How do you simplify sqrt(54a^9)?

1 Answer
Jul 1, 2015

sqrt(54a^9) = 3a^4sqrt(6a)
color(white)("XXXX")(of course, it is debatable whether this is really simpler).

Explanation:

Factoring 54a^9
color(white)("XXXX")54a^9 = (9*6)(a^8*a)
color(white)("XXXX")color(white)("XXXX")=(3^2*6)((a^4)^2*a)
color(white)("XXXX")color(white)("XXXX")=(3a^4)^2*(6a)

sqrt(54a^9)
color(white)("XXXX")=sqrt((3a^4)^2*(6a))

color(white)("XXXX")=sqrt((3a^4)^2) *sqrt(6a

color(white)("XXXX")=3a^4*sqrt(6a)