Rational

Exponents
In other words,
exponents that are
fractions.
Definition of
1
n
b
For any real number b
and any integer n > 1,
1

b  b
n n

except when b < 0 and n

is even
Examples:
1

1. 36 
2 36  6
1

2. 64 
3 3
64  4
Examples:
1
 1 2
1
 1 1
3. 49    
2

49 49 7
1

1
1
4.    83  82
3 3

8
 Economists refer to inflation as increases in
the average cost of purchases. The formula
C = c(1 + r)n can be used to predict the cost of
consumer items at some projected time. In
this formula C represents the projected cost
of the item at the given annual inflation rate, c
the present cost of the item and r is the rate
of inflation (in decimal form), and n is the
number of years for the projection. Suppose a
gallon of milk costs $2.69 now. How much
would the price increase in 6 months with an
inflation rate of 5.3%?
Step 1: Identify the known values

Formula C = c(1 + r)n

c = $2.69
present cost of the item
r = 0.053
rate of inflation (in decimal form)
n = 1/2
# of years for the projection
Step 2: Find the value for C

Formula C = c(1 + r)n

C = 2.69(1 + 0.053)1/2
C = 2.69(1.053)1/2

C = $2.76
Answer the question
How much would the price increase?
$2.76-$2.69 = $0.07 or 7¢
Definition of Rational Exponents

For any nonzero number b and

any integers m and n with n > 1,

 
m
m
b  b 
n n m n
b
except when b < 0 and n is even
NOTE: There are 3 different
ways to write a rational
exponent

 
4
4
27  27 
3 3 4 3
27
Examples:
  6  216
3 3
3
2 36
1. 36
   3  81
4
4 4
2. 273 3
27

   3  27
3
3 3
3. 814 4
81
Simplifying Expressions
No negative exponents
No fractional exponents in the
denominator
No complex fractions (fraction
within a fraction)
The index of any remaining radical
is the least possible number
Examples: Simplify each expression

1 1 5 2 3 5

4 a b  4 a b
3 2 6 6 6 6

Rewrite as
 4  a  b
6 2 6 3 6 5
a radical
Get a common
denominator -
 16a b
6 3 5
this is going to
be our index
Examples: Simplify each expression
1 3 1 1 3 1
 
x x x  x
2 4 5 2 4 5

10 15 4 29Remember we
 
x
add exponents
20 20 20
x 20
20 9

 x x20 20 x x
20 9
Examples: Simplify each expression
4 4 1
4  1 1 5
1 w
5 5
5      
w w 4 4 1
5 w5
w5 w
1 1 1
5 5
w 5
w w 5 To rationalize
w
 4 1
 5
 thedenominator
 w an
w we want
5 5 5
w w integer exponent
Examples: Simplify each expression
1 7
1
 18 1 x y 8
8  x   x 1  1  7
xy  y 8
8
y 8 y y
7
8 7 To rationalize
xy 8x y
  the denominator
we want an
y y
integer exponent
Examples: Simplify each expression
1

2
1 5
10 5 10
10
32 32 2 10
  
2 
8 1 1 2
4 8 2 8
2 8
1
4
2 1 1 2 1 1
2  
2 
4
 1
2 2 4
24 4 4 2
4
2
Examples: Simplify each expression
1 1 1
 
2 2
5 2 5 1 5
 1
  1
2 5 2
2 2
2 5 5
1 1
1  
 5 1 1 1 1 1
 5   
2 2
2 2 2 5 10
Examples: Simplify each expression
 1
 Multiply by
1 m  1 conjugate
2

1
 1  and use
 2  FOIL
m  1 m  1
2

m 1
2 m 1
 
m 1 m 1
Examples: Simplify each expression
2 8 2 5 3 2 3

6 y  6 y y  6  y y
5 5 5 5 5 5 5

 y 6  y  y 6 y
5 2 5 3 5 2 3

 y 36y 5 3
Examples: Simplify each expression
2

c c 2 3
3  1

2

1
 c c  c
2
 
c
2 1 1 7 3
 c  c  c c  c6  c2
3 2 2
Examples: Simplify each expression
7 3 6 1 2 1

 c c  c c c c
6 2 6 6 2 2

 c cc c
6
Examples: Simplify each expression
2 2
 2   3
 2
2x  3
2 
  2x   2x 2
2

 3 
  x    
 x 2  
2
 
 
2
 1
 1
2 2 
2 1 x
 2x   2 x
2
2
 x 
  2 4