simplify

Question

√(x^5y^8)

the answer is

x^5/2y^4

does it matter if 5/2 is replaced with 2.5?

x^2.5y^4

its the same thing right?

Answer 1

√(x^5y^8) = x^2.5(y^4) = x^5/2(y^4)

Same thing, but parentheses help make it clearer.

Otherwise, last version might be interpreted as x^5 divided by 2y^4.