9

Mathematics
Quarter 2 – Module 4

Simplifying Expressions
Involving Rational Exponents
Reminders to Learners
The following are some reminders in using this module:

1. Use the module with care. Do not put unnecessary mark/s on any part of the
module. Use a separate sheet of paper in answering the exercises.
2. Don’t forget to answer What I Know before moving on to the other activities
included in this module.
3. Read the instructions carefully before doing each task.
4. Observe honesty and integrity in doing the tasks and checking your answers.
5. Finish the task at hand before proceeding to the next.
6. Return this module to your teacher/facilitator once you are through with it.

If you encounter any difficulty in answering the tasks in this module, do not
hesitate to consult your teacher or facilitator. Always bear in mind that you are
not alone.

We hope that through this material, you will experience meaningful learning and
gain deep understanding of the relevant competencies. You can do it!

About the Module

This module was designed and written with you in mind. It is here to help you master
about Simplifying Expressions Involving Rational Exponents. The scope of this
module permits it to be used in many different learning situations. The language used
recognizes the diverse vocabulary level of students. The lessons are arranged to follow
the standard sequence of the course. But the order in which you read them can be
changed to correspond with the textbook you are now using.

The module is divided into 3 lessons, namely:

Lesson 1 – Simplifying Expressions Involving Rational Exponents: Rule
Number 1 and 2
Lesson 2 – Simplifying Expressions Involving Rational Exponents: Rule
Number 3 and 4
Lesson 3 – Writing Expressions with Rational Exponents as Radicals and Vice
Versa

After going through this module, you are expected to:

• simplify expressions with rational exponents; and

• write expressions with rational exponents as radicals and vice versa

1
 What I Know (Pre-Test)

Instructions: Choose the letter of the correct answer. Write your chosen answer on
a separate sheet of paper.
1
1. What is the radical form of (6𝑥 4 𝑦 5 )2?
a. √6𝑥 5 𝑦 4 b. √6𝑥 4 𝑦 2 c. √6𝑥 2 𝑦 5 d. √6𝑥 4 𝑦 5

10
2. What is the exponential form of √6𝑥 5 𝑦 8
1 1 5 8 1 4
a. (6𝑥 8 𝑦 5 )10 b. 610𝑥 10 𝑦 10 c. (6𝑥 5 𝑦 8 )10 d. 6𝑥 2 𝑦 5

1 5
3. Write in radical form 5𝑤𝑥 6 𝑦 6
6 5 6 6
a. 5𝑤 √𝑥𝑦 5 b. 6𝑤 √𝑥𝑦 6 c. √5𝑥𝑦 5 d. 5𝑤 √𝑥 5 𝑦

4. If rules for integral exponents are applied to rational exponents, how can you
𝑚
simplify (𝑏1/𝑛 ) ?
a. 𝑏 −𝑚/𝑛 b. 𝑏1/𝑛 c. 𝑏1/𝑚 d. 𝑏 𝑚/𝑛

2
5. Evaluate the expression10003?
a. 10 b. 100 c. 1000 d. 10,000

2
6. Simplify (27−1/3 )
1 1
a. − b. c. – 9 d. 9
9 9

7. Find the simplified form of 8(12−2 )

a. 1/18 b. 1/36 c. 1/12 d. 1/24

3
8. What is the simplified form of 162 ?
a. 8 b. 24 c. 16 d. 64

3 4
9. What is the exponential form of ( √2𝑚 + 𝑛) ?
3 4
a. (2𝑚 + 𝑛)4 b. (2𝑚 + 𝑛)34 c. (2𝑚 + 𝑛)3 d. (2𝑚 + 𝑛)√4

2
343 − 3
10. What is the simplified form the expression ( ) ?
64
16 8 49 14
a. b. c. d.
49 14 16 8

2
 Simplifying Expressions Involving
Lesson
Rational Exponents: Rule Number 1
1
and Rule Number 2

What I Need to Know

At the end of this lesson, you are expected to:
o simplify expressions with rational exponents

What’s In
❖ Flashback
Going back to our 3 lessons of Module 3 of this quarter, you
were taught how to simplify the various expressions involving
laws of exponents.

Shown on the table below is a summary of the basic laws of

exponents commonly used. You might as well use these laws in
simplifying expressions involving rational exponents thereafter.

Law of Illustration of Law of Illustration of

Exponent Concept Exponent Concept
Power of a (𝑥𝑦)𝑚 = 𝑥 𝑚 𝑦 𝑚 or
Product Rule (𝑥 𝑚 )(𝑥 𝑛 ) = 𝑥 𝑚+𝑛
Product (𝑥 𝑚 𝑦 𝑛 )𝑝 = 𝑥 𝑚𝑝 𝑦 𝑛𝑝
𝑥𝑚
= 𝑥 𝑚−𝑛 when 𝑚 > 𝑛 Power of a 𝑥 𝑚 𝑥𝑚 𝑥𝑚 𝑝 𝑥 𝑚𝑝
𝑥𝑛 ( ) = or ( ) =
Quotient Quotient 𝑦 𝑦𝑚 𝑦𝑛 𝑦 𝑛𝑝

Rule 𝑥𝑚 1 Zero
= when 𝑛 > 𝑚 𝑥0 = 1
𝑥𝑛 𝑥 𝑛−𝑚 Exponent
Negative 1 𝑥 −𝑚 𝑦𝑛
Power Rule (𝑥 𝑚 )𝑛 = 𝑥 𝑚𝑛 𝑥 −𝑛 = or =
Exponent 𝑥𝑛 𝑦 −𝑛 𝑥𝑚

What’s New
❖ Level Up!
Based on the concepts shown above, how would you answer the
following questions relating to powers or exponents?
➢ How do you simplify expressions with rational exponents,
especially if the base is a number?
➢ What process are you going to take in order to get the exact
value of a base which is raised to a fractional exponent, for
instance?

3
 What Is It

❖ How should I do it?

In order to simplify expressions involving powers or exponents, specifically rational

exponents, be familiar and apply the concepts listed as follows.

Rational Exponent Rule No. 1

When a base is raised to an exponent that is a fraction, convert it into its radical
𝟏 𝒏
form, in symbols, 𝒙𝒏 = √𝒙𝟏 such that the numerator 1, of the fractional exponent
𝟏
serves as the exponent of the base, 𝒙, and its denominator n, serves as the
𝒏
index of the radical expression where the base is an integer.

Note: If the denominator of the fractional exponent happens to be 2, you don’t need
to write 2 as an index since it is the smallest index, rather it is held imaginary.

Examples:
1 1
3
1. 362 = √361 = 𝟔 2. 3433 = √3431 = 𝟕

Rational Exponent Rule No. 2

When a base is raised to an exponent that is a fraction, convert it into its radical
𝒎 𝒎
𝒏
form, in symbols, 𝒙 𝒏 = ( √𝒙) such that the numerator m, of the fractional
𝑚 𝑛
exponent serves as the exponent of the base, √𝑥, and its denominator n, serves
𝑛
as the index of the radical expression where the base is an integer.
49 is a perfect square that can be
Examples: expressed as 72 whose root is 7.
3 3 Then, the cube of 7 is 343.
2 2
1. 492 = ( √49)3 = ( √72 ) = (7)3 = 𝟑𝟒𝟑
-64 is a perfect cube that can be
2 2
3 3 expressed as (−4)3 whose root is -4.
2. −64 = ( √−64
3 )2 = ( √−43 ) = (−4)2 = 𝟏𝟔
Then, the square of -4 is 16.

Take Note!
You need to be familiar with all the perfect square and perfect
cube, as previously discussed during quarter 1 of Grade 7, as
it would help you solve easily the items relating to this lesson
as shown on the table below.

List of Some Perfect Square List of Some Perfect Cube

12 =1 62 = 36 112 = 121 13 =1 63 = 216 113 = 1331
22 = 4 72 = 49 122 = 144 23 = 8 73 = 343 123 = 1728
2
3 =9 2
8 = 64 132 = 169 3
3 = 27 3
8 = 512 133 = 2197
42 = 16 92 = 81 142 = 196 43 = 64 93 = 729 143 = 2744
2 2 3
5 = 25 10 = 100 152 = 225 5 = 125 10 = 1000 153 = 3375
3

Given above is a list of a few of the perfect square and perfect cube and the rest will
be supplied by you as part of the exercises of this lesson.

4
 What’s More

Activity 4.1: NOW IT’S YOUR TURN!

Instruction: Simplify the following expressions using the rules of rational exponents
mentioned above.
A. Rational Exponent Rule 1 B. Rational Exponent Rule 2
1 1 3 3
1. 1002 4. 164 1. 1002 4. 325
1 1 3 3
2. 812 5. 273 2. 164 5. 6254
1 1 2 4
3. 2252 6. 1442 3. −10003 6. −1253

What I Need to Remember

➢ You need to refresh ourselves with the table of perfect squares and perfect
cubes.
➢ Be familiar with how you rewrite or transform expressions with rational
exponents to radical form to get its exact value, using the following concepts;
𝟏 𝒏 𝒎 𝒎 𝒎
𝒏 𝒏
𝒙𝒏 = √𝒙𝟏 and 𝒙 𝒏 = ( √𝒙) or 𝒙 𝒏 = √𝒙𝒎 respectively.

Simplifying Expressions Involving

Lesson
Rational Exponents: Rule Number 3
2
and Rule Number 4

What I Need to Know

At the end of this lesson, you are expected to:
o simplify expressions with rational exponents

What’s In
❖ Flashback
You have seen in lesson 1 of this module the process of transforming expressions from
exponential form to its radical form in order to get the value of any expression whose
base is an integer and whose exponent is in rational form (fraction).

How about if the base happens to be a fraction or its rational exponent is negative?
What process are you going to undergo in order to simplify or evaluate the said
expressions?

5
 What’s New
❖ Level Up!
Similar to the laws of exponents presented in Module 3 of this
quarter, there are also instances that you can associate the
negative exponent rule in simplifying expressions involving
rational exponents that we shall see on the succeeding discussion
of this lesson.

What Is It

❖ How should I do it?

In order to simplify expressions involving powers or exponents, specifically rational

exponents, be familiar and apply another set of concepts listed as follows.

Rational Exponent Rule No. 3

When a base is raised to an exponent that is a negative fraction, apply the
𝟏
negative exponent rule 𝒙−𝒏 = before converting it into its radical form, in
𝒙𝒏
𝒎
−𝒏 𝟏 𝟏
symbols, 𝒙 = 𝒎 = 𝒏 𝒎 .
𝒙𝒏 ( √𝒙)
64 can be expressed as 82 in which the
Examples: exponent and index are cancelled in the
1 process of extraction
− 1 1 𝟏 𝟏
1. 64 2 = 1 = 2 1 = 𝟐 =
( √64) √ 𝟖𝟐 𝟖
64 2 36 can be expressed as 62 in which the
3
1 1 1 1 𝟏 exponent and index are cancelled in the
−
2. 36 2 = 3 = 3 = 3 = = process of extraction
2
( √36)
2
( √62 ) 63 𝟐𝟏𝟔
362

Rational Exponent Rule No. 4

When the base happens to be a fraction and is raised to an exponent that is also
a fraction, apply the power of a quotient rule or simply apply rule 1, and convert
𝒎 𝒎
𝒙 𝒏 𝒏 𝒙
it into its radical form, in symbols, ( ) = ൬ ට ൰ .
𝒚 𝒚

27 can be expressed as 33 while 64

Examples: can be expressed as 43 in which their
2 2 2 respective exponents and common
27 3 3 27 3 33 3 2 32 𝟗
1. ( ) = ቆට ቇ = ቆට ቇ = ( ) = = index can be cancelled by extraction
64 64 43 4 42 𝟏𝟔

1 1 can be expressed as 12 while 4 can

1 −2 1 1 1 1 be expressed as 22 in which their
2. ( ) = 1 = 1 = 1 = 1 =𝟐 respective exponents and common
4 1 2 1 2 12
( )2 ቆට ቇ
4
ቆ ට 2ቇ 2 index can be cancelled by extraction
4 2

6
 What’s More

Activity 4.2: NOW IT’S YOUR TURN!

Instruction: Simplify the following expressions using the rules of rational exponents
mentioned above.

A. Rational Exponent Rule 3 B. Rational Exponent Rule 4

1 2
9 −2 125 − 3
3 4
− −
1. 81 2 4. 1000 3
1. (16) 4. ( )
216
1 2
− −
2. 16 2 5. 512 3 3 1
1 5 8 −3
3 2. ( ) 5. ( )
− 32 27
3. 49 2
3
36 2
3. ( )
25

What I Need to Remember

➢ You need to refresh yourself with the table of perfect squares and perfect
cubes.
➢ Be familiar with how to rewrite or transform expressions with rational
exponents to radical form to get its exact value, using the following
concepts;
𝒎 𝒎
𝒎 𝟏 𝒙 𝒏
− 𝒏 𝒙
𝒙 𝒏 = 𝒎 and ( ) = ቆට ቇ respectively.
( 𝒏√𝒙) 𝒚 𝒚

7
 Writing Expressions with Rational
Lesson
Exponents to Radical Form and Vice
3
Versa

What I Need to Know

At the end of this lesson, you are expected to:
o writes expressions with rational exponents as radicals and vice versa

What’s In
❖ Flashback
You have seen in lesson 1 and 2 of this module the process of
transforming expressions from exponential form to its radical
form in order to get the value of any expression whose base is
rational (either an integer or fraction) and whose exponent is in
rational form or in fraction.

To refresh, you have used these concepts or rules in evaluating

expressions involving rational exponents, as follows:

𝒎 𝟏
Rule 1
𝟏
𝒙𝒏
𝒏
= ( √𝒙)
𝟏
Rule 3 𝒙− 𝒏 = 𝒏 𝒎
( √𝒙)
𝒎
𝒎
𝒎 𝒎 𝒙 𝒏 𝒏 𝒙
Rule 2 𝒙𝒏
𝒏
= ( √𝒙) Rule 4 ൬ ൰ = (√ )
𝒚 𝒚

What’s New
❖ Level Up!
Most likely, these concepts or rules will be useful in your task in
transforming or rewriting expressions involving rational
exponents into its radical form and vice versa.

But, this time, the base does not contain only constant or a
number rather, it is algebraic in nature. Meaning, it contains
variables and exponents attached to it. Also, the base would
either be in monomial or binomial in nature.

So, how are you going to rewrite these algebraic expressions involving rational
exponents into its radical form and vice versa?

8
 What Is It

❖ How should I do it?

In order to rewrite expressions involving rational exponents, be familiar and apply

these process that are listed as follows.

Exponential Form to Radical Form

When transforming expressions in exponential form to radical form, remember
that an exponent applies ONLY to the factor (base) it is directly next to UNLESS
parenthesis enclose other factors.

The process of rewriting to radical form follows rule number 2 denoted by,
𝒎 𝒎
𝒙 𝒏 = ( 𝒏√𝒙)
Examples:
3
𝟐 𝟑
1. (8𝑎2 )2 = ( √𝟖𝒂𝟐 )

3 𝟑
4 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑚 are found outside the radical
2. (𝑦 2 )4 = (√𝒚𝟐 )
𝟒
symbol since their exponents are 1

2 4
𝟓
3. 4𝑚𝑛5 𝑝5 = 𝟒𝒎 √𝒏𝟐𝒑𝟒 binomial 2𝑎 + 𝑏 is considered a base of
which exponent 2 will be written outside
2 𝟐 the parenthesis and 3 as the index
𝟑
4. (2𝑎 + 𝑏)3 = ( √𝟐𝒂 + 𝒃)

Radical Form to Exponential Form

When transforming expressions in radical form to exponential form, remember
that an exponent applies ONLY to the factor (base) it is directly next to UNLESS
parenthesis enclose other factors.
The process of rewriting to exponential form follows rule number 2 denoted by,
𝒎 𝒎
( 𝒏√𝒙) = 𝒙 𝒏
Examples:
1 2
5
1. √3𝑦 2 = 35 45
1 2 3
6
2. √4𝑝2 𝑟 3 = 46 𝑝6 𝑟 6 since 4 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑥 are found outside the radical
symbol, then their exponents are 1
3 1
3. 4𝑥√𝑦 3 𝑧 = 4𝑥𝑦 2 𝑧 2

2 2
3
4. ( √𝑚 + 𝑛 ) = (𝑚 + 𝑛)3

9
 What’s More

Activity 4.3: NOW IT’S YOUR TURN!

Instruction: Rewrite the following expressions from exponential to radical form and vice
versa.

A. Exponential to Radical Form B. Radical to Exponential Form

4
1 3
1. ( √2 )5 6. 4√−4𝑦𝑧 3
1. (5𝑥 )4 6. (10𝑛)2
3
3 2 3 2. √𝑥 6 7. 7√43 𝑥𝑦 2
2. (𝑥 6)4 7. 8𝑏 𝑐 5 5

6
1 2 3. (√10 )3 8. √3𝑛2 𝑝5
3. (9𝑛4 𝑟 2 )3 8. 𝑦 3

4 3
2 5 4 3
4. 4b √𝑐 2 𝑑 3𝑒 6 9. ( 2√𝑥 + 2𝑦)
4. 6 𝑏 𝑐
3 3 3 9. (5𝑟 − 4𝑠) 5

1 2 3 4
5. (5𝑥𝑦𝑧)2 10. (𝑚2 + 𝑛3 )7 5. √8𝑚3 𝑛2 𝑝 10. ( √2𝑏 − 3𝑐 )

What I Need to Remember

When transforming expressions in exponential form to radical form and vice

versa, remember that an exponent applies ONLY to the factor (base) it is directly
next to unless parenthesis enclose other factors (base).

The process of rewriting to exponential form to radical form follows rule number 2
𝒎 𝒎
𝒏
denoted by, 𝒙 𝒏 = ( √𝒙)

What I Can Do

❖ Extra Challenge
Read carefully the statements and try to answer to the best of your ability.

Your answer should contain only positive exponents with no fractional exponents.
7
−4
3 2𝑥
1. 2𝑚2 ∙ 4𝑚 ∙ 4𝑚− 2
2 3. 4
4𝑥 3

3 −2 1 4
2. (𝑝2 ) 4. 3𝑏2 ∙ 𝑏3

10
 Assessment (Post Test)

Instructions: Choose the letter of the correct answer. Write your chosen answer on
a separate sheet of paper.
1
1. What is the radical form of (5𝑚2 𝑛3 )2?
a. √5𝑚2 𝑛3 b. √5𝑚3 𝑛2 c. √5𝑚4 𝑛6 d. √5𝑚6 𝑛4

5 2
2. What is the exponential form of ( √3𝑏)
5 1 1 2 5 5
a. (3𝑏)2 b. 35 𝑏 5 c. (3𝑏)5 d. 32 𝑏 2

1 2
3. Write in radical form 3𝑥 4 𝑦 4
2 2 4 4
a. 3 √𝑥𝑦 4 b. 3 √𝑥𝑦 2 c. 3 √𝑥 2 𝑦 d. 3 √𝑥𝑦 2

4. If rules for integral exponents are applied to rational exponents, how can you
−𝑚
simplify (𝑏1/𝑛 ) ?
a. 𝑏 −𝑚/𝑛 b. 𝑏1/𝑛 c. 𝑏1/𝑚 d. 𝑏 𝑚/𝑛

5. Evaluate the expression100− 3/2?

1 1
a. b. 100 c. d. 10,000
10 1000

2
6. Simplify (64−1/3 )
1 1
a. − b. c. – 16 d.16
16 16

7. Find the simplified form of 3(9−2 )

a. 1/18 b. 1/24 c. 1/27 d.1/36

2
8. What is the simplified form of 643 ?
a. 8 b. 24 c. 16 d. 64

3
9. What is the exponential form of ( 5√6𝑥 + 5𝑦) ?
3 5 3 5
a. (6𝑥 + 5𝑦)5 b. (6𝑥 + 5𝑦)3 c. (5𝑥 + 6𝑦)5 d. (5𝑥 + 6𝑦)3

2
125 − 3
10. What is the simplified form the expression ( ) ?
27
6 9 25 9
a. b. c. d.
10 10 9 25

11
 12
Activity No. 4.3
A. B.
1 5
4
1. ( √5𝑥 ) 1. 24
3 6
4
2. ( √𝑥 6 ) 2. 𝑥 3
1 3
3
3. ( √9𝑛4 𝑟 2 ) 3. 102
3 2 3 6
4. √62 𝑏 5 𝑐 4 4. 4𝑏𝑐 4 𝑑 4𝑒 4
1 1 3 2 1 1
5. ( 2√5𝑥𝑦𝑧) 5. 82 𝑚2 𝑛2𝑝2 or (8𝑚3 𝑛2 𝑝)2
3 1 1 3 1
2
6. ( √10𝑛) 6. −44 𝑦 4𝑧 4 or (−4𝑦𝑧 3 )4
3 1 2 1
5
7. 8 √𝑏 2 𝑐 3 7. 47 𝑥 7 𝑦 7 or (43 𝑥𝑦 2 )7
2 1 2 5 1
8. ( 3√𝑦) 8. 36 𝑛6𝑝6 or (3𝑛2 𝑝 5 )6
3 3
5
9. ( √5𝑟 − 4𝑠) 9. (𝑥 + 2𝑦)2
2 4
7
10. ( √𝑚2 + 𝑛3 ) 10. (2𝑏 − 3𝑐)3
Activity No.4.2 Activity No.4.2 continuation of Test B
A. 1 1 𝟑𝟔
3
= = =
− 𝟏 5 2 25 𝟐𝟓
1. 81 2 = ( 6) 36
𝟕𝟐 1
1 1 1 1 𝟏
− 8 −3 𝟑
2. 16 2 = 1 = 2 = 2 =
√161 √42 𝟒 5. ( ) =
162 27 𝟐
3
− 𝟏
3. 49 2 =
𝟑𝟒𝟑 Activity No.4.1
4 A.
− 1 1
3 1
4. 1000 = 4 = 4 2
10003 ( 3√1000) 1. 1002 = √1001 =10
1
1 1 𝟏
= 4 = = 2. 812 = 𝟗
3 104 𝟏𝟎,𝟎𝟎𝟎
( √103 ) 1
2 2
2
𝟏
3. 2252 = √2251 = √152 = 𝟏𝟓
− 1
5. 512 3 =
𝟔𝟒 4. 164 = 𝟐
B. 1
3 3
1 5. 273 = √271 = √33 = 𝟑
9 −2 𝟒 1
1. (16) =𝟑 6. 1442 = 𝟏𝟐
3 3 3 B.
1 5 5 1 5 15 1 3 𝟏 3
2. ( ) = ቆට ቇ = ቆ ට ቇ = ( ) = 2 3
32 32 25 2 𝟖 1. 1002 = ( √100) = 103 = 𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎
3
3
36 2 𝟐𝟏𝟔 2. 164 = 𝟖
3. 2 2
( ) = 𝟏𝟐𝟓 3
25 3. −10003 = ( √−1000) = (−10)2 = 𝟏𝟎𝟎
2
3
125 − 3 1 1 1 4. 325 = 𝟖
4. = 2 = 2 = 2
3
(216)
125 3 125 3 53 4 3 4 3
(216)3 ቆ ට216ቇ ቆට ቇ 5. 6254 = ( √625) = ( √54 ) = 53 = 𝟏𝟐𝟓
63
4
6. −1253 = 𝟔𝟐𝟓
required.
Remember: This portion of the module contains all the answers. Your HONESTY is
Answer Key
References

Websites

“Algebra-Rational Exponents,” Paul’s Online Math Notes Web results,

accessed September 10, 2020, www.tutorial.math.lamar.edu/
“Rational Exponents: A Complete Course in Algebra,” Web results,
accessed September 10, 2020, www.themathpage.com/Alg/rational-
exponents.htm&ved
“Fractional Exponents,” files PDF, accessed
September 11, 2020, www.purplemath.com/modules/exponent5.htm
“Rules for Rational Exponents,” files PDF, accessed
September 11, 2020, www.mesacc.edu/~scotz47781/mat120/notes/rational-
exponents.html

Clip Arts
Are taken from phone app named BITMOJI

Congratulations!
You are now ready for the next module. Always remember the following:

1. Make sure every answer sheet has your

▪ Name
▪ Grade and Section
▪ Title of the Activity or Activity No.
2. Follow the date of submission of answer sheets as
agreed with your teacher.
3. Keep the modules with you AND return them at
the end of the school year or whenever
face-to-face interaction is permitted.

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