268 (5-12) Chapter 5 Exponents and Polynomials

5.2 THE POWER RULES

In this
section
● Raising an Exponential
Expression to a Power
● Raising a Product to a
Power
● Raising a Quotient to a
Power
● Variable Exponents
Summary of the Rules
●
● Applications
In Section 5.1 you learned some of the basic rules for working with exponents.
All of the rules of exponents are designed to make it easier to work with expo-
nential expressions. In this section we will extend our list of rules to include three
new ones.
Raising an Exponential Expression to a Power
An expression such as (x 3)2 consists of the exponential expression x 3 raised to the
power 2. We can use known rules to simplify this expression.
(x 3)2  x 3  x 3 Exponent 2 indicates two factors of x3.
 x6
Product rule: 3  3  6
Note that the exponent 6 is the product of the exponents 2 and 3. This example
illustrates the power of a power rule.

Power of a Power Rule

If m and n are any integers and a  0, then
(am)n  amn.

E X A M P L E 1 Using the power of a power rule

Use the rules of exponents to simplify each expression. Write the answer with
positive exponents only. Assume all variables represent nonzero real numbers.
a) (23)5 b) (x2)6
calculator (x 2)1
c) 3(y3)2y5 d) 
(x3)3
close-up
Solution
A graphing calculator cannot
a) (23)5  215 Power of a power rule
prove that the power of a 2 6 12
power rule is correct, but it b) (x )  x Power of a power rule
can provide numerical sup- 1
port for it.  12
 Definition of a negative exponent
x
c) 3(y3)2y5  3y6y5 Power of a power rule
 3y Product rule
2 1 2
(x ) x
d)    Power of a power rule
(x 3)3 x9
 x7 Quotient rule ■
 5.2 The Power Rules (5-13) 269

calculator Raising a Product to a Power

Consider how we would simplify a product raised to a positive power and a product
raised to a negative power using known rules.
close-up 3 factors of 2x


You can use a graphing calcu- (2x)  2x  2x  2x  23  x3  8x3
3

lator to illustrate the power of 1 1 1

a product rule. (ay)3  3     3 3
3 3  a y
(ay) (ay)(ay)(ay) a y

In each of these cases the original exponent is applied to each factor of the product.
These examples illustrate the power of a product rule.

Power of a Product Rule

If a and b are nonzero real numbers and n is any integer, then

(ab)n  an  bn.

E X A M P L E 2 Using the power of a product rule

Simplify. Assume the variables represent nonzero real numbers. Write the answers
with positive exponents only.
a) (3x)4 b) (2x2)3 c) (3x2y3)2

Solution
a) (3x)4  (3)4x 4 Power of a product rule
 81x 4
b) (2x 2)3  (2)3(x 2)3 Power of a product rule
 8x 6 Power of a power rule

1 x4
c) (3x2y3)2  (3)2(x2)2( y3)2   x 4y6  6
9 9y ■
Raising a Quotient to a Power
calculator Now consider an example of applying known rules to a power of a quotient:
3
x3

x x x x
        3
close-up 5 5 5 5 5
You can use a graphing calcu- We get a similar result with a negative power:
lator to illustrate the power of 3 5 5 5 53 x3
 
x 5 3
a quotient rule.           3  
5 x x x x x 53
In each of these cases the original exponent applies to both the numerator and
denominator. These examples illustrate the power of a quotient rule.

Power of a Quotient Rule

If a and b are nonzero real numbers and n is any integer, then
an

a n
  n.
b b
270 (5-14) Chapter 5 Exponents and Polynomials

E X A M P L E 3 Using the power of a quotient rule

Use the rules of exponents to simplify each expression. Write your answers with
positive exponents only. Assume the variables are nonzero real numbers.
x 3 2x3 3 x2 1 3 2

a) 
2
b) 2 
3y  c) 
2 3   d) 3
4x  
Solution
x 3 x3
helpful hint 
a)   3 Power of a quotient rule
2 2
The exponent rules in this sec- x3
tion apply to expressions that
 
8
involve only multiplication 3 3
(2)3x 9
 
2x
and division. This is not too b) 2  3 Because (x 3)3  x9 and (y2)3  y6
surprising since exponents, 3y 3 y6
multiplication, and division 8x9 8x9
are closely related. Recall  6  6
that a3  a  a  a and
27y 27y
2 1 2
3 2 (3)2 42x6 16x6
   
a  b  a  b1. x x
c)   3  8x 2 d) 3  6  
2 2  
2 3
2 4x 4 x (3) 9 ■
A fraction to a negative power can be simplified by using the power of a quotient
rule as in Example 3. Another method is to find the reciprocal of the fraction first, then
use the power of a quotient rule as shown in the next example.

E X A M P L E 4 Negative powers of fractions

Simplify. Assume the variables are nonzero real numbers and write the answers
with positive exponents only.
3 3 x2 2 2y3 2


a) 
4
b)


5
c)


3 
Solution
3 3
 
4 3 3 4
a)    The reciprocal of  is .
4 3 4 3
43
 3 Power of a quotient rule
3
64
 
27
2 2 2
52 2y3
       
x 5 2 25 3 2 9
b)   2  22  4 c)   3  6
5 x (x ) x 3 2y 4y ■

Variable Exponents
So far, we have used the rules of exponents only on expressions with integral
exponents. However, we can use the rules to simplify expressions having variable
exponents that represent integers.

E X A M P L E 5 Expressions with variables as exponents

Simplify. Assume the variables represent integers.
2n
 
5n
a) 34y  35y b) (52x )3x c) m
3
 5.2 The Power Rules (5-15) 271

Solution
a) 34y  35y  39y Product rule: 4y  5y  9y
calculator
b) (52x)3x  56x
2
Power of a power rule: 2x  3x  6x 2
2n 5n (2n)5n
close-up  
c) m  
3 (3m)5n
Power of a quotient rule

25n
2

Did we forget to include the  Power of a power rule

rule (a  b)n  an  bn? You
can easily check with a calcula-
tor that this rule is not correct.
35mn ■
Summary of the Rules
The definitions and rules that were introduced in the last two sections are summa-
rized in the following box.

Rules for Integral Exponents

For these rules m and n are integers and a and b are nonzero real numbers.
1
1. an  n Definition of negative exponent
a
1

1 n 1
2. an   , a1  , and   an Negative exponent rules
a a an
3. a0  1 Definition of zero exponent
4. a ma n  a mn Product rule
am
5. n  amn Quotient rule
a
6. (am)n  amn Power of a power rule
7. (ab)n  anbn Power of a product rule
a n an

8.   n
b b
Power of a quotient rule

helpful hint
In this section we use the
amount formula for interest
compounded annually only.
But you probably have money
in a bank where interest is
compounded daily. In this
case r represents the daily rate
(APR365) and n is the num-
ber of days that the money is
on deposit.
Applications
Both positive and negative exponents occur in formulas used in investment situations.
The amount of money invested is the principal, and the value of the principal after a
certain time period is the amount. Interest rates are annual percentage rates.
Amount Formula
The amount A of an investment of P dollars with interest rate r compounded
annually for n years is given by the formula
A  P(1  r)n.

E X A M P L E 6 Finding the amount

According to Fidelity Investments of Boston, U.S. common stocks have returned
an average of 10% annually since 1926. If your great-grandfather had invested
$100 in the stock market in 1926 and obtained the average increase each year, then
how much would the investment be worth in the year 2006 after 80 years of
growth?
272 (5-16) Chapter 5 Exponents and Polynomials

Solution
calculator
Use n  80, P  $100, and r  0.10 in the amount formula:
A  P(1  r)n
close-up A  100(1  0.10)80
With a graphing calculator
 100(1.1)80
you can enter 100(1  0.10)80  204,840.02
almost as it appears in print. So $100 invested in 1926 would have amounted to $204,840.02 in 2006. ■

When we are interested in the principal that must be invested today to grow to a
certain amount, the principal is called the present value of the investment. We can
find a formula for present value by solving the amount formula for P :
A  P(1  r)n
A
P  n Divide each side by (1  r)n.
(1  r)
P  A(1  r)n Definition of a negative exponent

Present Value Formula

The present value P that will amount to A dollars after n years with interest
compounded annually at annual interest rate r is given by
P  A(1  r)n.

E X A M P L E 7 Finding the present value

If your great-grandfather wanted you to have $1,000,000 in 2006, then how much
could he have invested in the stock market in 1926 to achieve this goal? Assume he
could get the average annual return of 10% (from Example 6) for 80 years.
Solution
Use r  0.10, n  80, and A  1,000,000 in the present value formula:
P A(1  r)n
P 1,000,000(1  0.10)80
P 1,000,000(1.1)80 Use a calculator with an exponent key.
P 488.19
A deposit of $488.19 in 1926 would have grown to $1,000,000 in 80 years at a rate
of 10% compounded annually. ■

WARM-UPS
True or false? Explain your answer. Assume all variables represent
nonzero real numbers.
1. (22)3  25 False 2. (23)1  8 True 3. (x3)3  x9 True
4. (23)3  227 False 5. (2x)3  6x 3 False 6. (3y3)2  9y9 False
1 x2 x6
7. 3 8. 3  27 9. 2  8
2 3 2 3 8 3
 2 True True True
2 2
10. x
2 x
 4 True
 5.2 The Power Rules (5-17) 273

5. 2 EXERCISES
Reading and Writing After reading this section, write out the Simplify. See Example 3.
answers to these questions. Use complete sentences. w 3 w3 m2
   25
m 2
31.   32. 
1. What is the power of a power rule? 2 8 5
The power of a power rule says that (am)n  amn. 27a3
  34.  
3a 3 2 16 4
33.   4
2. What is the power of a product rule? 4 64 3b 81b
The power of a product rule says that (ab)m  ambm. 2x1 2 x2y2 2 3

  36.  
2a b 27
35.   
3. What is the power of a quotient rule? y 4 3 8a b 6 3

The power of a quotient rule says that (ab)m  ambm. 3x 3 2

y2 2y 2 3 3

  38. 
x
4. What is principal? 37.  6  6
y 9x x 8y
Principal is the amount of money invested initially.
Simplify. See Example 4
5. What formula is used for computing the amount of an
2 2 25 2

   9
investment for which interest is compounded annually? 3 16
39.   40. 
To compute the amount A when interest is compounded an- 5 4 4
nually, use A  P(1  i)n, where P is the principal, i is the 2 2

   3 4
1 2 9
annual interest rate, and n is the number of years. 41.  4 42. 
2
6. What formula is used for computing the present value of an 2x 3 1

  44. 
27 ab c
amount in the future with interest compounded annually? 43.  3 
3 8x c ab
To compute the present value P for the amount A in n years 3 2
2x2 3 27y3
  46. 
ab
at annual interest rate i, use P  A(1  i)n. 45.   ab 2 8
3y 8x6 ab 2

For all exercises in this section, assume the variables represent Simplify each expression. Assume that the variables represent
nonzero real numbers and use positive exponents only in your integers. See Example 5.
answers. 47. 52t  54t 56t 48. 32n3  342n 3
Use the rules of exponents to simplify each expression. See 49. (2 )3w 2w
2 6w 2
50. 68x  (62x)3 62x
Example 1. 2m6
7 43p p
7. (22)3 8. (32)2 9. ( y2)5 51. m 7 m3
52.  4
7 3 4 4p
64 81 y10
53. 82a1  (8a4)3 85a11 54. (543y)3(5y2)2 587y
10. (x6)2 11. (x2)4 12. (x2)7
1 1 Use the rules of exponents to simplify each expression. If possi-
x12 8 14
 ble, write down only the answer.
x x
13. (m3)6 14. (a3)3 15. (x2)3(x3)2 55. 3x4  2x 5 56. (3x4)2 57. (2x 2)3
6x 9
9x 8
8x6
m18 a9 1 2 1
3x y 21x2
(x 3)4 (a2)3 58. 3x 2  2x4 59.  60. 
16. (m3)1(m2)4 17. 2 18.  z 1
y 2
(x )5 (a 2)4 6 3z x2y2
1 1 2 2 
5 2 a2 x xy 2
m x
2 1 1 1 2x3 2
Simplify. See Example 2.  
61. 
3
62.  
5
63. 
3  
19. (9y)2 81y2 20. (2a) 3
8a 3
3 4x6
 5 
8 2 9
21. (5w 3)2 25w6 22. (2w5)3 
w15 2y4 3
x9 a4 
64.  
x
65. (2x2)1 66. (3x2)3
23. (x 3y2)3 6 24. (a2b3 )2 6 8y12 x2 27
y b   6
3
b2 x3 x 2 x
25. (3ab1)2 2 26. (2x1y2)3 6
9a 8y Use the rules of exponents to simplify each expression.
2 1
6x3 2x2y 3 y3 2x3y2 1 3y
   
2xy 3ab
27. 2 1
 28.  15a2b 67.  3 68. 3 2
(3x y) y (5ab2)1 xy2
8x 3xy 2x
(2ab)2 1 (3xy)3 1 (5a1b2)3 b14 (2m2n3)4 16m7
29.  34 30.   69.   70.  1
2ab2 8a b 3xy3 81x4y6 (5ab2)4 5a7 mn5 n7
274 (5-18) Chapter 5 Exponents and Polynomials

(2x2y)3 (3x1y3)2 b) How much more would your $10,000 investment be

71.  (2x2y7) 72.  (9x9y5)
(2xy1)2 (3xy1)3 worth in 2000 if you had invested in stocks?
x6 y2 $33,273.20
8  93. Saving for college. Mr. Watkins wants to have $10,000 in
16y 27x10
a savings account when his little Wanda is ready for
6a2b3 2 7xy1 3
73. 
2c4 
(3a1b2)3  
74. (7xz2)4 
z  college. How much must he deposit today in an ac-
count paying 7% compounded annually to have $10,000
1 in 18 years? $2,958.64
3ac8 
7xy3z11 94. Saving for retirement. In the 1990s returns on Treasury
Write each expression as 2 raised to a power. Assume that the Bills fell to an average of 4.5% per year (Fidelity Invest-
variables represent integers. ments). Wilma wants to have $2,000,000 when she retires
75. 32  64 76. 820 77. 81  64 in 45 years. If she assumes an average annual return of
211 260 24 4.5%, then how much must she invest now in Treasury Bills
6 to achieve her goal? $275,928.73
78. 10  20 6
79. 4 3n
80. 6n5  35n
26 26n 2n5 95. Life expectancy of white males. Strange as it may seem,
n your life expectancy increases as you get older. The function
 
1 m 32
81. m  82. 
16 1283n L  72.2(1.002)a
24m 216n
2
can be used to model life expectancy L for U.S. white males
Use a calculator to evaluate each expression. Round with present age a (National Center for Health Statistics,
approximate answers to three decimal places. www.cdc.gov/nchswww).
a) To what age can a 20-year-old white male expect to
1 (2.5)3
83. 2
 25 84.  6.25 live? 75.1 years
5 (2.5)5 b) To what age can a 60-year-old white male expect
2 1

to live? (See also Chapter Review Exercises 153 and
85. 21  22 0.75 86.   21 2
3 154.) 81.4 years
87. (0.036)2  (4.29)3 88. 3(4.71)2  5(0.471)3 96. Life expectancy of white females. Life expectancy im-
850.559 18.700 proved more for females than for males during the 1940s
(5.73)1  (4.29)1 and 1950s due to a dramatic decrease in maternal mortality
89.  90. [5.29  (0.374)1]3 rates. The function
(3.762)1
1.533 505.080 L  78.5(1.001)a
Solve each problem. See Examples 6 and 7. can be used to model life expectancy L for U.S. white
91. Deeper in debt. Melissa borrowed $40,000 at 12% com- females with present age a.
pounded annually and made no payments for 3 years. How a) To what age can a 20-year-old white female expect to
much did she owe the bank at the end of the 3 years? (Use live? 80.1 years
the compound interest formula.) $56,197.12 b) Bob, 30, and Ashley, 26, are an average white cou-
ple. How many years can Ashley expect to live as a
92. Comparing stocks and bonds. According to Fidelity In-
widow? 7.9 years
vestments of Boston, throughout the 1990s annual returns
c) Why do the life expectancy curves intersect in the
on common stocks averaged 19%, whereas annual returns
accompanying figure?
on bonds averaged 9%.
At 80 both males and females can expect about 5 more
a) If you had invested $10,000 in bonds in 1990 and
years.
achieved the average return, then what would your in-
vestment be worth after 10 years in 2000? $23,673.64
90
Value of $10,000 investment

150
(in thousands of dollars)

Life expectancy

85 White
females
(years)

100
Stocks
80
White
50 males
Bonds 75

0 70
0 5 10 15 20 40 60 80
Number of years after 1990 Present age

FIGURE FOR EXERCISE 92 FIGURE FOR EXERCISES 95 AND 96

 5.3 Addition, Subtraction, and Multiplication of Polynomials (5-19) 275

GET TING MORE INVOLVED a) Graph y  10,000(1.12)x and the function y  20,000
on a graphing calculator. Use a viewing window that
97. Discussion. For which values of a and b is it true that
shows the intersection of the two graphs.
(ab)1  a1b1? Find a pair of nonzero values for a and
b) Use the intersect feature of your calculator to find the
b for which (a  b)1  a1  b1.
3
point of intersection.
98. Writing. Explain how to evaluate 2 in three differ- c) The x-coordinate of the point of intersection is the num-
3
ent ways. ber of years that it will take for the $10,000 investment
99. Discussion. Which of the following expressions has a to double. What is that number of years?
value different from the others? Explain. b) (6.116, 20,000)
a) 11 b) 30 c) 21  21 c) 6.116 years
d) (1)2 e) (1)3 d 102. The function y  72.2(1.002)x gives the life expectancy y
100. True or False? Explain your answer. of a U.S. white male with present age x. (See Exer-
a) The square of a product is the product of the squares. cise 95.)
b) The square of a sum is the sum of the squares. a) Graph y  72.2(1.002)x and y  86 on a graphing
a) True b) False calculator. Use a viewing window that shows the
intersection of the two graphs.
b) Use the intersect feature of your calculator to find the
G R A P H I N G C ALC U L ATO R point of intersection.
EXERCISES c) What does the x-coordinate of the point of intersection
tell you?
101. At 12% compounded annually the value of an investment b) (87.54, 86)
of $10,000 after x years is given by c) At 87.54 years of age you can expect to live until
y  10,000(1.12)x. 86. The model fails here.

5.3
ADDITION, SUBTRACTION, AND
MULTIPLICATION OF POLYNOMIALS
A polynomial is a particular type of algebraic expression that serves as a funda-
In this mental building block in algebra. We used polynomials in Chapters 1 and 2, but we
section did not identify them as polynomials. In this section you will learn to recognize
polynomials and to add, subtract, and multiply them.
● Polynomials
● Evaluating Polynomials
● Addition and Subtraction Polynomials
of Polynomials The expression 3x 3  15x 2  7x  2 is an example of a polynomial in one
● Multiplication variable. Because this expression could be written as
of Polynomials
3x 3  (15x 2)  7x  (2),
we say that this polynomial is a sum of four terms:

3x 3, 15x 2, 7x, and 2.

A term of a polynomial is a single number or the product of a number and one or

more variables raised to whole number powers. The number preceding the variable
in each term is called the coefficient of that variable. In 3x 3  15x 2  7x  2 the
coefficient of x 3 is 3, the coefficient of x 2 is 15, and the coefficient of x is 7. In
algebra a number is frequently referred to as a constant, and so the last term 2 is
called the constant term. A polynomial is defined as a single term or a sum of a
finite number of terms.