A special case is when n is and odd number and b is negative. In this situation, there will be no nonnegative root and the principal root is negative. Some examples of nth roots and its description can be seen below.
nth root | Description |
---|---|
16=4 | 16 indicates the principal square root of 16. |
-16=-4 | -16 indicates the opposite of the principal square root of 16. |
±16=±4 | ±16 indicates both square roots of 16. |
3-125=-5 | 3-125 indicates the principal cube root of -125. |
5-243=-3 | 5-243 indicates the principal fifth root of -243. |