Thread: x^4/(3)√x Not sure what I did wrong (i got to x^(8/2)/3x^(1/2) )

1. x^4/(3)√x Not sure what I did wrong (i got to x^(8/2)/3x^(1/2) )

x^4/(3)√x Not sure what I did wrong

i got to x^(8/2)/3x^(1/2)

I tried 3x^(7/2) as the final answer but what was wrong. I'm pretty sure the problem isn't the exponent. Help is greatly appreciated!! thanks!

2. How did the '3' get into the numerator?

3. Originally Posted by tpace
i got to x^(8/2)/3x^(1/2)
I tried 3x^(7/2) as the final answer but what was wrong. I'm pretty sure the problem isn't the exponent. Help is greatly appreciated!! thanks!
If you intend for the problem to be equivalent to $\ \ \dfrac{x^{\frac{8}{2}}}{3x^{\frac{1}{2}}}, \ \$ then you must put grouping symbols around the denominator,
such as in x^(8/2)/[3x^(1/2)].

4. Originally Posted by tpace
x^4/(3)√x Not sure what I did wrong

i got to x^(8/2)/3x^(1/2)
Since we can't see your work, and because you haven't included the instructions, we cannot know what you were supposed to have done, nor where things might have gone sideways. Sorry!

Originally Posted by tpace
I tried 3x^(7/2) as the final answer but what was wrong.
What do you mean by "trying this as the final answer"? What does that mean? Are you just guessing answer options, or are you doing something or other with the original expression?

Originally Posted by tpace
I'm pretty sure the problem isn't the exponent.
What do you mean by this?

Is the original expression either of the following?

. . . . .$\mbox{a. }\, \left(\dfrac{x^4}{3}\right)\, \sqrt{\strut x\,}$

. . . . .$\mbox{b. }\, \dfrac{x^4}{3\, \sqrt{\strut x\,}}$

Or does "(3)√x" indicate "the cube root of x"? (This is often what it means, but I don't think this is the case for your posting.)

What you "got to": Does this indicate that the instructions were to "Simplify the expression", perhaps by rationalizing the denominator? And that you've recently studied converting radicals to fractional-exponent notation? So your one step so far has been something along the lines of the following?

. . . . .$\dfrac{x^4}{3\, \sqrt{\strut x\,}}\, =\, \dfrac{x^{\frac{8}{2}}}{3\, x^{\frac{1}{2}}}$

And now you're stuck with applying the exponent rules for cancelling off in this sort of situation? Or do you know the next step, but aren't sure how to subtract fractions? Or something else?

5. Originally Posted by Denis
Geeeezzzzz ... why x^(8/2) instead of x^4
Silly teacher
Because you misread the OP, perhaps?

8/2 was an intermedate result, in tpace's first attempt.

Originally Posted by tpace
x^4/(3)√x

i got to x^(8/2)/3x^(1/2)

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