Simple logarithm question I am really stuck on: Could someone please help?

I still don't completely understand, do you mean I eliminate the power of 3/2 by squaring both sides? or square-rooting both sides?

So by eliminating both sides you're squaring both sides like this:

a^\frac{3 \times 2}{2}=8^2

To get

a^3=64

.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 21

undercxver

18

Original post by Sam00

if I did (3/2)^2 i'd get 9/4 I'm confused

You're not doing that. Are you trolling? :hmmm:

So just looking at the indicie its

\frac{3 \times 2}{2}

Spoiler

Reply 22

NadeemKha_Arab

10

Original post by Sam00

So would x^3/2 = 3√x (with 3 being the 3rd root?

No you'd get √(a³) (square root of a³)

Reply 23

NadeemKha_Arab

10

Original post by undercxver

Haha, this is called

\LaTeX

.

If you want help with this check out the

\LaTeX

help page.

It's fun but quite long quite to do for complicated maths. :yawn:

Original post by Dilzo999

Yup

\LaTeX

. If you're doing maths at uni you'll probably come across it so it's good practice to use it on here :smile:

.

Much appreciated guys. Not going to do maths at uni but i've always enjoyed maths and I find it quite 'easy', so I enjoy helping others with it. I'll check it out when I can!

Reply 24

undercxver

18

Original post by NadeemKha_Arab

Much appreciated guys. Not going to do maths at uni but i've always enjoyed maths and I find it quite 'easy', so I enjoy helping others with it. I'll check it out when I can!

Me too, I love it. :h:

Forgot to link the page to you!http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/LaTex

Reply 25

NadeemKha_Arab

10

Original post by undercxver

Me too, I love it. :h:

Forgot to link the page to you!http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/LaTex

Yeah I had to fish it out by quoting you ahaha. I've had a look but it seems as though you have to learn all the 'functions', such as sqrt? Is there a faster way around it or is this the only way. Might take me a few tries before I get good at it

Reply 26

hellomynameisr

12

a^3/2 =8 is the same as sqrt a^3 = 8

Then you can get rid of the sqrt by squaring both sides to end up with a^3 =64 (since 8^2 is 64)

Then take the cubed root of 64 to get the value of a

hence a =4 ( since the cube root of 64 is 4)

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 27

undercxver

18

Original post by NadeemKha_Arab

Yeah I had to fish it out by quoting you ahaha. I've had a look but it seems as though you have to learn all the 'functions', such as sqrt? Is there a faster way around it or is this the only way. Might take me a few tries before I get good at it

I'm pretty sure there's a software for it, but I'm afraid you gotta use this long method on TSR as it's built in.

Butttt, you can practice on this thread. :ahee:

Original post by Sam00

No 100% not trolling, you must think I am really thick then!

So I can see you are squaring the 3/2 to get 3 on it's own which therefore just leaves you with a^3, and you have to also square the 8 as well which gives 64

The thing which still confuses me is the (3x2/2) more-so the 'x2' after the 3, it doesn't seem to me you are squaring it, but more like multiplying it by 2.

If you were squaring it wouldn't it look like 3^2/2...

So sorry if I am not making sense

Omg no I don't intend to call you thick! Sorry about that.

When I said "squaring both sides" I don't mean square the power of

a

once again, but I mean multiply that power.

I think you're stuck on how indicies work. Watch these examsolutions videos.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 28

NadeemKha_Arab

10

Original post by Sam00

No 100% not trolling, you must think I am really thick then!

So I can see you are squaring the 3/2 to get 3 on it's own which therefore just leaves you with a^3, and you have to also square the 8 as well which gives 64

The thing which still confuses me is the (3x2/2) more-so the 'x2' after the 3, it doesn't seem to me you are squaring it, but more like multiplying it by 2.

If you were squaring it wouldn't it look like 3^2/2...

So sorry if I am not making sense

Original post by undercxver

I think you're stuck on how indicies work. Watch these examsolutions videos.

As said above, my recommendation would be to get some practice on indices. There are a few rules and once you get them stuck in your head it should be a lot easier! :smile:

Reply 29

NadeemKha_Arab

10

I will try to explain here though some of the general rules based on your question:

As we said before:
a^1/2 = √a

Now one way to look at this is

a^3/2= (a³)^1/2

Notice all of a³ is to the power of 1/2, meaning ALL OF a³ is square rooted.
The reason I can take the half out is because 2 powers are multiplied together:
e.g.

a²x a³ = a⁵

but

(a²)³= a⁶<< (LEARN THIS RULE, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DOING)

So,

(a³)^1/2= a^3/2... only we are going in reverse to this.

Simple logarithm question I am really stuck on: Could someone please help?

Quick Reply

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you