DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS

MAT111 INTRODUCTORY MATHEMATICS I

LESSON 2 ALGEBRAIC EXPRESSIONS

Definition 1. An algebraic expression is a combination of letters (variables) and real
numbers (constants) combined using the operations of addition, subtraction, multiplica-
tion, division, and exponentiation. The terms of an algebraic expression are those parts
that are separated by addition. The numerical factor of a term is called the coefficient.

Example 2. Examples of algebraic expressions

1. 2x + 3x is an exponential expression with the two variable terms 2x and 3x .

2. x2 + 5x + 4 is a polynomial expression with three terms:

• x2 is a variable term with coefficient 1,

• 5x is a variable term with coefficient 5, and
• 4 is a constant term with coefficient 4.
5x2 + x
3. is a rational expression.
1 + x + 3x3
4. ex −6x+7 is an algebraic expression with variable terms ex and 6x, and the constant
term 7.

To evaluate an algebraic expression, substitute numerical values for each of the vari-
ables in the expression. When an algebraic expression is evaluated, the Substitution
Principle is used.

Example 3. Substitution Principle

Expression Value of Variable Substitute Value of Expression
2x2 − x + 3 x=4 2(4)2 − 4 + 3 31
2x + 3 x x=2 22 + 32 13
2x − 1 2(−1) − 1 3
x = −1
1 + 3x 1 + 3(−1) 2
−3x + 5 x=3 −3(3) + 5 −4
3x2 + x − 1 x=5 3(5)2 + 5 − 1 84
2x 2(−3)
x = −3 3
x+1 −3 + 1
ex + e−x e0 + e0
x=0 1
2 2

EXPONENTIAL EXPRESSIONS
Repeated multiplication can be written in exponential form.
Repeated Multiplication Exponential Form
a.a.a.a.a.a a6
(−4).(−4).(−4).(−4) (−4)4
3y.3y.3y (3y)3
1
Definition 4. If a ∈ R and n ∈ N, then the expression ”a to the power n” is

an = a.a.a....a
| {z }
n−times

where a is called the base and n is called the exponent. An exponent can be negative
as well.

PROPERTIES OF EXPONENTS
Let a and b be real numbers, variables, or algebraic expressions, and let n, m ∈ Z. (All
denominators and bases are nonzero.)

1. an .am = an+m
an
2. = an−m , a ̸= 0
am
1 1
3. a−n = n
= ( )n , a ̸= 0
a a
a n an
4. ( ) = n
b b
5. a0 = 1 provided a ̸= 0

6. (ab)n = an bn

7. (an )m = anm
a b bn
8. ( )−n = ( )n = n , a ̸= 0
b a a
9. |a2 | = |a|2

Example 5. Simplify the following exponential expressions, leaving your answer with
positive exponent
−
1. (−3ab4 )(4ab 3 ) = −3(4)(a.a)(b4 .b−3 ) = −12a2 b4−3 = −12a2 b

2. (2xy 2 )3 = 23 x3 (y 2 )3 = 8x3 y 6 .
( )5
12a3 b−4 3+2 −4−1 5 −5 3a5 a
3. −2
= 3a b = 3a b = 5
=3
4a b b b
( )−2 ( )2
3x2 y y2
4. = =
y 3x2 9x4

Remark. In (−2)4 the parentheses indicate that the exponent applies to the negative
sign as well as to the 2, but in −24 the exponent applies only to the 2. So, (−2)4 = 16
whereas −24 = −16. It is also important to know when to use parentheses when evaluating
exponential expressions using a graphing calculator.

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RADICAL EXPRESSION
Definition 6 (The nth Root of a Number). Let a, b ∈ R and n ∈ N such that n ≥ 2. If

a = bn ,

then b is an nth root of a. If n = 2, then the root is a square root. If n = 3, then the
root is a cube root.
Example 7.
1. 2 and −2 are square roots of 4.

2. −2 is a cube root of −8.

3. −1 is a 5th root of -1.

4. − 15 is a cube root of − 125

1
.

5. 0.3 is a 4th root of 0.0081.

Definition 8 (Principal nth Root of a Number). Let a be a real number that has at least
one nth root. The principal nth root of a is the nth root that has the same sign as a. It is
denoted by a radical symbol
√
n
a Principal nth root

The positive integer n is the index of √

the radical, and
√ the number a is the radicand.
When n = 2, omit the index and write a rather than a. 2

Example 9.
1. 2 is the principal square root of 4.

2. −3 is the principal cube root of −27.

3. 0.1 is the principal 6th root of 0.000001.

4. −1 is the principal 7th root of −1.

5. 6 is the principal cube root of 216.

Generalizations about nth roots of real numbers
Real number a Integer n Root(s) of a
√ √
a>0 n > 0, n is even n
a or − n a
√
a > 0 or a < 0 n is odd n
a
a<0 n is even No √real roots
n
a=0 n is even or odd 0=0
Example 10.
1. Perfect squares: 1, 4, 9, 16, 25, 36, 49, ...

2. Perfect cubes: 1, 8, 27, 64, 125, 216, 343, ...

3
 √
3. −16 is not a real number.
√
4. 0=0
√ √
5. Square roots of 81 are 81 = 9 and − 81 = −9.
√ √
6. The 4th of 81 are 4 81 = 3 and − 4 81 = −3.

Properties of Radicals
Let a and b be real numbers, variables, or algebraic expressions such that the indicated
roots are real numbers, and let m and n be positive integers.
m √ √
1. a n = n am = ( n a)m
√ √ n
√
n
2. n a. b = ab
√ √
n
a a
3. √n
= n
, b ̸= 0
b b
√√ √
m n
4. a = mn a
√
5. ( n a)n = a
√ √
6. If n is even, then n an = |a|. If n is odd, then n an = a.

Example 11. Simplifying Radicals

√4
√4
√
4
√
4
√4
√
4
√
4
1. 48 = 16.3 = 16 3 = 24 3 = 2 3
√ √ √ √ √
2. 75x3 = 25x2 .3x = 25x2 3x = 5|x| 3x
√
3. 4
(5x)4 = |5x| = 5|x|.
√3
√
3
√3
√ 3
√
3
√3
√
3
4. 24 = 8.3 = 8 3 = 23 3 = 2 3
√5
√
5
√5
√
5
√
5
√
5
√
5
5. 64 = 32.2 = 32 2 = 25 2 = 2 2
√3
√3
√3
√3
√3
√3
√ 3
6. 135 = 27.5 = 27 5 = 33 5 = 3 5
√ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
7. 2 48 + 3 27 = 2 16.3 + 3 9.3 = 2 16 3 + 3 9 3 = 17 3
√ √
16x − 54x4
3 3
8.
√ √ √ √
16x − 54x4 = 8.2x − 27x3 .2x
3 3 3 3

√ √ √ √
= 8 2x − 27x3 2x
3 3 3 3

√ √ √ √
= 23 2x − 3 (3x)3 2x
3 3 3

√
= (2 − 3x) 2x
3

√ 1√ √ 1 √ √
9. 8 27x − 64x = 8(3 3 x) − (4 3 x) = 22 3 x
3 3

2 2

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RATIONALIZING DENOMINATORS AND NUMERATORS √ √
To rationalize a denominator or numerator of the form√a − b m or √ a + b m, multiply
both numerator and denominator by a conjugate: a+b √m and a−b √m, are conjugates
of each other. If a = 0, then the rationalizing factor for m is itself, m. Note that
√ √
(a − b m)(a + b m) = a2 − mb2

which is radical free.

Example 12. Rationalizing Denominators

√ √
1 1 2 2
1. √ = √ . √ =
2 2 2 2
√ √
5 5 3 5 3
2. √ = √ . √ =
2 3 2 3 3 6
√3
√
2 2 52 2 3 25
3. √ = √ √ =
3
5 3
5 3 52 5
√4
√ √
4
√ √
5 5 43 5 4 64 5 24 .4 10 4 4 544
4. √ = √ .√ = = = =
4
4 4
4 4 43 4 4 4 2
√ √ √
2 2 3− 7 2(3 − 7) 2(3 − 7) √
5. √ = √ . √ = = =3− 7
3+ 7 3+ 7 3− 7 9−7 2
4
6. √ √
11 − 5
√ √
4 4 11 + 5
√ √ =√ √ .√ √
11 − 5 11 − 5 11 + 5
√ √ √ √
4( 11 + 5) 2( 11 + 5)
= =
11 − 5 3
√ √ √ √ √
3+ 2 3+ 2 2+ 3 (3 + 2)(2 + 3) √ √
7. √ = √ . √ = = (3 + 2)(2 + 3)
2− 3 2− 3 2+ 3 4−3
Example 13. Rationalizing Numerators
√ √ √ √ √ √
7− 3 7− 3 7+ 3 7−3 2
1. = .√ √ = √ √ = √ √
6 6 7+ 3 6( 7 + 3) 3( 7 + 3)
√ √ √
5 − 10 5 − 10 5 + 10 25 − 10 3
2. √ = √ . √ = √ = √
5 + 10 5 + 10 5 + 10 25 + 10 10 + 10 7 + 2 10
√ √ √ √ √ √
7− 5 7− 5 7+ 5 7−5 2
3. √ = √ .√ √ = √ √ = √ .
7 7 7+ 5 7+ 7 5 7 + 35
Example 14. Changing from Radical to Exponential Form
√ 1
1. 5 = 5 2

5
 √ 5
2. (3xy)5 = (3xy) 2
√ 4
3. 3
(5x2 y)4 = (5x2 y) 3

Example 15. Changing from Exponential to Radical Form

1 1
1. (−32)− 5 = [(−2)5 ]− 5 = (−2)−4 =
4 4
=
(−2)4 16
√√ √
3 1 1 1 1 1
2. 125 = [(125) 2 ] 3 = 125 6 = (53 ) 6 = 5 2 = 5
√
3. (−5x 3 )(3x− 4 ) = −15x 3 − 4 = −15x 12
5 3 5 3 11
= −15 x11
12

4. (2x − 1) 3 (2x − 1)− 3 = (2x − 1) 3 − 3 = (2x − 1) 3 = 2x − 1

4 1 4 1 3

SUMMARY OF SIMPLIFYING RADICALS

An expression involving radicals is in simplest form when the following conditions are
satisfied.

1. All possible factors have been removed from the radical.

2. All fractions have radical-free denominators (accomplished by a process called ra-

tionalizing the denominator).

3. The index of the radical is reduced.

SCIENTIFIC NOTATION
Exponents provide an efficient way of writing and computing with very large (or very
small) numbers. For instance, there are about 359 billion billion gallons of water on
EarthŮthat is, 359 followed by 18 zeros.

359, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000

It is convenient to write such numbers in scientific notation. This notation has the form
±c × 10n , where 1 ≤ c < 10 and n is an integer. So, the number of gallons of water on
Earth can be written in scientific notation as

3.59 × 100, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000 = 3.59 × 1020

The positive exponent 20 indicates that the number is large (10 or more) and that the
decimal point has been moved 20 places. A negative exponent indicates that the number
is small (less than 1). For instance, the mass (in grams) of one electron is approximately

9.0 × 10−28 = 0. 0000000000000000000000000009

| {z }.
28 decimal places

Example 16 (SCIENTIFIC NOTATION). Evaluate the answer in scientific notation.

6
1. 65, 000 × 3, 400, 000, 000

65, 000 × 3, 400, 000, 000 = [6.5 × 104 ] × [3.4 × 109 ]

= [6.5.4] × [104 × 109 ]
= 22.1 × 104+9 = 22.1 × 1013
= 2.21 × 10 × 1013 = 2.21 × 1014

2. 0.0000782 × 836, 100, 000

0.0000782 × 836, 100, 000 = [7.82 × 10−5 ] × [8.361 × 108 ]

= [7.82 × 8.361] × [10−5 × 108 ]
= 65.3752 × 10−5+8 = 65.3752 × 103
= 6.53752 × 10 × 103 = 6.53752 × 104