𝑅𝐴𝐷𝐼𝐶𝐴𝐿

LEARNING TARGETS:
• DEFINE RADICAL
• REWRITE RADICAL INTO EXPRESSION WITH RATIONAL EXPONENT
• IDENTIFY LAWS OF RADICAL
• SIMPLIFY RADICAL
• OPERATIONS ON RADICAL
• SOLVE RADICAL EQUATION
What is Radical?
The radical of a number is the same as the root of a number.
The root can be a square root, cube root, or in general, nth root.
Thus, any number or expression that uses a root is known as a
radical.
The radical can describe different kinds of roots for a number
such as square root, cube root, fourth root, and so on:
3 4
𝑎, 𝑎, 𝑎
Anatomy of Radical

The symbol '√' that expresses a root of a number is known as radical and is
read as x radical n or nth root of x. The number n written before the radical is
called the index or degree and radicand is an expression or variable written
inside a radical symbol
The number written before the radical is known as the
index or degree. This number helps in telling us how
many times the number would be multiplied by itself to
equal the radicand.
For example: ∛125 = 5 as 5 × 5 × 5 or 53 = 125.
Rewrite radical into expression with
rational exponent:
1
𝑛
𝑎 = 𝑎 , In general for any real number a and n ≥ 2.
𝑛

Example:
1
2
1. 51 or 5 5 2

the radicand 5 will be the base where exponent 1 is the

numerator and the index 2 is the denominator of the rational
exponent.
Rewrite radical into expression with
rational exponent:
Example 1:
2
3
2 𝑥2 2𝑥 3

Example 2:
2
3
(2𝑥)2 (2𝑥) 3

For example number 1, we have a coefficient 2 and a radicand x. If we

will rewrite that into an expression, only the variable x has a rational
exponent.
For example number 2, we have a radicand 2x with the exponent of 2.
The parenthesis emphasize that 2x is a base with a rational exponent.
EXERCISE:
Write each of the following radicals as expression with
rational exponents:
5
1) 4
5
2) 4 𝑥 4
3
3) (2𝑦)2
LAWS OF RADICAL:
𝑛
1. 𝑎𝑛 = 𝑎
𝑛 𝑛 𝑛
2. 𝑎𝑏= 𝑎∙ 𝑏
𝑛
𝑛 𝑎 𝑎
3. 𝑏
= 𝑛
𝑏
𝑚 𝑛 𝑚𝑛
4. 𝑎= 𝑎
𝑛
𝑎𝑛 = 𝑎
3
1. 43 = 4
4
2. (𝑎𝑏)4 = 𝑎𝑏
5
3. 𝑦5 = 𝑦
3
4. 8𝑥 3 =2x
If the index is equal to the exponent, the answer is the
radicand itself.
For negative radicand :
2
1. (−5)2 = 5
3
2. (−5)3 = - 5

if the index and exponent are equal and is an even number, the
answer is always positive.
if the index and exponent are equal and is an odd number, the answer
is always negative.
𝑛 𝑛 𝑛
𝑎𝑏= 𝑎∙ 𝑏
1. 20 = 4 ∙ 5 = 2 5
We can simplify if the radicand is not a perfect square by having the factors where
one radical is a perfect square. 4 is equal to 2 and 5 is just simply 5.

4 4 4 4
2. 𝑥7 = 𝑥4 ∙ 𝑥3 =𝑥 𝑥3
5 5 5 5
3. 𝑦6 = 𝑦5 ∙ 𝑦1 = 𝑦 𝑦1
5
4. 𝑦 10 = 𝑦 2
We can simplify the exponent of the variable using the law of radical.
 𝑛
𝑛 𝑎 𝑎
= 𝑛
𝑏 𝑏
25 25 5
1. = =
16 16 4

Take the square root of numerator and denominator to simplify.

3 10 3
2. = 2
5

Simplify the radicand since the numerator is divisible to the denominator.

𝑥2 𝑥
3. =
16 4

Simplify the exponent of the variable and take the square root of the
denominator which is 4
𝑚 𝑛 𝑚𝑛
𝑎= 𝑎
5 2 10
1. 15 = 15
3 4 12
2. 9= 9
2 3 6
3. 7𝑥 = 7𝑥
To simplify the root of root of a radical, just multiply the two
index.
Simplify using the law of radicals:
2 4 8
1. 8= 8

4𝑎4 4𝑎4 2𝑎2

2. = =
𝑏6 𝑏6 𝑏3
5 5 5
3. 32𝑥 7 𝑦 5 𝑧 = 25 ∙ 𝑥5 ∙ 𝑥2 ∙ 𝑦5 ∙ 𝑧 = 2xy 𝑥 2 𝑧
3 3 3 3
4. 250 = 125 ∙ 2=5 2
 ADDING RADICALS
- We can add radicals if they have same index and same radicand.
- We can only simplify the coefficient.

1. 7 3 + 2 3 = 9 3
2. 3
𝑥 -5 𝑥+7 𝑥 =3 𝑥
3 3 3

3. 3 2𝑦 + 4 2𝑦 + 6 2𝑦 = 7 2𝑦 + 6 2𝑦
4 4 3 4 3
 SUBTRACTING RADICALS
- We can subtract radicals if they have same index and same
radicand.
- We can only simplify the coefficient.

3 3 3
1. 5 10 - 9 10 = −4 10
2. 6 3𝑦 - 3 3𝑦 = 3 3𝑦
2 2 2

4 3 4 3
3. 3 - 4= 3 - 4
MULTIPLYING RADICALS
- We can multiply radicals if they have same index
- We can simplify the coefficient and radicand

1. 2 5 ∙ 3 3 = 6 15
3 3 3
2. 3∙ 5 = 15
3. 9𝑥 3 ∙ 36𝑥 5 = 324𝑥 8 = 18𝑥 4
DIVIDING RADICALS
- We can divide radicals if they have same index.
- We can simplify the coefficient and radicand.
32
1. = 16 = 4
2
3
9𝑥 3 9𝑥 3
2. 3 = = 3
3𝑥 3𝑥

50𝑥 3
3. = 25𝑥 2 = 5𝑥
2𝑥
RADICAL EQUATION
A radical equation is an equation in which a variable is under a radical.
1. 𝑥 + 3 = 6
( 𝑥 + 3 )2 = (6)2
𝑥 + 3 = 36
𝑥 = 36 − 3
𝑥 = 33
Raise both sides of the equation to the index of the radical to eliminate the radical sign. To
eliminate square root, we need to raise the expression by the power of 2. Simplify and apply
transpose method to solve the value of x.
RADICAL EQUATION
A radical equation is an equation in which a variable is under a radical.
1. 3
𝑦+2 =4
( 3 𝑦 + 2 )3 = (4)3
y + 2 = 64
y = 64 − 2
y = 62
Raise both sides of the equation to the index of the radical to eliminate the radical sign. To
eliminate cube root, we need to raise the expression by the power of 3.
Simplify and apply transpose method to solve the value of y.