When you have a non-integer exponent, such as .4 (also experessed 4/10 or 2/5), you can just take the denominator of the fraction and take that root of the number...

 

eg. x^(2/5), can be expressed the 5th root of x^2. Whereas I would find it hard to calulate this without a calculator, I think it's possible, and maybe that's what that gigantic math deal I skimed over (because I understand very little of it) is meant to explain. But, isn't this true and make it easier?

 

Somthing along the lines of x^(2/5)=x^2*x^(1/5), and x^(1/5)=5th?(x), and therefor x^(2/5)=5th?(x)^2.

johnny was permantently banned for a reason, and it was little do with the proper way to do exponents, whatever that may even mean.

 

can you take 5th roots manualy? and what about irrational powers?

can you take 5th roots manualy? and what about irrational powers?

 

I don't know if you can take 5th roots manually... I know you can take square roots manually (all be it a VERY long computation). I least I thought you could. But irrational powers is something else. He asked about fraction exponants, and I said what I remember from my Advanced Algebra course.