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Exponents & Radicals

One of the most useful concepts in mathematics is exponentials and radicals. These
concepts have many similarities and in fact radicals can be written as an exponent.

Exponents
Simplifying Exponents
Approach
1. Identify the base of the number, the exponent, value and the operation being
performed.
2. Write the value in expanded form then simplify your answer.
Example 1
Simplify 43

Step 1
The base of the value is 4. The exponent is 3

Step 2
Write the exponent in expanded form. 43 is the equivalent of saying
43 = 4 x 4 x 4 = 64

Example 2
Simplify -82
Step 1
The base of the value is 8. The exponent is 2. The negative sign is not affected by the
exponent written without brackets

Step 2
Write the exponent in expanded form. -82 is the equivalent of saying
-82 = -(8 x 8) = -64
Example 3
Simplify (-8)2
Step 1
The base of the value is 8. The exponent is 2. The negative sign is affected by the
exponent written with brackets

Step 2
Write the exponent in expanded form. (-8)2 is the equivalent of saying
(-8)2 = -8 x -8
Following the rules of operation when performing multiplication and the signs of the
numbers are the same your final answer will carry a positive sign
(-8)2 = -8 x -8 = 64

Example 4
Simplify (-2)3
Step 1
The base of the value is 2. The exponent is 3. The negative sign is affected by the
exponent written with brackets

Step 2
Write the exponent in expanded form. (-2)3 is the equivalent of saying
(-2)3 = -2 x -2 x -2
Following the rules of operation and the order of operation we perform the first
multiplication appearing in the equation from left to right. When performing
multiplication and the signs of the numbers are the same your final answer will carry
a positive sign. When performing multiplication and the signs of the numbers are
different your final answer will carry a negative sign

(-2)3 = -2 x -2 x -2
= -2 x -2 = 4 x – 2 = -8
Addition & Subtraction Exponents
Approach
1. Identify the base of the number, the exponent, value and the operation being
performed
2. Simplify each value individually then combine your answer by performing
addition or subtraction
Example 1
Simplify 22 + 32

Step 1
The firs number has a base of the value of 2 and an exponent of 2. The second number
has a base of 3 and an exponent of 2. The operation is addition
Step 2
Write the exponent in expanded form.
22 = 2 x 2 = 4 32 = 3 x 3 = 9
22 + 32 = 4 + 9 = 13

Alternative Method:
22 + 32 = 2 x 2 + 3 x 3 = 13

Example 2
Simplify 42 - 32

Step 1
The firs number has a base of the value of 4 and an exponent of 2. The second number
has a base of 3 and an exponent of 2. The operation is subtraction
Step 2
Write the exponent in expanded form.
42 = 4 x 4 = 16 32 = 3 x 3 = 9
42 - 32 = 16 - 9 = 7

Alternative Method:
42 - 32 = 4 x 4 – (3 x 3) = 7
Example 3
Simplify (-2)2 + (-5)2

Step 1
The firs number has a base of the value of -2 and an exponent of 2. The second number
has a base of -5 and an exponent of 2. The operation is addition
Step 2
Write the exponent in expanded form.
(-2)2 = -2 x -2 = 4 (-5)2 = -5 x -5 = 25
(-2)2 + (-5)2 = 4 + 25 = 29

Alternative Method:
(-2)2 + (-5)2 = -2 x -2 + -5 x -5 = 29

Example 4
Simplify -42 - 32

Step 1
The firs number has a base of the value of 4 and an exponent of 2. The second number
has a base of 3 and an exponent of 2. The operation is subtraction
Step 2
Write the exponent in expanded form.
42 = 4 x 4 = 16 32 = 3 x 3 = 9
-42 - 32 = -16 - 9 = -25

Alternative Method:
-42 - 32 = -(4 x 4) – (3 x 3) = -25
Multiplying Exponents
Approach
1. Identify the base of the number, the exponent, value and the operation being
performed
2. Compare the bases of the numbers. If the bases are the same you can simplify
the exponent initially by adding the 2 exponents if the operation separating
the numbers is multiplication.
a. If the exponents are the same and the bases are different you cannot use
this method. It only works when the bases are the same.
Example 1
Simplify 22 x 24

Step 1
The firs number has a base of the value of 2 and an exponent of 2. The second number
has a base of 2 and an exponent of 4. The operation is multiplication.
Step 2
Since the operation is multiplication and the base numbers are the same we can
simplify the exponent by adding the exponents together and using a single base
number
22 x 24
22+4 = 26 26= 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 = 64

This method may appear to add an additional step but is useful when working with
algebraic expressions.
Example 2
Simplify 32 x 3-2

Step 1
The firs number has a base of the value of 3 and an exponent of 2. The second number
has a base of 3 and an exponent of -2. The operation is multiplication
Step 2
Since the operation is multiplication and the base numbers are the same we can
simplify the exponent by adding the exponents together and using a single base
number
32 x 3-2
32 +(-2) = 30 = 1
Any number with an exponent of zero is equal to 1
Example 3
Simplify (-2)2 x (-5)2

Step 1
The firs number has a base of the value of -2 and an exponent of 2. The second number
has a base of -5 and an exponent of 2. The operation is multiplication
Step 2
The operation is multiplication but the base numbers are not the same therefore we
cannot simplify by adding the exponents together.
(-2)2 = -2 x -2 = 4 (-5)2 = -5 x -5 = 25
(-2)2 + (-5)2 = 4 x 25 = 100

Alternative Method:
(-2)2 + (-5)2 = -2 x -2 x -5 x -5 = 100

Example 4
Simplify -42 x 32

Step 1
The firs number has a base of the value of 4 and an exponent of 2. The second number
has a base of 3 and an exponent of 2. The operation is subtraction
Step 2
Write the exponent in expanded form.
42 = 4 x 4 = 16 32 = 3 x 3 = 9
-42 x - 32 = -16 x 9 = -144

Alternative Method:
-42 - 32 = -(4 x 4) x (3 x 3) = -144
Dividing Exponents
Approach
1. Identify the base of the number, the exponent, value and the operation being
performed
2. Compare the bases of the numbers. If the bases are the same you can simplify
the exponent initially by subtracting the denominator exponent from the
numerator exponent.
a. If the exponents are the same and the bases are different you cannot use
this method. It only works when the bases are the same.

Examples:
25/23
-44/42
33/3-3

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