Chapter 7: Problem 21
In \(3-37,\) express each power as a rational number in simplest form. $$ 100^{-\frac{3}{2}} $$
Short Answer
Expert verified
The simplest form of \(100^{-\frac{3}{2}}\) is \(\frac{1}{1000}\).
Step by step solution
01
Understand the expression
The expression given is \(100^{-\frac{3}{2}}\). This is an expression involving a negative exponent and a fractional exponent, which we need to simplify.
02
Convert the negative exponent
A negative exponent indicates the reciprocal of the base raised to the positive of that exponent. Therefore, \(100^{-\frac{3}{2}}\) becomes \(\frac{1}{100^{\frac{3}{2}}}\).
03
Simplify the fractional exponent
Next, simplify the expression with the fraction exponent \(100^{\frac{3}{2}}\). The exponent \(\frac{3}{2}\) means raising the base to the 1/2 power (square root) and then cubing the result.
04
Find the square root
Calculate the square root of 100. Since \(\sqrt{100} = 10\), the expression becomes \(10^3\).
05
Cube the result
Calculate \(10^3\). Since \(10^3 = 1000\), this means \(100^{\frac{3}{2}} = 1000\). We can now write the expression as \(\frac{1}{1000}\).
06
Present the answer
The simplified form of the expression \(100^{-\frac{3}{2}}\) is \(\frac{1}{1000}\).
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Understanding Negative Exponents
Negative exponents are a fascinating concept that turn the base into its reciprocal. When you see a negative exponent, like in the expression \(100^{-\frac{3}{2}}\), this means the base, 100, is to be represented as the reciprocal of its positive exponent version. In simpler terms:
- Flip the base. The negative sign tells you to take \(\frac{1}{\text{base}}\).
- Change the exponent to positive. So, \(100^{-\frac{3}{2}} = \frac{1}{100^{\frac{3}{2}}}\).
Comprehending Fractional Exponents
Fractional exponents come into play as a more elegant way to express operations like roots. They essentially mean taking a root and then powering the result or vice versa. For instance, in \(100^{\frac{3}{2}}\):
- The fraction \(\frac{3}{2}\) indicates you're dealing with both a square root and a cube operation.
- The bottom number, 2, is the root. It tells you to take the square root of the base, 100.
- The top number, 3, is the exponent. After finding the square root, you need to cube the result.
The Art of Simplifying Expressions
Simplifying expressions is about taking a complex problem and breaking it down into more manageable parts. For expressions with rational exponents, follow systematic steps:
- Handle each component separately, starting from negative exponents. Apply the reciprocal to make the exponent positive.
- Next, address the fractional exponent by performing the indicated root and powers.
- Finally, simplify the results to the most compact form.