# Fractions with a fractional indice

• Feb 24th 2008, 11:48 AM
Jamie88
Fractions with a fractional indice
Last thread for a while I hope (lol!).

I apologise for the formatting in advance...

Evaluate (1/4)^5/2

I've just done (1/2)^-2 and I got (2/1)^2 which is fine, but the fractional indice has thrown me off track. :(
• Feb 24th 2008, 11:55 AM
Jhevon
Quote:

Originally Posted by Jamie88
Last thread for a while I hope (lol!).

I apologise for the formatting in advance...

Evaluate (1/4)^5/2

I've just done (1/2)^-2 and I got (2/1)^2 which is fine, but the fractional indice has thrown me off track. :(

see post #3 here
• Feb 24th 2008, 12:00 PM
Jamie88
So it owuld be...

Square root of 1/4^5 ? :)
• Feb 24th 2008, 12:07 PM
Jhevon
Quote:

Originally Posted by Jamie88
So it owuld be...

Square root of 1/4^5 ? :)

well, yeah, but what is that? that can be greatly simplified
• Feb 24th 2008, 12:10 PM
Jamie88
0.25^5 = 0.000976562
Square root of 0.000976562 is 0.031249992
S0 would 0.031 be an appropriate answer?
• Feb 24th 2008, 12:13 PM
Jhevon
Quote:

Originally Posted by Jamie88
0.25^5 = 0.000976562
Square root of 0.000976562 is 0.031249992
S0 would 0.031 be an appropriate answer?

no.

$\left( \frac 14 \right)^{5/2} = \left( \sqrt{\frac 14} \right)^5 = \left( \frac 12 \right)^5 = \frac 1{32}$
• Feb 24th 2008, 12:17 PM
Jamie88
Oh right I see!
Just a quick question...

How does the squareroot of (1/4)^5 equal the same as (1/2)^5 ?

Thank you.
• Feb 24th 2008, 12:23 PM
Jhevon
Quote:

Originally Posted by Jamie88
Oh right I see!
Just a quick question...

How does the squareroot of (1/4)^5 equal the same as (1/2)^5 ?

Thank you.

$\sqrt{ \frac 14} = \frac {\sqrt{1}}{\sqrt{4}} = \frac 12$