Question

Copy the problems on to your paper. Use your notes as reference.

Simplify each of the following:

Answer 1

1. x⁴³/³⁵

2. 1/x⁶

3. x⁴/2

Explanation:

1. ⁷√x³. ⁵√x⁴

The above expression can be simplified as follow:

Recall:

ᵐ√aⁿ = aⁿ/ᵐ

⁷√x³ × ⁵√x⁴ = x³/⁷ × x⁴/⁵

Recall:

aⁿ × aᵐ = aⁿ⁺ᵐ

x³/⁷ × x⁴/⁵ = x⁽³/⁷ ⁺ ⁴/⁵⁾ = x⁴³/³⁵

Therefore,

⁷√x³. ⁵√x⁴ = x⁴³/³⁵

2. x¯³ / x⁵x¯²

The above expression can be simplified as follow:

Recall:

aⁿ × aᵐ = aⁿ⁺ᵐ

x⁵x¯² = x⁵ ⁺ ⁽¯²⁾ = x⁵ ¯ ² = x³

Thus,

x¯³ / x⁵x¯² = x¯³ / x³

Recall:

aⁿ / aᵐ = aⁿ ¯ ᵐ

x¯³ / x³ = x¯³ ¯ ³ = x¯⁶

Recall

a¯ⁿ = 1/aⁿ

x¯⁶ = 1/x⁶

Therefore,

x¯³ / x⁵x¯² = 1/x⁶

3. 5(x⁴)³ / 10x⁸

The above expression can be simplified as follow:

Recall:

(aⁿ)ᵐ = aⁿ×ᵐ

5(x⁴)³ / 10x⁸ = 5x¹² / 10x⁸

Recall:

aⁿ / aᵐ = aⁿ ¯ ᵐ

5x¹² / 10x⁸ = (5/10)x¹² ¯ ⁸ = 1/2 x⁴ = x⁴/2

Therefore,

5(x⁴)³ / 10x⁸ = x⁴/2