Simplifying Expressions with Fractional Exponents: (25x^4y^6)^1/2
Fractional exponents represent roots. A fractional exponent of 1/2 signifies taking the square root of the base. Let's simplify the expression (25x^4y^6)^1/2:
Understanding the Properties
We'll use these key properties of exponents:
- (ab)^n = a^n * b^n: The power of a product is the product of the powers.
- (a^m)^n = a^(m*n): The power of a power is the base raised to the product of the exponents.
Step-by-Step Simplification
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Apply the first property: (25x^4y^6)^1/2 = 25^(1/2) * x^(4 * 1/2) * y^(6 * 1/2)
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Simplify: 25^(1/2) * x^(4 * 1/2) * y^(6 * 1/2) = 5 * x^2 * y^3
Final Result
Therefore, (25x^4y^6)^1/2 simplifies to 5x^2y^3.