Question

(x^2 + 25)^1/2 = 13

I don't know how to handle the 1/2

Answer 1

Square both sides of the equation to get rid of the square root e.g. 1/2 power. After squaring we get: \[x^2+25=169\]From here you can solve for x.

Answer 2

And that's because raising it to 1/2 is the same as squaring it?

Answer 3

No. Squaring a quantity is raising it to the 2nd power. A quantity to the 1/2 power is the same thing as the square root of that quantity. We can square the square root to get rid of the 1/2 power.