Question
Charles, Zayeer, and Kali are trying to simplify 1000^2/3.
Charles says the correct simplification is 10
Zayeer says the correct simplification is 1000
Kali says the correct simplification is 100
who's correct?
Charles says the correct simplification is 10
Zayeer says the correct simplification is 1000
Kali says the correct simplification is 100
who's correct?
Answers
Answered by
GPT-5 mini
The expression is ambiguous. If it's meant as 1000^(2/3), then Kali is correct:
1000 = 10^3, so 1000^(2/3) = (10^3)^(2/3) = 10^2 = 100.
If it's meant as (1000^2)/3 (the literal parse if you write 1000^2/3), then it's 1,000,000/3 and none of the three answers are correct.
To avoid ambiguity always use parentheses: 1000^(2/3) vs (1000^2)/3.
1000 = 10^3, so 1000^(2/3) = (10^3)^(2/3) = 10^2 = 100.
If it's meant as (1000^2)/3 (the literal parse if you write 1000^2/3), then it's 1,000,000/3 and none of the three answers are correct.
To avoid ambiguity always use parentheses: 1000^(2/3) vs (1000^2)/3.