Chapter 9

Radicals and
Rational
Exponents
Section 4
Simplifying Radical
Expressions Using
Properties of Radicals
Sullivan, III & Struve, Elementary and Intermediate Algebra 9.4 - 2 Copyright 2010 Pearson Education, Inc.
Section 9.4 Objectives
1 Use the Product Property to Multiply Radical
Expressions
2 Use the Product Property to Simplify Radical
Expressions
3 Use the Quotient Property to Simplify Radical
Expressions
4 Multiply Radicals with Unlike Indices
Sullivan, III & Struve, Elementary and Intermediate Algebra 9.4 - 3 Copyright 2010 Pearson Education, Inc.
The Product Property
Example: Multiply:
b.) 4 4 c c +
3 3
a.) 2 4
2
16 c =
3
8 =
Product Property of Radicals
If and are real numbers, and n > 2 is an integer, then

.
n n n
a b ab =
n
a
n
b
5 5
2
c.) 3 6 x x
5
3
18x =
Sullivan, III & Struve, Elementary and Intermediate Algebra 9.4 - 4 Copyright 2010 Pearson Education, Inc.
Simplifying Radical Expressions
Simplifying a Radical Expression
Step 1: Write each factor of the radicand as the product
of two factors, one of which is a perfect power
of the index.
Step 2: Write the radicand as the product of two
radicals, one of which contains perfect squares.
Step 3: Take the nth root of each perfect power.
A radical expression is simplified provided that the
radicand does not contain any factors that are perfect
powers of the index.
Sullivan, III & Struve, Elementary and Intermediate Algebra 9.4 - 5 Copyright 2010 Pearson Education, Inc.
Simplifying Radical Expressions
Example: Simplify the following:
a.) 50
15
b.) 48x
25 2 = 5 2 =
14
16 3 x x =
7
4 3x x =
7
4 3 x x =
25 is a perfect square and 50 = 25 2.
To simplify a variable with an
exponent, write the product of the
form where n is the largest
possible even exponent.
n
x x
Sullivan, III & Struve, Elementary and Intermediate Algebra 9.4 - 6 Copyright 2010 Pearson Education, Inc.
Simplifying Radical Expressions
Example:
Simplify the following:
8
a.) 81c
2 4 10
b.) x y z
8
81 c =
4
9c =
2 4 10
x y z =
2 5
xy z =
4 4
c.) 32x
4 4 4 4
16 2 x =
4
2 2 x =
4
2 2 x =
9 18
d.)
3
+ 9 9 2
3
+
=
9 3 2
3
+
= 3 2 = +
Sullivan, III & Struve, Elementary and Intermediate Algebra 9.4 - 7 Copyright 2010 Pearson Education, Inc.
The Quotient Property
Quotient Property of Radicals
If and are real numbers, b = 0, and n > 2 is an integer,
then

.
n
n
n
a a
b
b
=
n
a
n
b
Example: Simplify:
75

81
75 75

81
81
=
5 3

9
=
Sullivan, III & Struve, Elementary and Intermediate Algebra 9.4 - 8 Copyright 2010 Pearson Education, Inc.
Simplifying Radical Expressions
5
3
64
2
x
x
Example: Simplify:
5 5
3 3
64 32 2
2 2
x x
x x

=
2
32
1
x
=
4 2 x =
2
16 2
1
x
=
Sullivan, III & Struve, Elementary and Intermediate Algebra 9.4 - 9 Copyright 2010 Pearson Education, Inc.
Simplifying Radical Expressions
Example: Simplify:
4
4
5
9
pq
r
4 4
4
4
5 5
9
9
pq pq
r
r
=
4
4
5
9
p q
r
=
2
5
3 2
q p
r
=
Sullivan, III & Struve, Elementary and Intermediate Algebra 9.4 - 10 Copyright 2010 Pearson Education, Inc.
Simplifying Radical Expressions
a.) 5 7
Example: Multiply and simplify.
35 =
b.) 2 5 11 2 x x
Multiply the
coefficients.
Multiply the
radicals.
2
22 10x =
5
2
54
c.)
16
a
a
4
2
9 6
16
a a
a
=
2
3 6
4
a a
a
=
3 6
4
a a
=
22 10 x =
Sullivan, III & Struve, Elementary and Intermediate Algebra 9.4 - 11 Copyright 2010 Pearson Education, Inc.
Multiplying with Unlike Indices
( )
1 s
r s r
a a =
Example: Multiply and simplify:
5 10
8 16
1 5 110
8 16 =
2 10 110
8 16 =

= 8
2
( )
1 10
16
1 10

= 8
2
( )
16

1 10
110
1024 =
5 10
8 16
10
1024 =
2 =
LCD = 10
( )
r
r r
a b ab =