Assignment 2

course mth 158

assignment #002002. `query 2

College Algebra

09-16-2008

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19:57:55

query R.2.46 (was R.2.36) Evaluate for x = -2, and y = 3 the expression (2x - 3) / y and explan how you got your result.

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RESPONSE -->

2x-3/y = [2(-2)-3]/3 = (-4-3)/3 = -7/3

To obtain my result, I substituted -2 for X and 3 for Y. In doing so, I followed the properties of the arithmetic of quotients, arriving at the answer -7/3 or -2.333...

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19:58:06

** Starting with (2x-3)/y we substitute x=-2 and y=3 to get

(2*(-2) - 3)/3 =

(-4-3)/3=

-7/3. **

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RESPONSE -->

ok

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20:00:35

query R.2. 55 (was R.2.45) Evaluate for x = 3 and y = -2: | |4x| - |5y| | and explan how you got your result.

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RESPONSE -->

| |4x| - |5y| | = | |12| - |-10| | = 12-10 = 2

In computing absolute value, negatives are released -- the absolute value of -10 is 10, so the equation was 12-10 = 2

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20:00:43

** Starting with | | 4x |- | 5y | | we substitute x=3 and y=-2 to get

| | 4*3 | - | 5*-2 | | =

| | 12 | - | -10 | | =

| 12-10 | =

| 2 | =

2. **

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RESPONSE -->

ok

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20:02:35

query R.2.64 (was R.2.54) Explain what values, if any, must not be present in the domain of the expression (-9x^2 - x + 1) / (x^3 + x)

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RESPONSE -->

The values of 1 and -1 must not be present in the domain of the expression (-9x^2 - x + 1) / (x^3 + x)

because these values would cause the denominator of the quotient to be 0 -- thus making the equation undefined.

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20:04:30

** The denominator of this expression cannot be zero, since division by zero is undefined.

Since x^3 + x factors into (x^2 + 1) ( x ) we see that x^3 + x = 0 only if x^2 + 1 = 0 or x = 0.

Since x^2 cannot be negative x^2 + 1 cannot be 0, so x = 0 is indeed the only value for which x^3 + x = 0. **

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RESPONSE -->

I apologize -- I looked at the wrong question. I answered for #62 where the answers were 1 & -1 (b & d). I did have 0 as the answer for this problem.

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20:07:23

query R.2.76 \ 73 (was R.4.6). What is -4^-2 and how did you use the laws of exponents to get your result?

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RESPONSE -->

The problem in the book was stated -4^2, in which the answer would be 16, since two negative numbers multiplied equal a positive number.

However, you are asking for -4^-2, in which the answer would be:

-4^-2 = 1/-4^2 = 1/16

When there is a negative exponent, you inverse the number.

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20:08:40

** order of operations implies exponentiation before multiplication; the - in front of the 4 is not part of the 4 but is an implicit multiplication by -1. Thus only 4 is raised to the -2 power.

-4^(-2) Since a^-b = 1 / (a^b), we have

4^-2 = 1 / (4)^2 = 1 / 16.

The - in front then gives us -4^(-2) = - ( 1/ 16) = -1/16.

If the intent was to take -4 to the -2 power the expression would have been written (-4)^(-2).**

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RESPONSE -->

Got that one wrong -- did not know that the (-) in front of a number implied multiplication by (-1)

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20:17:58

query Extra Problem. What is (3^-2 * 5^3) / (3^2 * 5) and how did you use the laws of exponents to get your result?

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RESPONSE -->

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

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

3^-2-2 * 5^3-1 =

3^-4 * 5^2 =

1/3^4 * 5^2 =

5^2/3^4 =

25/81

Laws of exponents:

a^m/a^n = a^m-n

An inversion was done to correct the negative exponent

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20:18:40

** (3^(-2)*5^3)/(3^2*5). Grouping factors with like bases we have

3^(-2)/3^2 * 5^3 / 5. Using the fact that a^b / a^c = a^(b-c) we get

3^(-2 -2) * 5^(3-1), which gives us

3^-4 * 5^2. Using a^(-b) = 1 / a^b we get

(1/3^4) * 5^2. Simplifying we have

(1/81) * 25 = 25/81. **

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RESPONSE -->

ok

solved a little differently -- same answer

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20:37:15

query R.2.94. Express [ 5 x^-2 / (6 y^-2) ] ^ -3 with only positive exponents and explain how you used the laws of exponents to get your result.

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RESPONSE -->

[ 5 x^-2 / (6 y^-2) ] ^ -3 =

[(5^-3)(x^6)]/[(6^-3)(y^6)] =

[(6^3)(x^6)]/[(5^3)(y^6)] =

216x^6/125y^6

laws of exponents used:

(a^m)^n = a^mn

(ab)^n = a^n(b^n)

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20:37:58

[ 5 x^-2 / (6 y^-2) ] ^ -3 = (5 x^-2)^-3 / (6 y^-2)^-3, since (a/b)^c = a^c / b^c. This simplifies to

5^-3 (x^-2)^-3 / [ 6^-3 (y^-2)^-3 ] since (ab)^c = a^c b^c. Then since (a^b)^c = a^(bc) we have

5^-3 x^6 / [ 6^-3 y^6 ] . We rearrange this to get the result

6^3 x^6 / (5^3 y^6), since a^-b = 1 / a^b.

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RESPONSE -->

ok

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20:43:02

query Extra Problem. Express (-8 x^3) ^ -2 with only positive exponents and explain how you used the laws of exponents to get your result.

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RESPONSE -->

(-8 x^3) ^ -2 =

(-8^-2)(x^-6) =

(-1/8^2)(1/x^6) =

-1/64x^6

exponential law:

(ab)^n = a^nb^n

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20:47:42

** ERRONEOUS STUDENT SOLUTION: (-8x^3)^-2

-1/(-8^2 * x^3+2)

1/64x^5

INSTRUCTOR COMMENT:1/64x^5 means 1 / 64 * x^5 = x^5 / 64. This is not what you meant but it is the only correct interpretation of what you wrote.

Also it's not x^3 * x^2, which would be x^5, but (x^3)^2.

There are several ways to get the solution. Two ways are shown below. They make more sense if you write them out in standard notation.

ONE CORRECT SOLUTION: (-8x^3)^-2 =

(-8)^-2*(x^3)^-2 =

1 / (-8)^2 * 1 / (x^3)^2 =

1/64 * 1/x^6 =

1 / (64 x^5).

Alternatively

(-8 x^3)^-2 =

1 / [ (-8 x^3)^2] =

1 / [ (-8)^2 (x^3)^2 ] =

1 / ( 64 x^6 ). **

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RESPONSE -->

Process was correct -- however, in a previous problem, I thought that it was understood that if a (-) was in front of a number that you assumed that number was multiplied by (-1). I left the -1 on the top of the equation and brought 8^2 to the denominator.

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20:51:51

query R.2.90 (was R.4.36). Express (x^-2 y) / (x y^2) with only positive exponents and explain how you used the laws of exponents to get your result.

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RESPONSE -->

(x^-2 y) / (x y^2) =

(x^-2-1)(y^1-2) =

(x^-3)(y^-1) =

1/x^3y

exponential law:

a^m/a^n = a^m-n

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20:52:05

** (1/x^2 * y) / (x * y^2)

= (1/x^2 * y) * 1 / (x * y^2)

= y * 1 / ( x^2 * x * y^2)

= y / (x^3 y^2)

= 1 / (x^3 y).

Alternatively, or as a check, you could use exponents on term as follows:

(x^-2y)/(xy^2)

= x^-2 * y * x^-1 * y^-2

= x^(-2 - 1) * y^(1 - 2)

= x^-3 y^-1

= 1 / (x^3 y).**

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RESPONSE -->

ok

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21:06:05

query Extra Problem. . Express 4 x^-2 (y z)^-1 / [ (-5)^2 x^4 y^2 z^-5 ] with only positive exponents and explain how you used the laws of exponents to get your result.

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RESPONSE -->

4 x^-2 (y z)^-1 / [ (-5)^2 x^4 y^2 z^-5 ] =

4x^-2 (y^-1)(z^-1)/25x^4(y^2)(z^-5) =

4(x^-2-4)(y^-1-2)(z^-1-5)/25 =

4x^-6y^-3z^-6/25 =

4/25x^6y^3z^6

exponential law:

(ab)^n = a^nb^n

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21:08:24

** Starting with

4x^-2(yz)^-1/ [ (-5)^2 x^4 y^2 z^-5] Squaring the -5 and using the fact that (yz)^-1 = y^1 * z^-1:

4x^-2 * y^-1 * z^-1/ [25 * x^4 * y^2 * z^-5} Grouping the numbers, and the x, the y and the z expression:

(4/25) * (x^-2/x^4) * (y^-1/y^2) * (z^-1/z^-5) Simplifying by the laws of exponents:

(4/25) * x^(-2-4) * y^(-1-2) * z^(-1+5) Simplifying further:

(4/25) * x^-6 * y^-3 * z^4 Writing with positive exponents:

4z^4/ (25x^6 * y^3 ) **

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RESPONSE -->

I got it right to this point:

(4/25) * x^(-2-4) * y^(-1-2) * z^(-1+5)

messed up and forgot that inversing the -5 exponent for z would make it a postive exponent

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21:09:20

query R.2.122 (was R.4.72). Express 0.00421 in scientific notation.

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RESPONSE -->

0.00421 = 4.21 * 10^-3

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21:09:37

** 0.00421 in scientific notation is 4.21*10^-3. This is expressed on many calculators as 4.21 E-4. **

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RESPONSE -->

ok

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21:09:59

query R.2.128 (was R.4.78). Express 9.7 * 10^3 in decimal notation.

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RESPONSE -->

9.7 * 10^3 = 9700

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21:10:04

** 9.7*10^3 in decimal notation is 9.7 * 1000 = 9700 **

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RESPONSE -->

ok

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21:15:40

query R.2.152 \ 150 (was R.2.78) If an unhealthy temperature is one for which | T - 98.6 | > 1.5, then how do you show that T = 97 and T = 100 are unhealthy?

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RESPONSE -->

If | T - 98.6 | > 1.5, then if T=97

| 97 - 98.6 | > 1.5

| 1.6 | > 1.5

1.6 > 1.5 -- T of 97 is unhealthy

If | T - 98.6 | > 1.5, then if T=100

| 100 - 98.6 | > 1.5

| 1.4 | > 1.5

1.4 < 1.5 -- T of 100 does not fit the equation of an unhealthy temperature

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21:15:58

** You can show that T=97 is unhealthy by substituting 97 for T to get | -1.6| > 1.5, equivalent to the true statement 1.6>1.5.

But you can't show that T=100 is unhealthy, when you sustitute for T then it becomes | 100 - 98.6 | > 1.5, or

| 1.4 | > 1.5, giving us

1.4>1.5, which is an untrue statement. **

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RESPONSE -->

ok

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Very good work throughout, and especially good on the self-critiques.