Chapter 1: Problem 83
Simplify the expression, assuming \(x\) and \(y\) may be negative. $$\sqrt[4]{x^{8}(y-1)^{12}}$$
Short Answer
Expert verified
The expression simplifies to \(x^2(y-1)^3\).
Step by step solution
01
Rewrite the Expression with Rational Exponents
The expression is \( \sqrt[4]{x^{8}(y-1)^{12}} \). We first rewrite the fourth root as a power of 1/4: \[\sqrt[4]{x^{8}(y-1)^{12}} = (x^{8}(y-1)^{12})^{1/4}.\] Then, distribute the exponent of \(1/4\) to each factor inside the parentheses:\[(x^{8})^{1/4} \cdot ((y-1)^{12})^{1/4}.\]
02
Simplify Individual Terms
Apply the power rule of exponents, \((a^m)^n = a^{m \cdot n}\), to simplify each term separately:- For \((x^{8})^{1/4}\), we have \(x^{8 \cdot \frac{1}{4}} = x^{2}\).- For \(((y-1)^{12})^{1/4}\), we have \((y-1)^{12 \cdot \frac{1}{4}} = (y-1)^{3}\).
03
Combine the Simplified Terms
Multiply the results from Step 2 to get the simplified expression:\[x^{2} \cdot (y-1)^{3}.\] This is the simplified form of the given expression.
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Rational Exponents
Rational exponents provide a convenient way to express roots as powers. Rather than writing a root symbol, we use a fraction as the exponent. For example, the fourth root of a number can be expressed with an exponent of 1/4. This means:
- The fourth root of a number \( a \) is \( a^{1/4} \).
- This approach is especially helpful when dealing with variables and powers.
Power Rule
The power rule is a fundamental principle in dealing with exponents. It states:
\((a^m)^n = a^{m \cdot n}\).
This allows us to simplify expressions where an exponent is raised to another exponent.
\((a^m)^n = a^{m \cdot n}\).
This allows us to simplify expressions where an exponent is raised to another exponent.
- In our expression, \((x^8)^{1/4}\), the power rule helps simplify it to \(x^{8 \cdot 1/4} = x^2\).
- Similarly, for \(((y-1)^{12})^{1/4}\), applying the power rule gives \((y-1)^{12 \cdot 1/4} = (y-1)^{3}\).
Simplifying Expressions
Simplifying expressions usually means reducing them to the simplest possible form. This might involve combining like terms, factoring, or applying exponent rules.
- In the example, we began with a fourth root and used rational exponents to rewrite the expression.
- We applied the power rule to handle each term individually.
- After simplification, the expression \(x^{2} \cdot (y-1)^{3}\) no longer contained roots and was expressed in its simplest polynomial form.
Fourth Root
The fourth root of a number is the value that, when multiplied by itself four times, gives the original number. It is written as \( \sqrt[4]{a} \), which can also be expressed as \( a^{1/4} \).
- Finding the fourth root is essentially finding \( a \) such that \( a^4 = x \).
- When dealing with variables, expressing the fourth root as an exponent makes the expression easier to simplify.
- In the exercise \( \sqrt[4]{x^{8}(y-1)^{12}} \), the fourth root is calculated across the entire expression, allowing use of exponent rules for simplification.