The exponent, sometimes referred to as the "power" or "index," of a number indicates how many times the number must be multiplied by itself. Exponents can be rational or irrational numbers and may appear as integers, fractions or decimal numbers. Fractional exponents are cumbersome to enter into a calculator, as they must be entered as bracketed terms to prevent errors during calculation. Fortunately, fractional exponents can easily be converted to decimal numbers before using the calculator. Once converted to decimal form, the exponent can be quickly entered into the calculator with little risk of error.
Instructions
-
-
1
Extract the fractional exponent from the term. For example, if the term is 23^(5/2), then the exponent is (5/2).
-
2
Calculate the quotient of the fraction or ratio. For example, (5/2) = 2.5. The quotient is in decimal form.
-
-
3
Substitute the decimal exponent into the original term. For example, the original term with a fractional exponent 23^(5/2) can be rewritten with a decimal exponent as 23^2.5.