Simplify the Square Root Expression: √(5x⁴)

Question

Solve the following exercise:

5x4= \sqrt{5x^4}=

Video Solution

Solution Steps

00:00 Simplify the expression
00:03 Square root of a number (A) times square root of another number (B)
00:07 Equals the square root of their product (A times B)
00:10 Let's use this formula in our exercise, and convert from root 1 to two
00:18 Let's break down X to the power of 4 into X squared to the power of 2
00:29 Square root of any number (A) squared cancels out the square
00:32 Let's use this formula in our exercise
00:35 And this is the solution to the question

Step-by-Step Solution

To simplify the given expression, we will use the following three laws of exponents:

a. Definition of root as an exponent:

an=a1n \sqrt[n]{a}=a^{\frac{1}{n}}

b. Law of exponents for an exponent applied to terms in parentheses:

(ab)n=anbn (a\cdot b)^n=a^n\cdot b^n

c. Law of exponents for an exponent raised to an exponent:

(am)n=amn (a^m)^n=a^{m\cdot n}

Let's start with converting the fourth root to an exponent using the law of exponents mentioned in a:

5x4=(5x4)12= \sqrt{5x^4}= \\ \downarrow\\ (5x^4)^{\frac{1}{2}}=

Next, we'll use the law of exponents mentioned in b and apply the exponent to each factor in the parentheses:

(5x4)12=512(x4)12 (5x^4)^{\frac{1}{2}}= \\ 5^{\frac{1}{2}}\cdot(x^4)^{{\frac{1}{2}}}

Let's continue, using the law of exponents mentioned in c and perform the exponent operation on the term with an exponent in the parentheses (the second term in the multiplication):

512(x4)12=512x412=512x2=5x2 5^{\frac{1}{2}}\cdot(x^4)^{{\frac{1}{2}}} = \\ 5^{\frac{1}{2}}\cdot x^{4\cdot\frac{1}{2}}=\\ 5^{\frac{1}{2}}\cdot x^{2}=\\ \boxed{\sqrt{5}x^2}

In the final step, we converted the one-half power applied to the first term in the multiplication back to the fourth root form, again, according to the definition of root as an exponent mentioned in a (in the reverse direction).

Therefore, the correct answer is answer c.

Answer

5x2 \sqrt{5}x^2