Assignment 13

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course Mth 163

2/28/13 around 8 a.m.

013.

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Question: `q001. Note that this assignment has 12 questions

What does 2^5 mean?

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Your solution:

2^5 means 2 to the 5th power or 2*2*2*2*2 = 32

confidence rating #$&*: 3

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Given Solution:

2^5 stands for 2 raised to the fifth power; i.e., 2^5 = 2*2*2*2*2.

The result of this calculation is 2^5 = 32.

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Self-critique (if necessary): ok

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Self-critique rating: 3

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Question: `q002. What does 2^3 * 2^5 mean? Is the result of power of 2? If so, what power of 2 is it?

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Your solution:

It means 2 to the 3rd power or 2*2*2 = 8

Multiplied by 2^5 which we just saw 2*2*2*2*2 = 32

So we have 8*32 = 256

confidence rating #$&*: 2

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Given Solution:

2^3 * 2^5 means (2*2*2) * (2*2*2*2*2). This is the same as 2*2*2*2*2*2*2*2, or 2^8.

When we multiply this number out, we obtain 256.

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Self-critique (if necessary): ok

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Self-critique rating: 3

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Question: `q003. Why do we say that a^b * a^c = a^(b+c)?

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Your solution:

Because a is raised to the b and c power. So if you add them together then raise it you would get the same answer.

confidence rating #$&*: 3

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Given Solution:

We saw in the preceding example that 2^3 * 2^5 stood for a product of three 2's, multiply by a product of five 2's. We saw also that the result was identical to a product of eight 2's. This was one instance of the general rule that when we multiply to different powers of the same number, the result is that number raised to the sum of the two powers.

One general way to state this rule is to let a stand for the number that is being raised to the different powers, and let b and c stand for those powers. Then we get the statement a^b * a^c = a^(b+c).

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Self-critique (if necessary): ok

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Self-critique rating: 3

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Question: `q004. What does (2^3)^5 mean?

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Your solution:

It means you raise 2 to the 3rd power or 2*2*2 = 8 then you raise 8 to the 5th power or 8*8*8*8*8 = 32768

confidence rating #$&*: 3

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Given Solution:

Since 2^3 stands for 2*2*2, it follows that (2^3)^5 means (2^3)*(2^3)*(2^3)*(2^3)*(2^3) = (2*2*2)*(2*2*2)*(2*2*2)*(2*2*2)*(2*2*2) = 2*2*2*2*2*2*2*2*2*2*2*2*2*2*2 = 2^15.

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Self-critique (if necessary):

I plugged both answers in and got the same thing. Just different ways to carry it out

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Self-critique rating: 3

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Question: `q005. Why do we say that (a^b)^c = a^(b*c)?

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Your solution:

Because b * c are separated by a parentheses we know that they are multiplied by each other. Therefore, we can say that b * c will give the same answer as raising a to the b power then that answer to the c power.

confidence rating #$&*: 3

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Given Solution:

We saw in the last example how (2^3)^5 stands for the product of 5 quantities, each equal to the product of three 2's. We saw how this is equivalent to the product of fifteen 2's, and we saw how the fifteen was obtained by multiplying the exponents 3 and 5.

In the present question a^b stands for the quantity a multiplied by itself b times. (a^b)^c stands for the quantity a^b multiplied by itself c times, which is equivalent to multiplying a by itself b * c times. Thus we say that (a^b)^c = a^(b * c).

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Self-critique (if necessary): ok

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Self-critique rating: 3

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Question: `q006. According to the law a^b * a^c = a*(b+c), if we multiply 2^5 by 2^-2 what power of 2 should we get?

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Your solution:

According to the law you would get 2^5 * 2^-2 = 2^(5 + -2) = 2^(5-2) = 2^3

confidence rating #$&*: 3

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Given Solution:

According to the law, 2^5 * 2^-2 = 2^(5 + -2) = 2^(5-2) = 2^3.

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Self-critique (if necessary): ok

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Self-critique rating: 3

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Question: `q007. Since as we saw in the preceding question 2^5 * 2^-2 = 2^3, what therefore must be the value of 2^-2?

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Your solution:

The value of 2^-2 must be 2^3 / 2^5. We can simplify by saying 2^-2 = 8/ 32.

We get 2^-2 = .25

confidence rating #$&*: 3

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Given Solution:

One way of seeing this is to note that 2^5 = 32 and 2^3 = 8, so we have 32 * 2^-2 = 8. Dividing both sides by 32 we get 2^-2 = 8 / 32 = 1/4.

We can learn something important if we keep the calculation in powers of 2. If 2^5 * 2^-2 = 2^3, then dividing both sides of the equation by 2^5 we obtain 2^-2 = 2^3/2^5, which is equal to 1/2^2.

This shows us why 2^-2 = 1/2^2.

QUESTIONABLE STUDENT RESPONSE: .25

INSTRUCTOR COMMENT

.25 is of course the value of 2^-2. However I'm not sure you've connected this with the fact that 2^5 * 2^-2 = 2^3, as was the intent of the question.

A key word in the given question is 'therefore', which asks you to connect your answer to the fact that 2^5 * 2^-2 = 2^3.

STUDENT QUESTION

It seems to me to be a lot more work to calculate 2^-2 in the process of solving 32 * 2^-2 = 8 but I understand why it can

also be done this way. I am just not sure I understand the need to see it this way. I guess I will understand “why” we need

to know this in future problems.

INSTRUCTOR RESPONSE

The distinction is between using a rule and understanding the reason for the rule.

The rule is that a^(-b) = 1 / a^b, so of course it's valid to say that 2^-2 = 1 / 2^2 = 1/4.

However just applying the rule doesn't give any insight into why the rule must be as it is.

The reason this has to be the rule is that if it isn't, then the calculation of this problem and others like it make no sense. If the other laws of exponents are to be consistent, a^(-b) must by 1 / a^b, as demonstrated by this example.

STUDENT QUESTION

I just don’t understand this part of our assignments. I went back to the CD to see if I could understand it further, but I

can’t seem to find the section. Is there a chapter in our book that would help me to better understand this?

INSTRUCTOR RESPONSE

We're trying to show why 2^(-n) = 1 / 2^n.

Think of it this way:

Suppose you have the expression, say, 2^3 / 2^7. We can look at this expression in two ways:

2^3 / 2^7, which by the laws of exponents must be 2^(3 - 7) = 2^(-4). Let's suppose we don't know what 2^(-4) means. We can

find out by looking at our original expression in another way:

2^3 / 2^7 = (2 * 2 * 2) / (2 * 2 * 2 * 2 * 2 * 2 * 2) = 1 / (2 * 2 * 2 * 2) = 1 / 2^4.

So now we have two ways of writing 2^3 / 2^7. One way is 2^(-4), the other way is 1 / 2^4.

We conclude that 2^(-4) = 1 / 2^4.

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Self-critique (if necessary): ok

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Self-critique rating: 3

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Question: `q008. Why must we say that 2^-n = 1 / 2^n, where n stands for any counting number?

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Your solution:

Because a number raised to a negative power is always the reciprocal of that number.

We can plug in a random number to test this out. Let’s say n = 2

We would have 2^-2 = 1/ 2^2

Solving this we would get 2 ^-2 = .25

confidence rating #$&*: 3

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Given Solution:

This is because for any number m, we have 2^m * 2^-n = 2^( m + -n) = 2^(m-n), and we also have 2^m * (1 / 2^n) = 2^m / 2^n = 2^(m-n). So whether we multiply 2^m by 2^-n or by 1 / 2^n we get the same result. This shows that 2^-n and 1 / 2^n are the same.

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Self-critique (if necessary): ok

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Self-critique rating: 3

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Question: `q009. According to the law a^b * a^c = a^(b+c), if we multiply 2^3 by 2^-3 what power of 2 should we get?

Since 2^-3 = 1 / 2^3, what number must we get when we multiply 2^3 by 2^-3?

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Your solution:

According to the first law we would get 2^3 * 2^-3 = 2^(3 + -3) = 2^(3-3) = 2^0\

To carry out the second part we would get the equation 2^3 * 2^-3. We first must take 2 to the 3rd power which is 8. Then we must take 2 ^-3 = .125. Then we multiply 8* .125 = 1.

confidence rating #$&*: 3

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Given Solution:

2^3 * 2^-3 = 2^(3 + -3) = 2^(3-3) = 2^0.

Since 2^-3 = 1 / 2^3 it follows that 2^3 * 2^-3 = 2^3 * ( 1 / 2^3) = 1.

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Self-critique (if necessary): ok

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Self-critique rating: 3

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Question: `q010. Continuing the last question, what therefore should be the value of 2^0?

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Your solution:

The value of 2^0 = 1 and should be since the second part of that equation had the same numbers and answer of 1.

confidence rating #$&*: 3

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Given Solution:

Since 2^3 * 2^-3 = 2^0 and also 2^3 * 2^-3 = 1 we see that 2^0 must be 1.

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Self-critique (if necessary): ok

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Self-critique rating: 3

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Question: `q011. How do we solve the equation x^3 = 12?

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Your solution:

To solve for x^3 = 12 or 12 ^(1/3) power. We must take the cubed root of both sides getting 2.289

confidence rating #$&*: 3

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Given Solution:

We solve the equation by taking the 1/3 power of both sides:

(x^3)^(1/3) = 12^(1/3), then by the law (a^b)^c = a^(bc) we have

x^(3 * 1/3) = 12^(1/3), so that

x^1 = 12^(1/3) or just

x = 12^(1/3), which we can easily enough evaluate with a calculator. We obtain a result of approximately x = 2.29 .

STUDENT QUESTION

I see in the solution you raise each side to a power of 1/3. Is it also okay to just take the cube root of each side, since

that is equivalent?

INSTRUCTOR RESPONSE: It's easier to denote fractional exponents using the keyboard than to denote radicals, which is the reason fractional exponents are used in these solutions.

You should be able to do it either way, if requested.

However either way is fine, and your solution is good.

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Self-critique (if necessary): ok

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Self-critique rating: 3

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Question: `q012. How do we solve the equation x^(5/2) = 44?

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Your solution:

To solve this we would take the 5/2 root of 44. Or the 2.5 root of 44 which is 4.543

confidence rating #$&*: 3

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Given Solution:

If we take the 2/5 power of both sides we get

(x^(5/2))^(2/5) = 44^(2/5) or

x^(5/2 * 2/5) = 44^(2/5) or

x^1 = 44^(2/5) so that

x = 44^(2/5).

Evaluating by calculator you should obtain approximately x = 4.54.

STUDENT COMMENT

Okay, I see now why in question 11, you multiplied each side of the equation by 1/3 to get rid of the power of 3 attached to

x. In this problem it would be more difficult to take a 5/2 root of a number. It is much easier to just flip that fraction

and raise both sides to that power. (5/2) * (2/5) equals 1, so you wind up with x^1 on one side, which is just x and multiply

the other side by 2/5 to get the result of x.

INSTRUCTOR RESPONSE

You could equally well write this as the 5th root of x^2, or even as the square of the 5th root of x, but the fractional

notation is more compact, less cumbersome, in a text-based medium.

The fractional notation also makes more sense of the calculation, for the reasons you have noted.

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Self-critique (if necessary): ok

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Self-critique rating: 3

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Question: `q013. In terms of the meaning of 5^7, the meaning of 5^4 and the meaning of 5^11, explain why 5^7 * 5^4 = 5^11. We both know that the rule for multiplying these numbers tells us that 5^7 *5^4 = 5^(7 + 4). You can't explain by quoting this rule, or any rule; you need to explain in terms of the given meanings.

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Your solution:

I am not sure how to justify this?? I could multiply them together and get a number, but it wouldn’t show 5^11. The only way I know is to show it the way you already have???

@&

The explanation given in `q002 differs from your solution and should have been self-critiqued.

This question needs to be answered in a similar manner.

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confidence rating #$&*:0

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Question: `q014. Explain in terms of the rule a^b * a^c = a^(b + c) why 7^-11 must be equal to 1 / (7^11).

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Your solution:

7^-11 must equal 1/(7^11) because we know that taking the negative power of a number makes it the reciprocal. Therefore taking the negative of 7^-11 is 1/(7^11).

@&

The solution to `q008 differs in nature from the solution you gave, and should have been self-critiqued.

Understanding that solution and perhaps other given solutions would provide the insight required to explain this.

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confidence rating #$&*: 3

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Question: Solve the equation 2 x * 5^(-3/5) = 9, giving an exact solution (which will be expressed in terms of rational numbers and powers of rational numbers; for example 17^(43/11) / 8 is expressed in this manner but its approximate value 8069.501481 is not exact).

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Your solution:

We would first take the -3/5 power of 5 which would be 0.381.

@&

The -3/5 power of 5 is about .381, but this is only an approximation, not an exact value.

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The methods used in the givesn solutions for `q011 and `q012 could be useful in obtaining an exact solution to this equation.

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A calculator will not help you find an exact solution to this type of equation.

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then we must multiply that by 2 getting .761

I am not sure why the answer is 9???

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The equation is

2 x * 5^(-3/5) = 9

The goal is to find the exact value of x, using the rules of algebra.

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confidence rating #$&*:0

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Self-critique rating:

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I recommend that you revise and submit the last three problems, which use techniques introduced in the given solutions to various problems in this document.

&#Please see my notes and submit a copy of this document with revisions, comments and/or questions, and mark your insertions with &&&& (please mark each insertion at the beginning and at the end).

Be sure to include the entire document, including my notes.

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