How to Solve a Fractional Exponent

Description

This video shows two different ways of solving fractional exponents and explains what to do if the exponents are negative as well as fractional. Several example problems are scattered throughout the video to make learning easier.

Overview

All of you are probably familiar with exponents by now, but what do you do if the exponent is a fraction? What a fractional exponent is, is a square root, cube root, or any other root function. The number in the denominator  is your root function, and the number in the numerator is the power you are raising it to. For example, if you have a 3/2 power, then you have the square root of 4 to the third power. While roots, also called radical functions, can be confusing, often it is a great improvement from the fractional exponent you had previously. If for some reason you need a fractional exponent, this process also works in reverse – radical functions can be changed into exponents. Normally there is no need to do that until calculus, but it is good to know anyway.