Fraction Exponent Calculator

Calculate powers with fractional and negative exponents with step-by-step solutions

Calculate Fractional Exponents

The number to be raised to a power

Top part of the fraction

Bottom part of the fraction (cannot be 0)

Expression

82/3
8 raised to the power of 2/3

Result

82/3 = 4.000000
Exact form: (³√8)^2
Decimal Result
4.000000
Scientific Notation
4.000e+0

Special Cases:

8^(2/3) = (³√8)² or ³√(8²)

Step-by-Step Solution

1.Calculate: 8^(2/3)
2.Method 1: First take the root, then raise to power
3.8^(2/3) = (3√8)^2
4.= (2.000000)^2
5.= 4.000000
6.Alternative method: First raise to power, then take root
7.8^(2/3) = 3√(8^2)
8.= 3√64 = 4.000000

Common Fractional Exponents

Root Exponents (n = 1)

x1/2= √x (square root)
x1/3= ³√x (cube root)
x1/4= ⁴√x (fourth root)

Mixed Exponents

x3/2= (√x)³ or √(x³)
x2/3= (³√x)² or ³√(x²)
x-1/2= 1/√x

Exponent Rules

Fractional Exponent

xn/d = (ᵈ√x)n = ᵈ√(xn)

Negative Exponent

x-n = 1/xn

Root Form

x1/n = ⁿ√x

Power of Product

(xy)n = xnyn

Calculator Tips

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Enter negative numbers for negative exponents

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Base can be fractions (e.g., 0.5 for ½)

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Denominator = 1 for integer exponents

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Even roots of negative numbers are undefined

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Result shows exact form when possible

Understanding Fractional Exponents

What Are Fractional Exponents?

Fractional exponents are a way of expressing both powers and roots in one notation. They combine the concepts of exponentiation and root extraction into a unified mathematical expression.

Basic Forms

  • x1/n: The n-th root of x
  • xm/n: The n-th root of x raised to the m-th power
  • x-m/n: The reciprocal of xm/n

Calculation Methods

Method 1: Root First

xm/n = (ⁿ√x)m

Take the n-th root, then raise to power m

Method 2: Power First

xm/n = ⁿ√(xm)

Raise to power m, then take the n-th root

Negative Exponents

x-m/n = 1/(xm/n)

Take the reciprocal of the positive exponent

Common Applications

Physics & Engineering

Power laws, scaling relationships, dimensional analysis

Finance & Economics

Compound interest, growth models, elasticity calculations

Computer Science

Algorithm complexity, fractional algorithms, optimization

Important Properties

Domain Restrictions

  • • Even roots of negative numbers are undefined (in real numbers)
  • • Zero raised to negative powers is undefined
  • • Division by zero in denominators is undefined

Calculation Tips

  • • Choose the method that gives simpler intermediate values
  • • Simplify the fraction exponent first when possible
  • • Use calculator for non-perfect powers and roots