How do you simplify $4^(-1/2)$ ?

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Answer 1 · 2017-03-06T19:43:13

See the entire simplification process below:

First, use this rule of exponents to write the expression:

$x^color(red)(a) = 1/x^color(red)(-a)$

$4^color(red)(-1/2) = 1/4^color(red)(- -1/2) = 1/4^color(red)(1/2)$

Now use this rule of exponents and radicals to complete the simplification:

$x^(1/color(red)(n)) = root(color(red)(n))(x)$

$1/4^(1/color(red)(2)) = 1/root(color(red)(2))(4) = 1/sqrt(4) = 1/2$

How do you simplify 4^(-1/2)4^(-1/2)?