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Ch. R - Review of Basic Concepts
Lial - College Algebra 13th Edition
Lial13th EditionCollege AlgebraISBN: 9780136881063Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 1, Problem 19

Write each root using exponents and evaluate. ⁵√32

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1
Recognize that the expression ⁵√32 represents the fifth root of 32, which can be rewritten using exponents as \(32^{\frac{1}{5}}\).
Express 32 as a power of a prime number. Since 32 is \$2^5$, rewrite the expression as \(\left(2^5\right)^{\frac{1}{5}}\).
Apply the power of a power property of exponents: \(\left(a^m\right)^n = a^{m \times n}\). So, \(\left(2^5\right)^{\frac{1}{5}} = 2^{5 \times \frac{1}{5}}\).
Simplify the exponent multiplication: \(5 \times \frac{1}{5} = 1\), so the expression becomes \$2^1$.
Interpret the result: \$2^1$ is simply 2, which is the value of the fifth root of 32.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Radicals and Roots

A radical expression involves roots, such as square roots or fifth roots, which represent the inverse operation of exponentiation. The fifth root of a number is the value that, when raised to the power of 5, equals the original number. Understanding how to interpret and manipulate roots is essential for solving the problem.
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Imaginary Roots with the Square Root Property

Exponential Notation for Roots

Roots can be expressed using fractional exponents, where the nth root of a number is written as that number raised to the power of 1/n. For example, the fifth root of 32 can be written as 32^(1/5). This notation allows the use of exponent rules to simplify and evaluate roots.
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Evaluating Powers and Simplification

Evaluating expressions with exponents involves applying the rules of exponents and recognizing powers of numbers. Since 32 is 2 raised to the 5th power, rewriting 32 as 2^5 and then applying the fractional exponent simplifies the evaluation, making it easier to find the numerical value of the root.
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