Asked by Babydoll2007

Explain why (-9)1/2 is not a real number but -9 1/2 is a real number.



Answers

Answered by David
(-9)1/2 = -4.5 which is a real number.

Unless you're talking about square roots?
Answered by Babydoll2007
No I'm not talking about square roots.
Answered by Steve
If you are talking about powers,

9^(1/2) = 3

x^(1/2) = √x so you are talking about square roots.

(-9)^(1/2) is not real, because negative numbers do not have real square roots.

That is because if x = √(-9) then x^2 = -9. But all numbers are positive when squared.
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