sandy wrote:
If x ≥ 0, \(\sqrt{0.49x^{16}}\)then must be equal to
A. \(0.07x^8\)
B. \(0.07x^4\)
C. \(0.7x^{14}\)
D. \(0.7x^8\)
E. \(0.7x$4\)
Useful property: \(\sqrt{xy} = (\sqrt{x})(\sqrt{y})\)
So, \(\sqrt{0.49x^{16}} = (\sqrt{0.49})(\sqrt{x^{16}})\)
\(= (0.7)(x^8)\)
Answer: D
ASIDE: A common mistake is to conclude that \(\sqrt{x^{16}} = x^4\)
However, notice that \((x^4)(x^4) = x^8\), not \(x^{16}\)
Conversely, \((x^8)(x^8) = x^{16}\)