Lesson Radicals
Lesson Radicals
Cover
If b 2 = a, then b is a square root of a.
Symbol
Example
Radical Expressions
Finding a root of a number is the inverse operation of raising
a number to a power.
radical sign
index
radicand
non-real #
What does the following symbol represent?
5xy
What does the following symbol represent?
1•1=1
2•2=4
3•3=9
4 • 4 = 16
5 • 5 = 25
6 • 6 = 36
49, 64, 81, 100, 121, 144, ...
Perfect Squares
1 64 225
4 81 256
9 100 289
16 121 324
25 144 400
36 169 625
49 196
=2
=4
=5
= 10
= 12
Rational Exponents
More Examples:
or
Rational Exponents
or or
Examples:
or
Rational Exponents
Use the properties of exponents to simplify each expression
Cover
Simplifying Radical Expressions
Simplifying Radical Expressions
= =
= =
= =
= =
Perfect Square Factor * Other Factor
= =
= =
= =
= =
Steps to Simplify Radicals:
1. Try to divide the radicand into a perfect square for numbers
2. If there is an exponent make it even by using rules of exponents
3. Separate the factors to its own square root
4. Simplify
Simplify:
Simplify:
Simplify:
Simplify:
Terminology:
• square root: one of two equal factors of a given number. The radicand is like the
“area” of a square and the simplified answer is the length of the side of the squares.
• Principal square root: the positive square root of a number; the principal square
root of 9 is 3.
• negative square root: the negative square root of 9 is –3 and is shown like
• radical: the symbol which is read “the square root of a” is called a radical.
• radicand: the number or expression inside a radical symbol --- 3 is the
radicand.
• perfect square: a number that is the square of an integer. 1, 4, 9, 16, 25, 36, etc…
are perfect squares.
• irrational number: a number whose decimal form is nonterminating and
nonrepeating.
• Rational number: a number that can be written in the form a/b, where a and b are
integers (b cannot equal 0)
• radical expression: an expression that contains a radical.
Simplify:
Simplify:
Simplify:
Simplify:
Simplify:
Simplify
1. .
2. .
3. .
4. .
Simplify
1. 3x6
2. 3x18
3. 9x 6
4. 9x18