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Elementary Algebra

Key Terms

Elementary AlgebraKey Terms

Key Terms

index
anan n is called the index of the radical.
like radicals
Radicals with the same index and same radicand are called like radicals.
like square roots
Square roots with the same radicand are called like square roots.
nth root of a number
If bn=abn=a, then bb is an nth root of aa.
principal nth root
The principal nth root of aa is written anan.
radical equation
An equation in which the variable is in the radicand of a square root is called a radical equation
rational exponents
  • If anan is a real number and n≥2n≥2, a1n=ana1n=an.
  • For any positive integers m and n, amn=(an)mamn=(an)m and amn=amnamn=amn.
rationalizing the denominator
The process of converting a fraction with a radical in the denominator to an equivalent fraction whose denominator is an integer is called rationalizing the denominator.
square of a number
  • If n2=mn2=m, then mm is the square of nn
square root notation
  • If m=n2m=n2, then m=nm=n. We read mm as ‘the square root of mm.’
square root of a number
  • If n2=mn2=m, then nn is a square root of mm
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