Get started for free
Log In Start studying!
Get started for free Log out
Chapter 7: Problem 75
Solve each equation. $$(t-1)^{-2 / 3}=2$$
Short Answer
Expert verified
The solution for \( t \ is approximately \( 1.3536 \).
Step by step solution
01
Understand the Equation
The given equation is \( (t-1)^{-2/3} = 2 \). The goal is to solve for \ t \.
02
Isolate the Variable Expression
To isolate \( t \), first rewrite the equation by eliminating the negative exponent. Raise both sides of the equation to the power of \ -3/2 \ to cancel out the exponent on the left. \[ ((t-1)^{-2/3})^{-3/2} = 2^{-3/2} \]
03
Simplify the Exponentiation
By multiplying the exponents on the left side: \[ (t-1)^{(-2/3) \times (-3/2)} = 2^{-3/2} \] The left side simplifies to \( t-1 \), so the equation becomes: \[ t-1 = 2^{-3/2} \]
04
Evaluate the Right Side
Calculate \( 2^{-3/2} \): \[ 2^{-3/2} = (2^{-1})^{3/2} = (1/2)^{3/2} = 1/\big(\frac{ewline{2\textrm{ to the power }}3/2}\big) \] Since \( (1/2) \) raised to any positive power is a positive fraction, \ 1/(2^{3/2}) = 1/\big(2\textrm{ raised to the power }1.5\big)\approx 0.3536.\
05
Solve for t
Add 1 to both sides to solve for \( t \): \[ t-1=0.3536 \rightarrow t = 0.3536 + 1 \rightarrow t \approx 1.3536 \]
Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Negative Exponents
Negative exponents might look complicated, but they're not too hard to understand. A negative exponent means you take the reciprocal of the base and then apply the positive exponent. For example, \(a^{-n} = \frac{1}{a^n}\). If you have \(2^{-3}\), it becomes \(1/2^3\). This equals \(1/8\). When solving equations like \text{(t-1)}^{-2/3}=2\, you must eliminate the negative exponent by raising both sides to the power of the reciprocal of \ \ \( -2/3 \), which is \-3/2\. This makes the equation easier to handle.
Isolating Variables
One key part of solving equations is isolating the variable. This usually means getting the variable by itself on one side of the equation. Let's take our equation \(\text{(t-1)}^{-2/3}=2\).First, we dealt with the exponent. Now, we isolate the expression with \text{t}\. This step often involves reversing operations. Add, subtract, multiply, or divide both sides of the equation as needed. In our solution, after simplifying the exponent and getting \(\text{t}-1\), we finally add 1 to both sides to isolate \text{t} on one side. This gets us our final answer.
Exponent Rules
Understanding exponent rules is crucial when solving algebraic equations. These rules help us manipulate and simplify expressions with exponents. Here are some essential exponent rules:
- Product of Powers: \(a^m \cdot a^n = a^{m+n}\)
- Power of a Power: \(\text{(a}^m\text{)}^n = a^{mn}\)
- Quotient of Powers: \(\frac{a^m}{a^n} = a^{m-n}\)
- Power of a Product: \(\text{(ab)}^n=a^n\cdot b^n\)
- Negative Exponent: \(a^{-n} = \frac{1}{a^n}\)}
In our exercise, we used the power of a power rule to simplify \(\text{((t-1)}^{-2/3})^{-3/2}\right)\), which equals \(\text{t-1}\). Learning these rules makes working with exponents much easier!
Fractional Exponents
Fractional exponents might seem tricky at first, but they're simply another way to represent roots and powers. A fractional exponent \(a^{m/n}\) means the \(n\)th root of \(a\) raised to the \(m\)th power. For example, \(8^{2/3}\) means \(\sqrt[3]{8^2}\). Here's a quick breakdown:
- The denominator (bottom number) of the fraction tells you the root.
- The numerator (top number) tells you the power to which the base is raised.
For our exercise, we simplified \(\text{(t-1)}^{-2/3}\) by raising both sides to the power of \-3/2\. This \cancelled\ the fractions, simplifying the equation steps later.
Remember, practice makes perfect! The more you work with these, the easier they'll become!
One App. One Place for Learning.
All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.
Get started for free
Most popular questions from this chapter
Recommended explanations on Math Textbooks
Statistics
Read ExplanationLogic and Functions
Read ExplanationGeometry
Read ExplanationProbability and Statistics
Read ExplanationApplied Mathematics
Read ExplanationCalculus
Read ExplanationWhat do you think about this solution?
We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.
Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.
Sign-up for free
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Accept
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.