How do I write -B^-2/3 using radical form?

Question

From what I understand, the integers must be positive before you can convert this unit to radical form.

The Answer I get when I worked it out is as follows:

3√-B^-2

I recognize my error could be because of the negative signs, but how do I get rid of them before writing this unit in radical form?

 

Answer 1

First, note that the negative sign is not included with the variable, B, [if it was, it would have had parenthesis like this: (-B)^-2/3 ] and so remains separate from it when applying the exponent. So, we have  -³√(1/B²)   Reading this term as "negative cubed root of one divided by B squared"

 

I sure hope this helps you! Thanks so much! - Janet B. (Crowley, TX)

Answer 2

Let's see, to begin, we can rewrite the problem as such:

 

-B^-2/3 = -1/B^2/3 (rewrite the negative exponent as a positive exponent)

 

The denominator of the exponent represents taking the cube root as a radical, however the 2 in the numerator of the exponent tells us that we will square the B term before we cube root!

 

cube root [-1/B^2]