How do you simplify 81^(-3/2)?

2 Answers
Sep 19, 2016

81^(-3/2)=1/729

Explanation:

81^(-3/2)

= (3^4)^(-3/2)

= 3^((4xx-3/2))

= 3^(2xx-3)

= 3^(-6)

= 1/3^6

= 1/729

Sep 19, 2016

1/729

Explanation:

Recall: 2 laws of indices " " rarr " "x^-m = 1/x^m

color(white)(xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx) rarr" " x^(p/q) = rootq (x^p) = (rootq x)^p

81^(-3/2) = 1/(sqrt81^3)" "larr the cube of the square root of 81

=1/(9^3)

=1/729

Note that 81 is both a square number and a 4th power.
However, the square root can be obtained immediately.

In work on indices, usually only the principal (+) square root is considered.