Simplifying radicals(algebra II)

  • Thread starter Thread starter liz777
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Simplifying
AI Thread Summary
The discussion focuses on simplifying the expression (cube root of x^4 * cube root of x^5)^-2, with the expected answer being 1/(x^(23/3)). Participants clarify that the cube root of 7 multiplied by the cube root of 49 simplifies to 7, and they encourage rewriting expressions using exponents for clarity. There is confusion regarding the application of exponent laws, particularly in the first problem, where the correct interpretation of the cube roots and their exponents is debated. The importance of understanding negative exponents and their transformations into fractions is also highlighted. Overall, the thread emphasizes the need for a clear grasp of exponent rules to solve radical expressions effectively.
liz777
Messages
19
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement



(cube root \sqrt[]{}x^4 * \sqrt[]{}x^5)^-2

Honestly, I tried and my answer didnt make any sense...The answer is supposed to be 1/(x^23/3)

How would I go about solving this? Any help would be appreciated :)

Also how would I solve the cube root of 7 * the cube root of 49?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
What you wrote is very difficult to decipher. How about rewriting it using exponents rather than radicals? The cube root of a is a^(1/3).

The cube root of 7 times the cube root of 49 is the cube root of 343, which can be simplified.
 
Also how would I solve the cube root of 7 * the cube root of 49?

Think about what you have: 2 cube roots. One is \sqrt[3]{7} and the other is \sqrt[3]{7^2}. What can you do with that?
 
Last edited:
ok I get that one! you would get cube root of 7^3...so you would get 7. thanks I get that one now!

and back to the first problem. in exponents I think it would be:

(X3/4 * X1/5)-2

So if anyone wants to help with this one...so far I still have the wrong answer, I have no idea what I'm doing wrong!
 
Laws of Exponents are taught in Algebra 1 and Algebra 2.

a-m=\frac{1}{a<sup>m</sup>}
That one did not type set correctly. I'm trying to state
'a' to the negative m power equals the fraction one over a to the m power. a^(-m)=1/(a^m)

aman=am+n
 
Last edited:
liz777 said:
ok I get that one! you would get cube root of 7^3...so you would get 7. thanks I get that one now!

and back to the first problem. in exponents I think it would be:

(X3/4 * X1/5)-2

So if anyone wants to help with this one...so far I still have the wrong answer, I have no idea what I'm doing wrong!

That doesn't look like what you started with, which I think should look more like this:
(x4/3 * something)-2

The first factor inside the parentheses seems to be the cube root of x^4, which is x4/3. The other factor appears to be the square root of x^5. Can you tell us exactly what the problem is that you're working on?
 
I picked up this problem from the Schaum's series book titled "College Mathematics" by Ayres/Schmidt. It is a solved problem in the book. But what surprised me was that the solution to this problem was given in one line without any explanation. I could, therefore, not understand how the given one-line solution was reached. The one-line solution in the book says: The equation is ##x \cos{\omega} +y \sin{\omega} - 5 = 0##, ##\omega## being the parameter. From my side, the only thing I could...
Back
Top