Pattern Behaviors in Exponents - PSAT Math
Card 1 of 154
Write in exponential form:
![\sqrt[3]{x^{5}}](https://vt-vtwa-assets.varsitytutors.com/vt-vtwa/uploads/formula_image/image/25476/gif.latex)
Write in exponential form:
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Properties of Radicals
![\sqrt[]{x} = x^{\frac{1}{2}}](https://vt-vtwa-assets.varsitytutors.com/vt-vtwa/uploads/formula_image/image/25467/gif.latex)
![\sqrt[3]{x} = x^{\frac{1}{3}}](https://vt-vtwa-assets.varsitytutors.com/vt-vtwa/uploads/formula_image/image/25468/gif.latex)

Properties of Radicals
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Write in radical notation:

Write in radical notation:
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Properties of Radicals
![\sqrt[]{x} = x^{\frac{1}{2}}](https://vt-vtwa-assets.varsitytutors.com/vt-vtwa/uploads/formula_image/image/25467/gif.latex)
![\sqrt[3]{x} = x^{\frac{1}{3}}](https://vt-vtwa-assets.varsitytutors.com/vt-vtwa/uploads/formula_image/image/25468/gif.latex)
Properties of Radicals
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Express in radical form : 
Express in radical form :
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Properties of Radicals
![\sqrt[]{x} = x^{\frac{1}{2}}](https://vt-vtwa-assets.varsitytutors.com/vt-vtwa/uploads/formula_image/image/25467/gif.latex)
![\sqrt[3]{x} = x^{\frac{1}{3}}](https://vt-vtwa-assets.varsitytutors.com/vt-vtwa/uploads/formula_image/image/25468/gif.latex)
![x^{\frac{3}{5}}=\sqrt[5]{x^{3}}](https://vt-vtwa-assets.varsitytutors.com/vt-vtwa/uploads/formula_image/image/134066/gif.latex)
Properties of Radicals
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Simplify: ![\sqrt[3]{2}\star \sqrt[3]{32}](https://vt-vtwa-assets.varsitytutors.com/vt-vtwa/uploads/formula_image/image/25480/gif.latex)
Simplify:
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Donna wants to deposit money into a certificate of deposit so that in exactly ten years, her investment will be worth $100,000. The interest rate of the CD is 7.885%, compounded monthly.
What should Donna's initial investment be, at minimum?
Donna wants to deposit money into a certificate of deposit so that in exactly ten years, her investment will be worth $100,000. The interest rate of the CD is 7.885%, compounded monthly.
What should Donna's initial investment be, at minimum?
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The formula for compound interest is

where
is the initial investment,
is the interest rate expressed as the decimal equivalent,
is the number of periods per year the interest is compounded,
is the number of years, and
is the final value of the investment.
Set
(monthly = 12 periods), and
, and evaluate
:






The correct response is $45,569.99.
The formula for compound interest is
where is the initial investment,
is the interest rate expressed as the decimal equivalent,
is the number of periods per year the interest is compounded,
is the number of years, and
is the final value of the investment.
Set (monthly = 12 periods), and
, and evaluate
:
The correct response is $45,569.99.
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On January 15, 2015, Philip deposited $10,000 in a certificate of deposit that returned interest at an annual rate of 8.125%, compounded monthly. How much will his certificate of deposit be worth on January 15, 2020?
On January 15, 2015, Philip deposited $10,000 in a certificate of deposit that returned interest at an annual rate of 8.125%, compounded monthly. How much will his certificate of deposit be worth on January 15, 2020?
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The formula for compound interest is

where
is the initial investment,
is the interest rate expressed as the decimal equivalent,
is the number of periods per year the interest is compounded,
is the number of years, and
is the final value of the investment.
Set
(monthly = 12 periods), and
, and evaluate
:




The CD will be worth $14,991.24.
The formula for compound interest is
where is the initial investment,
is the interest rate expressed as the decimal equivalent,
is the number of periods per year the interest is compounded,
is the number of years, and
is the final value of the investment.
Set (monthly = 12 periods), and
, and evaluate
:
The CD will be worth $14,991.24.
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Money is deposited in corporate bonds which yield 6.735% annual interest compounded monthly, and which mature after ten years. Which of the following responses comes closest to the percent by which the value of bonds increases?
Money is deposited in corporate bonds which yield 6.735% annual interest compounded monthly, and which mature after ten years. Which of the following responses comes closest to the percent by which the value of bonds increases?
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The formula for compound interest is

where
is the initial investment,
is the interest rate expressed as the decimal equivalent,
is the number of periods per year the interest is compounded,
is the number of years, and
is the final value of the investment.
In the given scenario,
,
, and
(monthly); substitute:




This meas that the final value of the bonds is about 1.96 times their initial value, or, equivalently, 96% greater than their initial value. Of the given responses, 95% comes closest.
The formula for compound interest is
where is the initial investment,
is the interest rate expressed as the decimal equivalent,
is the number of periods per year the interest is compounded,
is the number of years, and
is the final value of the investment.
In the given scenario, ,
, and
(monthly); substitute:
This meas that the final value of the bonds is about 1.96 times their initial value, or, equivalently, 96% greater than their initial value. Of the given responses, 95% comes closest.
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Tom invests
,
in a savings account with an annual interest rate of
. If his investment is compounded semiannually, how much interest does he earn after
years?
Tom invests ,
in a savings account with an annual interest rate of
. If his investment is compounded semiannually, how much interest does he earn after
years?
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In order to find the interest earned, used the compound interest formula

where
represents the number of times the account is compounded each year, and
represents the interest rate expressed as a decimal.




The account is worth $16882.63 after two years. Therefore Tom earns $1882.63 in interest.

In order to find the interest earned, used the compound interest formula
where represents the number of times the account is compounded each year, and
represents the interest rate expressed as a decimal.
The account is worth $16882.63 after two years. Therefore Tom earns $1882.63 in interest.
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If
is the complex number such that
, evaluate the following expression:

If is the complex number such that
, evaluate the following expression:
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The powers of i form a sequence that repeats every four terms.
i1 = i
i2 = -1
i3 = -i
i4 = 1
i5 = i
Thus:
i25 = i
i23 = -i
i21 = i
i19= -i
Now we can evalulate the expression.
i25 - i23 + i21 - i19 + i17..... + i
= i + (-1)(-i) + i + (-1)(i) ..... + i
= i + i + i + i + ..... + i
Each term reduces to +i. Since there are 13 terms in the expression, the final result is 13i.
The powers of i form a sequence that repeats every four terms.
i1 = i
i2 = -1
i3 = -i
i4 = 1
i5 = i
Thus:
i25 = i
i23 = -i
i21 = i
i19= -i
Now we can evalulate the expression.
i25 - i23 + i21 - i19 + i17..... + i
= i + (-1)(-i) + i + (-1)(i) ..... + i
= i + i + i + i + ..... + i
Each term reduces to +i. Since there are 13 terms in the expression, the final result is 13i.
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If ax·a4 = a12 and (by)3 = b15, what is the value of x - y?
If ax·a4 = a12 and (by)3 = b15, what is the value of x - y?
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Multiplying like bases means add the exponents, so x+4 = 12, or x = 8.
Raising a power to a power means multiply the exponents, so 3y = 15, or y = 5.
x - y = 8 - 5 = 3.
Multiplying like bases means add the exponents, so x+4 = 12, or x = 8.
Raising a power to a power means multiply the exponents, so 3y = 15, or y = 5.
x - y = 8 - 5 = 3.
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If p and q are positive integrers and 27p = 9q, then what is the value of q in terms of p?
If p and q are positive integrers and 27p = 9q, then what is the value of q in terms of p?
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The first step is to express both sides of the equation with equal bases, in this case 3. The equation becomes 33p = 32q. So then 3p = 2q, and q = (3/2)p is our answer.
The first step is to express both sides of the equation with equal bases, in this case 3. The equation becomes 33p = 32q. So then 3p = 2q, and q = (3/2)p is our answer.
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Simplify 272/3.
Simplify 272/3.
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272/3 is 27 squared and cube-rooted. We want to pick the easier operation first. Here that is the cube root. To see that, try both operations.
272/3 = (272)1/3 = 7291/3 OR
272/3 = (271/3)2 = 32
Obviously 32 is much easier. Either 32 or 7291/3 will give us the correct answer of 9, but with 32 it is readily apparent.
272/3 is 27 squared and cube-rooted. We want to pick the easier operation first. Here that is the cube root. To see that, try both operations.
272/3 = (272)1/3 = 7291/3 OR
272/3 = (271/3)2 = 32
Obviously 32 is much easier. Either 32 or 7291/3 will give us the correct answer of 9, but with 32 it is readily apparent.
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If
and
are integers and

what is the value of
?
If and
are integers and
what is the value of ?
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To solve this problem, we will have to take the log of both sides to bring down our exponents. By doing this, we will get
.
To solve for
we will have to divide both sides of our equation by
to get
.
will give you the answer of –3.
To solve this problem, we will have to take the log of both sides to bring down our exponents. By doing this, we will get .
To solve for we will have to divide both sides of our equation by
to get
.
will give you the answer of –3.
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If
and
, then what is
?
If and
, then what is
?
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We use two properties of logarithms:


So 
We use two properties of logarithms:
So
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Evaluate:

Evaluate:
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, here
and
, hence
.
, here
and
, hence
.
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Solve for 

Solve for
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= 
which means 
=
which means
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Which of the following statements is the same as:


Which of the following statements is the same as:
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Remember the laws of exponents. In particular, when the base is nonzero:

An effective way to compare these statements, is to convert them all into exponents with base 2. The original statement becomes:

This is identical to statement I. Now consider statement II:

Therefore, statement II is not identical to the original statement. Finally, consider statement III:

which is also identical to the original statement. As a result, only I and III are the same as the original statement.
Remember the laws of exponents. In particular, when the base is nonzero:
An effective way to compare these statements, is to convert them all into exponents with base 2. The original statement becomes:
This is identical to statement I. Now consider statement II:
Therefore, statement II is not identical to the original statement. Finally, consider statement III:
which is also identical to the original statement. As a result, only I and III are the same as the original statement.
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Write in exponential form:
![\sqrt[3]{\left ( x-1 \right )^{2}}](https://vt-vtwa-assets.varsitytutors.com/vt-vtwa/uploads/formula_image/image/25466/gif.latex)
Write in exponential form:
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Using properties of radicals e.g., ![\sqrt[m]{x^{n}} = x^{\frac{n}{m}}](https://vt-vtwa-assets.varsitytutors.com/vt-vtwa/uploads/formula_image/image/25474/gif.latex)
we get ![\sqrt[3]{\left ( x-1 \right )^{2}} = \left ( x-1 \right )^{\frac{2}{3}}](https://vt-vtwa-assets.varsitytutors.com/vt-vtwa/uploads/formula_image/image/25475/gif.latex)
Using properties of radicals e.g.,
we get
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Simplify:
![\frac{\sqrt[3]{x^{5}y^{-2}}}{\sqrt[3]{x^{-1}y^{4}}}](https://vt-vtwa-assets.varsitytutors.com/vt-vtwa/uploads/formula_image/image/25536/gif.latex)
Simplify:
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Convert the given expression into a single radical e.g.
the expression inside the radical is:

and the cube root of this is :

Convert the given expression into a single radical e.g. the expression inside the radical is:
and the cube root of this is :
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Solve for
.

Solve for .
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Hence
must be equal to 2.
Hence must be equal to 2.
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