cases, some of the laws of exponents can be applied to simplify such expressions.

Aside from the laws of exponents, you are also required to use your understanding
of addition and subtraction of similar and dissimilar fractions.

PART I. LAWS ON EXPONENTS

Lesson 5. Laws on Exponents

1. Product Rule – when multiplying like bases, we add their

exponents.

Examples:

a. (3x2y3)(-5xy) = (3●-5)(x2●x)(y3●y) b. (a3b4)(a2b2c) = a3●a2)(b4●b2)(c)

= -15x2+1 y3+1 = a3+2 b4+2c

= -15x3y4 = a5b6c

2. Power Rule – when we raise a base to two exponents, we multiply those

exponents together.

Examples:

9
a. (-c5)2 = -c5(2) = c10 b. (-x3)3 = -x3(3) = -x
3

3. Power of a Product Rule – when we have a PRODUCT raised on exponent,

we can simplify by raising each base in the product to that exponent.

Examples:

a. (2x2y2)3 = 23 ∙ x2(3) ∙ y2(3) b. (-2p ∙ 2q3)3 =(-2)3p323q3(3)

= 8 x6 y6
= (-8p3) (8q9)
3 9
= -64 p q

4. Quotient Rule – when dividing like bases, we subtract their exponents.

Examples:

𝑥6 𝑐4 𝑑6
a. = 𝑥 6−4 b. = 𝑐 4−2 𝑑 6−1
𝑥4 𝑐2 𝑑

= x2 = 𝑐 2𝑑5

5. Power of a Fraction Rule – when we have a QUOTIENT raised to an exponent,

we can simplify by raising each base in the numerator and denominator of the
fraction to that exponent

Examples:
3
𝑚2 5
𝑚2 · 5 7𝑥 3 73 (𝑥 3●3)
a. ( ) = b. ( 2) =
𝑛 𝑛5 9𝑦 93 (𝑦 2●3)

𝑚10 343𝑥 9
= =
𝑛5 729𝑦 6
6. Zero Exponents Rule – any number, except zero, is raised to an exponent of
zero, it is always equal to one

Let us consider the example below. The exponents in the numerator and
5
7
denominator are the same. If we apply the quotient rule to the fraction 5 , we could
7
obtain 70. Also, any nonzero number divided by itself is equal to 1.

4
 7·7·7·7·7
7·7·7·7·7
Definition of
5
7 1 zero exponent
5
7

7 3–3 = 70

Examples:
0
a. 8𝑥 2 𝑦 0 = 8 ● 𝑥2 ● 1 b. (4𝑥 2 𝑦 3 ) = 1

= 8𝑥 2

7. Negative Exponents Rule - this says that negative exponents in the

numerator get moved to the denominator and become positive exponents. Negative
exponents in the denominator get moved to the numerator and become positive
exponents. Only move the negative exponents.
2
7
Let us consider the fraction 5, where the exponent of the numerator is
7
less than the exponent of the denominator. If we apply the quotient rule, we
1
obtain 7−3 . If we divide out common factors of 7, we obtain 3 .
7

72
75

Examples:
1 1
a. 𝑝−1 = b. (3x)-3 =
𝑝1 (3𝑥)3

1 1
= =
𝑝 27𝑥 3

(5𝑚)2 144𝑠 3 𝑡 −4 144 1 3 −4

c.
1
(5𝑚)−2
=
1
d.
9𝑟 −2 𝑠 5 𝑡 −2
=( 9
)(𝑟 2 )(𝑠𝑠5)(𝑡−2)
𝑡

= (5𝑚)2 = 16𝑟 2 𝑠 −2 𝑡 −2

16𝑟2
= 25m2 =
𝑠 2 𝑡2

5
Lesson 6. Simplifying Expressions with Ra:onal Exponents
PART II. SIMPLIFYING EXPRESSIONS RATIONAL EXPONENTS.
3 1
1. Simplify 64 2 ● 64 2
3 1 3 1
642 ∙ 642 = 64(2+2) Apply Product Rule for Exponents
4 where you can add the exponent of the
= 64 2
same base then, follow the rule in
= 642 dividing fractions.
= 4, 096

1
52
2. Simplify 1
53
1
1 1
52 (2 − 3)
1 =5 apply Quotient Rule for exponents
53
3 2
( 6 − 6)
=5 subtracting dissimilar fractions
1
= 56 simplest form
1 1
3. Simplify 32 ∙ 272
1 1 1
32 ∙ 272 = (3 ∙ 27)2 apply Power Rule for exponent
1
= 81 2 simplest form
1
4. Simplify (210 )2
1 1
(210 )2 = 2 10 ● 2 apply Power Rule for exponents
= 25 evaluate exponential expression
= 32 simplest form
1
−3
29
5. Simplify (36 )
1
29
−3 9∙−1
2 3
(36 ) = apply Power of a Fraction Rule for exponents
6∙−1
3 3

−9
2 3
= simplify fraction exponents
−6
3 3

2−3
= apply Negative Exponents Rule
3−2

32
= evaluate exponential expressions
23
9
= simplest form
8

6
 3 3 4 5
a. 7𝑥 3 = √7𝑥 2 b. 7𝑥 3 = 7 √𝑥 2 c. 7𝑥 4 = √𝑥 2 d. 𝑥 3 = √7𝑥 2

Let Us Study
Lesson 7. Writing
Lesson Expressions with Expressions
1: Writing Rational Exponents
with as RadicalsExponents
Rational and Vice-Versa.
as
Radicals and Vice-Versa.
To help you understand the module, here is the step- by- step process on how
to
write expressions with rational exponents as radicals and vice versa. In the radical

expressions we shall call n the index. The exponent of x in this expression is

1. can be transformed as the rational expression and vice versa. Notice that

2
in the rational expression , the denominator n of the exponent is the index and

the numerator 1 is the index of the radical expression .

Writing Rational Expressions into Radical Form

⮚ If n is a positive integer then,

Examples:

The denominator is the index. If the index is 2, there

1) = is no need of writing.

The denominator is 3 and so the index is 3.

2) =
1
3) 814 = √81
4 The denominator is 4 and so the index is 4.

𝑚 𝑚
⮚
𝑛 𝑛
If is any rational number where n ≠ 0 then, 𝑥 𝑛 = √𝑥 𝑚 = ( √𝑥 ) 𝑚 .
𝑛

Examples:
Writing each rational expression in radical form.

Here we use = , which is generally the preferred

1) form in this situation.

The exponent applies to mn because of the

2) parenthesis.

Note that the exponent applies only to the

3) variable y.

Now the exponent applies to 2y because of the

4) parenthesis.

Examples
Direction: Writing rational expression in radical form

1) Solution:

3) Solution:

3
2) Solution:

4) Solution: or

Writing Radical Expressions into Exponential Form

In writing radical expressions in exponential form such as , where n

is a positive integer, the index is the denominator while the exponent is the
numerator.

Examples:

The index is 5 and the exponent is 1.

1) Solution: =

The index is 5 and the exponent is 1.

2) Solution: =

The index is 4 and the exponent is 3.

3) Solution: =
The index is 2 and the exponent is 3. Five is
not included in the parenthesis so the
4) Solution: = fractional exponent is only for y.

Lesson 2: Radical Expressions

Expressions using the radical sign are called radical expressions. In the
𝑛
expression √𝑎 𝑚 , n is called the index, am is the radicand and is the radical

sign. The index of the radical sign is understood as 2 and is read as “square
root”.

⮚ A radical is in its simplest form when:

a. There is no perfect nth power in the radicand when the index is n,
b. there is no radical in the denominator or a fraction in the radicand,
and
c. the index is the lowest possible index.

If a is a positive or negative real number and n is an odd positive integer, then

there exists exactly one real nth root of a, the sign of the root being the same as the
sign of the number.

4
 not included in the parenthesis so the
4) Solution: = fractional exponent is only for y.

Lesson 8. Radical
Lesson Expressions
2: Radical Expressions

Expressions using the radical sign are called radical expressions. In the
𝑛
expression √𝑎𝑚 , n is called the index, am is the radicand and is the radical

sign. The index of the radical sign is understood as 2 and is read as “square
root”.

⮚ A radical is in its simplest form when:

a. There is no perfect nth power in the radicand when the index is n,
b. there is no radical in the denominator or a fraction in the radicand,
and
c. the index is the lowest possible index.

If a is a positive or negative real number and n is an odd positive integer, then

there exists exactly one real nth root of a, the sign of the root being the same as the
sign of the number.

Examples: 4
3
√−8 = no real root √−8 = -2
4 5
√−32 = no real root √−32 = -2
𝑛
Recall that the radical √𝑎 𝑚 is the positive nth root of am for any positive
integer n and a positive rational number a. The laws of radicals are derived directly
𝑚
𝑛
from the laws for exponents by using the definition 𝑎 𝑛 = √𝑎 𝑚 . The Laws are
designed to make simplification much easier. It is important to reduce a radical to
its simplest form.

The following are some of the laws of radicals:

𝑛
1. The nth root of a product is the product of the nth roots: 𝑛√𝑥𝑦 = √𝑥 𝑛√𝑦

Proof:
By rewriting 𝑛√𝑥𝑦 to its exponential form, and by applying the Product Rule
for exponents:
1 1 1
𝑛
√𝑥𝑦 = (𝑥𝑦)𝑛 = 𝑥 𝑛 𝑦 𝑛 = √𝑥 √𝑦
𝑛 𝑛

Examples:

a. √50 = √25 ∗ 2 = √52 ● √2 = 5√2

3 3 3 3
b. √24 = √8 ● 3 = √8 ● √3
3 3 3
= √23 ● √3 = 2 √3

𝑛 𝑥 𝑛𝑥
√
2. The nth root of a quotient is the quotient of the nth roots: √𝑦 = 𝑛 𝑦
√

Proof:
𝑛 𝑥
By rewriting √𝑦 to its exponential form, and by applying the Quotient Rule

for
exponents:
1 1
𝑛 𝑥 𝑥 𝑥𝑛 𝑛𝑥
√𝑦 = = =
𝑛 √
( ) 1 𝑛 𝑦
𝑦 √
𝑦𝑛

Examples:

√75 75
a. =√3 = √25 = √52 = 5
√3

3
3 −27 √(−3)3 −3
b. √ = = =
𝑎6 3
√(𝑎2 )
3 𝑎2

5
3. The mth root of the nth root of x is the mth times the nth root of x:
𝑚 𝑛
√ √𝑥 = 𝑚𝑛√𝑥
Proof:
𝑛 𝑚
By rewriting √ √𝑥 to its exponential form, and applying the Power of a
Power Rule for exponents:
𝑚 1 1 1 1
𝑚 𝑛
√ √𝑥 = √𝑥 𝑛 = 𝑥 𝑛 (𝑚) = 𝑥 𝑛𝑚 = 𝑚𝑛
√𝑥
We can apply this law in simplifying radical expressions with bigger indices.

Examples:
6 3 3 3
a. √9 = √√9 = √√32 = √3
3 3
b. √√8 = √ 3√8 = √ √23 = √2

Let Us Practice
ACTIVITY 1: SIMPLIFY ME!
Direction: Simplify the expression. Write your answer using positive exponents
only. Assume all variables are positive.

1. = ________________ 4. = ________________

2. = _______________ 5. = __________________

3. = _________________

ACTIVITY 2: FIND ME!

Direction: Find the letter of the correct answer on the given expressions. Write your
answer on the space provided before each number.

____1. a. b. c. d.

𝑎4
____ 2. 2 a. b. c. d.
𝑎

____ 3. a. b. c. d.

____ 4. a. b. c. d.