skip to main content

fractional exponents

mike mcgarry
lesson by mike mcgarry
magoosh expert
summary
the lesson elucidates the concept of fractional exponents, establishing a clear link between exponents and roots, and offering strategic insights for simplifying calculations involving fractional exponents.
  • fractional exponents represent roots, with the exponent 1/n corresponding to the nth root of a base.
  • the process of converting a fractional exponent to a root involves identifying the numerator and denominator of the fraction to determine the power and the type of root respectively.
  • strategic calculation advice includes simplifying expressions by taking roots before applying powers to avoid dealing with unnecessarily large numbers.
  • examples and practice problems demonstrate how to apply these concepts and strategies to simplify expressions and solve equations involving fractional exponents.
  • the rules for fractional exponents apply to positive numbers and, with certain conditions, to zero and negative numbers as well.
chapters
00:00
introduction to fractional exponents
00:29
understanding roots through fractional exponents
04:47
strategies for simplifying calculations
06:05
applying the concepts to negative numbers and zero