − 5 = 9
2c − 5 = c + 2 9= 9
c=7 3=3
Nonradical Terms
Solve the equation:
b − 3 = 4 − 2b + 1
Check:
( ) (
2
b − 3 = 4 − 2b + 1 ) 2
b = 84 b − 3 = 4 − 2b + 1
b − 3 = 16 − 8 2b + 1 + 2b + 1 84 − 3 = 4 − 2 ⋅ 84 + 1
81 = 4 − 169
− b − 20 = −8 2b + 1
9 = 4 − 13
( − b − 20) 2
(
= − 8 2b + 1 ) 2
9 ≠ −9
b 2 + 40b + 400 = 64(2b + 1) Not a solution.