Chapter Test
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If the index is even, and the radicand is a number, we only need to consider the principal root.
- 2
When we are asked for the root of a number, we are typically being asked for the principal root. When the index is even, this is the positive root. Since the index of - sqrt(16) is even, let's find its principal root.
Split into factors
a * a * a * a=a^4
sqrt(a^2)=a
The real root of - sqrt(16) is - 2.