Chapter 1: Problem 7
Express the number in the form a/b, where \(a\) and \(b\) are integers. $$9^{5 / 2}$$
Short Answer
Expert verified
\(9^{5/2} = \frac{243}{1}\).
Step by step solution
01
Understand the Expression
The expression given is \(9^{5/2}\). The fraction \(\frac{5}{2}\) in the exponent can be interpreted as \(9^{5/2} = (9^{1/2})^5\). This means we find the square root of 9 and then raise the result to the 5th power.
02
Calculate the Square Root
The square root of 9 is calculated as \(9^{1/2} = \sqrt{9} = 3\). So, \(9^{1/2} = 3\).
03
Raise to the 5th Power
Now, we take the result from Step 2 and raise it to the 5th power: \((3)^5 = 3 \times 3 \times 3 \times 3 \times 3\).
04
Compute Exponentiation
Calculating \(3^5\), we multiply: \(3 \times 3 = 9\); then, \(9 \times 3 = 27\); next, \(27 \times 3 = 81\); finally, \(81 \times 3 = 243\). Thus, \(3^5 = 243\).
05
Write as a Fraction
Since the result \(243\) is an integer, it can be expressed as a fraction where the denominator is 1. Therefore, the expression \(9^{5/2}\) can be written as \(\frac{243}{1}\).
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Rational Exponents
Rational exponents involve the use of fractions in the exponent of a base number. The expression \(9^{5/2}\) is a good example of this. Here, the fraction \(\frac{5}{2}\) acts as the exponent.
This exponent can be seen as combining two operations: taking the root and raising to a power.
This exponent can be seen as combining two operations: taking the root and raising to a power.
- The denominator (2) represents the type of root, in this case, a square root, because \( \frac{1}{2} \) corresponds to a square root.
- The numerator (5) indicates the power to which the result should be raised.
Square Root
The square root is an essential concept when dealing with rational exponents. A square root asks the question: what number, when multiplied by itself, will give the original number? For instance, the square root of 9, written as \( \sqrt{9} \), asks which number multiplied by itself equals 9.
The answer is 3, because \(3 \times 3 = 9\).
The answer is 3, because \(3 \times 3 = 9\).
- For practical use, the square root symbol \( \sqrt{} \) is often replaced by the exponent form \(9^{1/2}\).
- This transformation from root notation to exponent notation is crucial for carrying out calculations further, especially in exponential form.
- Knowing this allows us to rewrite expressions like \( (\sqrt{9})^5 \) seamlessly into the format \((3)^5\).
Fraction Representation
Once the exponentiation process is complete, it is important to represent the result clearly. In mathematical terms, expressing a number in the form \( \frac{a}{b} \) where both \( a \) and \( b \) are integers provides clarity.
For the problem \(9^{5/2}\), as calculated in the original solution, this simplifies to an integer, 243.
For the problem \(9^{5/2}\), as calculated in the original solution, this simplifies to an integer, 243.
- When a result is an integer like 243, it can simply be expressed as \( \frac{243}{1} \).
- Formulating numbers in this fraction form helps emphasize the integer nature, especially when dealing with expressions containing exponents.
- It also makes calculations consistent, following a standardized format.