Chapter 7: Problem 12
In \(3-37,\) express each power as a rational number in simplest form. $$ 5(81)^{\frac{1}{4}} $$
Short Answer
Expert verified
The expression simplifies to 15.
Step by step solution
01
Understand the Expression
The given expression is \(5(81)^{\frac{1}{4}}\). We need to express this in the simplest rational form. The expression contains a power of 81, which is raised to the \(\frac{1}{4}\) power.
02
Simplify the Power
We know that \((81)^{\frac{1}{4}}\) is the same as finding the fourth root of 81. To simplify \((81)^{\frac{1}{4}}\), we determine the fourth root of 81.
03
Evaluate the Fourth Root
Identify the fourth root of 81. Recall that 81 can be written as \(3^4\), because \(3 \times 3 \times 3 \times 3 = 81\). Therefore, \((81)^{\frac{1}{4}} = 3\).
04
Multiply by the Coefficient
Now that we know \((81)^{\frac{1}{4}} = 3\), we multiply by the coefficient 5. Therefore, \(5 \times 3 = 15\).
05
Write the Final Answer
The simplest form of the expression \(5(81)^{\frac{1}{4}}\) is 15.
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Understanding Rational Numbers
A rational number is any number that can be expressed as the quotient or fraction of two integers, with a non-zero denominator. This means both whole numbers and fractions fall into this category. To better understand this concept, consider these points:
- The number 4 is rational because it can be written as \( \frac{4}{1} \).
- A fraction like \( \frac{3}{5} \) is also rational because it is a ratio of two integers.
- Rational numbers include integers, fractions, and terminating or repeating decimals.
Unveiling the Fourth Root
The fourth root of a number is a value that, when multiplied by itself four times, gives the original number. This operation is part of the more general concept of roots, just like the well-known square root, but involving four identical factors.
- In our exercise, we explored the fourth root of 81.
- To find the fourth root, consider: 81 can be rearranged as \(3^4\), since \(3 \times 3 \times 3 \times 3 = 81\).
- Therefore, \((81)^{\frac{1}{4}}\) simplifies to 3.
The Role of Coefficients in Expressions
Coefficients are the numerical factors in algebraic expressions that multiply a variable or a power. They are pivotal in carrying out multiplication after simplifying terms such as roots.
- In our example, the coefficient before the power expression was 5.
- After establishing that \((81)^{\frac{1}{4}} = 3\), we next multiply by the coefficient: \(5 \times 3\).
- This results in the simplified rational form of 15.