COLLEGE PREP ~ Section 7.

2 -- Simplify Expressions Using the Laws of Exponents

Objectives:
• Use the Laws of Exponents to simplify expressions that contain rational exponents.
• Use the Laws of Exponents to simplify radical expressions.
• Factor expressions containing rational exponents.

The Laws of Exponents that we learned before when we worked with exponents that were integers, will also
work for rational exponents. Here is a quick overview:
LAWS OF EXPONENTS:

Assuming that
and  are real numbers, and assuming the expression is defined (there aren’t any denominators
equal to zero)...

Zero Exponent Rule:
 = 1 if
≠ 0


Negative-Exponent Rule:

= if
≠ 0


 
  
Product Rule:

∙
 =




 ⁄
   
Quotient Rule:  =

 =  if
≠ 0
 ⁄   
 


 
Power Rule: 
 =

∙

Product to Power Rule: 
∙ 
=

∙ 

Quotient to Power Rule:   = if  ≠ 0



 


Quotient to a Negative Power Rule:   =  if
≠ 0,  ≠ 0

“To Simplify” means the following:

• All exponents are positive.
• Each base occurs only once (we combine all x’s, y’s, numerical coefficients, etc.).
• There are no parentheses left in the expression.
• There are no powers written to powers left in the expression.
EXAMPLES: Simplify each of the following.

A) 16⁄ ∙ 16⁄ Use the Product Rule

 !

16⁄ ∙ 16⁄ = 16 " Get common denominators
# !

= 16 " " Combine and Reduce
$
= 16 = 16
" Rewrite as a radical and simplify.

= % √16' = 4 = )*


 !
+ ⁄
B) = 4 
"

Use the Quotient Rule or the Negative-Exponent Rule
+!⁄"
 !
= 4  
" Get common denominators to add. Simplify.
# ! $ 
  
=4 = 4 = 4 = % √4' = 2 = -

" " "

⁄ !
C) %4⁄ ' = 4∙ 
Use the Power Rule.
.! ! 
= 4 = 4 = % √4' = 2 = /0

" 

1
D) %
⁄  ⁄+ ' Use the Product to Power Rule, and the Negative –
Exponent Rule.
=
  # =
  # =
  + = 3 6 50
 ∙2 .∙2 # 2 *
4

+⁄
E) %7 +⁄ 8  '%7  8 ⁄ ' Start by using the Power Rule on the second set of ( ).
# . # # 2 #
    
= %7 +⁄ 8  '7 8   = 7 8   7 8 "  Now use the Product Rule.
# 2 # # . # # 2
= 7 
   
= 7 8 
 
8 " " " = 7 8 " Reduce the fractions and move the
# #
9*⁄/
= 7 8 = :*⁄/ negative exponents.

!
%; . < ⁄! '
F) ;<
Use the Product to Power Rule on the numerator.

 !
! ; .! < ! ; ! < 
= = Simplify using the quotient rule.
;< ;<
/0
= 327  8  = 32 7 > 8  = 32 7 > 1 = 9?
EXAMPLE: Use Rational Exponents to simplify the radicals.

√9
"
G) Rewrite as a rational exponent, and reduce the fraction as far as possible, then
put back into radical form.
.
= 9" = 9 = √9 = /


.
H) √27
  B = 27
  B  Use the Power to Product Rule

. . .
= 27
∙   B∙  = √27 ∙
   = /43/

#
√; ; ⁄#
I) = Rewrite as rational exponents, then use the Quotient Rule.
√; ; .⁄
.  .
     
= 7 = 7 = 7 # = √9
*
#  # #

J) C √D WORK FROM THE INSIDE OUT!

.
ED = D 
. . 
Now apply the Power Rule.
.. .
∙
= D = D = √F
)
 "

Homework: Page 546: # 3, 5, 9, 13, 17, 21, 25, 29, 31, 27, 41, 45, 65, 69, 73 (15 problems)