Understanding (-64)<sup>4/3</sup>
The expression (-64)<sup>4/3</sup> might look intimidating at first, but it's actually quite simple to understand once you break it down. Let's explore it step-by-step:
Fractional Exponents
Fractional exponents represent a combination of roots and powers. The denominator of the fraction indicates the root to be taken, and the numerator indicates the power to be applied.
In our case, we have:
- Denominator (3): This means we need to find the cube root of -64.
- Numerator (4): This means we need to raise the result to the power of 4.
Solving the Expression
- Cube Root: The cube root of -64 is -4, because -4 x -4 x -4 = -64.
- Power: Now, we raise -4 to the power of 4: (-4)<sup>4</sup> = (-4) x (-4) x (-4) x (-4) = 256.
Therefore, (-64)<sup>4/3</sup> = 256.
Key Points
- Fractional exponents are a combination of roots and powers.
- The denominator indicates the root, and the numerator indicates the power.
- Remember that the cube root of a negative number is also negative.
By understanding the concept of fractional exponents and applying the steps, we can easily solve even complex-looking expressions like (-64)<sup>4/3</sup>.