Chapter 9: Problem 91
Simplify each expression, if possible. All variables represent positive real numbers. $$ \sqrt[5]{x^{6} y^{2}}+\sqrt[5]{32 x^{6} y^{2}}+\sqrt[5]{x^{6} y^{2}} $$
Short Answer
Expert verified
The expression simplifies to \( 4x \cdot \sqrt[5]{x y^2} \).
Step by step solution
01
Identify Similar Terms
The expression is \( \sqrt[5]{x^{6} y^{2}} + \sqrt[5]{32 x^{6} y^{2}} + \sqrt[5]{x^{6} y^{2}} \). Notice that the first and the last terms are identical: \( \sqrt[5]{x^{6} y^{2}} \). We will combine these similar terms.
02
Combine Like Terms
Since \( \sqrt[5]{x^{6} y^{2}} \) appears twice, add these two terms: \( \sqrt[5]{x^{6} y^{2}} + \sqrt[5]{x^{6} y^{2}} = 2 \cdot \sqrt[5]{x^{6} y^{2}} \). Now, the expression is \( 2 \cdot \sqrt[5]{x^{6} y^{2}} + \sqrt[5]{32 x^{6} y^{2}} \).
03
Simplify Each Radical Term
Simplify each radical term by factoring out powers of the inner expression equal to the root. For \( \sqrt[5]{x^{6} y^{2}} \), \( x^{6} = (x^{5}) \cdot x \), giving us \( x \cdot \sqrt[5]{x y^2} \). For \( \sqrt[5]{32 x^{6} y^{2}} \), note that 32 is \( 2^5 \), so it simplifies to \( 2 \cdot x \cdot \sqrt[5]{x y^2} \).
04
Substitute Simplified Forms Back into Expression
Substitute the simplified forms into the expression: \( 2 \cdot (x \cdot \sqrt[5]{x y^2}) + 2 \cdot x \cdot \sqrt[5]{x y^2} = 2x \cdot \sqrt[5]{x y^2} + 2x \cdot \sqrt[5]{x y^2} \).
05
Combine All Simplified Terms
Since both terms are identical, combine them: \( 4x \cdot \sqrt[5]{x y^2} \).
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Combining Like Terms
Combining like terms is a foundational concept in algebra that helps simplify expressions by aggregating terms that have the same variables and exponents. In the given exercise, we have the expression
- \(\sqrt[5]{x^{6} y^{2}} + \sqrt[5]{32 x^{6} y^{2}} + \sqrt[5]{x^{6} y^{2}}\)
- 1 and 1 add up to give 2, resulting in the combined term \(2 \cdot \sqrt[5]{x^{6} y^{2}}\).
Simplifying Radicals
Simplifying radicals involves breaking down the expression under a root to its simplest form. Radicals often appear tricky, but they become manageable once factors are rearranged. Consider the radical \(\sqrt[5]{x^{6}y^2}\). Since \(x^{6}\) can be expressed as \((x^{5}) \cdot x\), the fifth root of \(x^{6}\) can be simplified by
- factoring out \(x^{5}\), which results in \(x \cdot \sqrt[5]{xy^2}\).
- \(2 \cdot \sqrt[5]{x^{6} y^{2}}\), which further reduces to \(2 \cdot x \cdot \sqrt[5]{xy^2}\).
Exponents and Roots
Understanding exponents and roots is essential to simplifying expressions in algebra. Exponents indicate how many times a number is multiplied by itself, while roots are essentially the inverse, showing what number multiplied by itself gives the original number. In this exercise, the expression \(x^6\) under a fifth root was simplified by
- recognizing that \(x^6 = (x^5) \cdot x\), hence can be split into \(x \cdot \sqrt[5]{x}\).
- Similarly, 32 as \(2^5\), perfectly fits the fifth root, getting rid of any root component in the simplification.