Lecture 5: Rational Exponents and Radical Expressions

nth root of a
Definition. Let a, b R and n a positive integer. If
bn = a, then b is an nth root of a.

Definition.If n N, a R, the principal nth root of

a, denoted n a, is defined as follows:

If a > 0, then n a is the positive nth root of a.

If a < 0 and n is odd, then n a is the negative nth

root of a.

If a = 0, then n 0 = 0
The principal nth root is unique.

= (ab)

an
a

p
q

= a n q , a 6= 0

am
an
n
m =
, b 6= 0
b
bn

There is no radical in the denominator of a rational expression.

The index of the radical is the smallest possible.

a = an

Remarks. The laws of integer exponents can be extended

to rational exponents:
 1 m
p
p
m
m
m
a n aq = a n +q
a n = an
a

There are no fractions under the radical sign.

Radicals with the same index and radicand can be added or subtracted.

Definition. If n is a positive integer, then

m
n

The radicand of a radical of index n has no factor which is a

perfect nth power.

Addition and Subtraction of Radical Expressions

Radical Expressions

m
n

The radicand is positive.

Operations Involving Radical Expressions

Even roots of negative real numbers are not

real numbers.

m
n

Remarks. A radical is in simplest form if all the following conditions are satisfied:

a n =

1
m , a 6= 0
an

Simplifying Radicals
In simplifying radical expressions, we use the following
properties (provided the radicals are well-defined):
r

n
a
a
n an = ( n a)n = a
n

=
n
b
b

m
n ab = n a n b
n am = a n

Multiplication and Division of Radical Expressions

n
n
n
a

b
=
ab and
If radicals
have
the
same
index,
we
use
r
n
a
a
n

=
n
b
b
If radicals have different indices, we first make their indices the same
by finding the LCM of all the indices.
Rationalization of Radical Expressions
To rationalize the denominator,
If the denominator is a single radical expression, multiply both
the numerator and denominator by an expression that will
make the radicand of the denominator a perfect power of the
index.
If the denominator consists of two or more radical expressions, use the special products: (x y)(x + y) = x2 y 2 ,
(x+y)(x2 xy+y 2 ) = x3 +y 3 , and (xy)(x2 +xy+y 2 ) = x3 y 3 .

Exercises. Perform the following operations and simplify with the denominators rationalized.
p

12
3
1024
1. a1/3 a1/6
10.
9a4 b2

18.
3
2/5
1/3

4 43
b b
9
2 5
2.
11. +
x2 1
b2/15
3
8
16
19.
x+1
24c1/2 d2/3
r
5
3.

25c
18c1/7 d3/5
a2 b2
12.
3b

20.
12a
a2 + b2
(22/3 x1/2 y 1/6 z)6
4.
2
r
r
2/3
9/2
2x y
4x yz

1
1
13. p
3
21.
+
3
+ 20
 4/3 1/2 2 10
12x2 y 4
5
125
r s t

5.
4
rs2/7 t3/5
22. 36 54 + 96
14. 6 400 324

23. 3( 12 6 + 3 2)
6. (m1/2 + n1/2 )(m1/2 n1/2 )
5 48
15.

2 3
2 3
7. 3 84

24.

p
3
3

2
3
6
16. 2 2
8. 384x y

6 5
4
3
5
2

25.
9. 9x
17. 3 5
5+ 6

26.

x2 2x + 1

x+1

27. p
28.
3
29.
30.
31.
32.

6
3

4 + 27

3
2 33

3
9 36+ 34

2 12

2+ 3 5

9
6 2

+
4
9
6+ 2

239
2
+
3
2
3