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#1 2006-09-20 12:32:44

mcart1gd
Member
Registered: 2006-09-20
Posts: 1

Evaluate exponents!!

Yeah i'm having trouble remembering how to solve a exponent that is a negative and it is a fraction

ex. 9^-2/3 i know to put that under one as a fraction and the exponent becomes a positive so what do i do after that???????

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#2 2006-09-20 13:45:26

Prakash Panneer
Member
Registered: 2006-06-01
Posts: 110

Re: Evaluate exponents!!

Hi mcart1gd,

Your problem is 9^ -2/3

                  = 1/ 9^(2/3)  {Since x^-1 = 1/x}

                  = 1/81^(1/3)

So, the answer is the reciprocal of the cube root of 81.

Let me explain this with a simple example.

Consider 8^-2/3

          = 1/8 (2/3)

          = 1/ 64^(1/3)

          = 1/4.

Hope you will understand.up


Letter, number, arts and science
of living kinds, both are the eyes.

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#3 2006-09-20 15:31:19

MathsIsFun
Administrator
Registered: 2005-01-21
Posts: 7,711

Re: Evaluate exponents!!

Correct. Also see Exponents and Fractional Exponents


"The physicists defer only to mathematicians, and the mathematicians defer only to God ..."  - Leon M. Lederman

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