Thread: Simplifying a number with a fractional power

Hello again

OK, I am aware that a general formula to solve a problem such as x^(a/b) is (b)ROOT(x^a). However, if I was to try and solve the problem 16^(1/4) I will get (4)ROOT(16^1) which is according to my calculator 16.

But this answer is incorrect. The correct answer is 2. So what is going on? Is the rule described at the top only valid under certain conditions?

Thank you
Dave

SOLUTION FOUND:

I figured out what I was doing wrong. It turned out to be a silly mistake on my part. It was just bad calculator skills.

I was wrongly doing 4 times the Square root of 16. When I should have been using the xRoot function. On my TI83 this involved going into a menu, so I didn't realise there was such a thing at first.