Rational Exponents

1
Rational Exponents

• Now lets consider rational exponents.
• Consider the following example

In general, this can be written in the following
way
This is considered the bth root of a. In other
words, what number, when multiplied by itself b
times, equals a.
2
Rational Exponents

• Write as a radical then evaluate the following

3
Rational Exponents

• When the rational expression is a little more
  complex, we alter our form slightly

This is now rewritten by separating the fraction
into two parts, (¼)x5. Thus becoming a power of a
power
Now we can do the root inside the brackets
normally and then put the answer to the exponent
5.
This could have been done in the reverse order
too
Although the above line is not wrong, it is
typically not done this way so that the roots
dont have to be so big.
4
Rational Exponents

• Try these examples without using a calculator

Try the questions first, dont just click.
This is not the only order to do this one.