Question

simplify each expression.
select
ot a real number\ if applicable.
part 1 of 3
(a) ( 25^{\frac{1}{2}} = square )
part 2 of 3
(b) ( (-25)^{\frac{1}{2}} = square )

Explanation:

Step1: Rewrite exponent as square root

A fractional exponent $\frac{1}{2}$ equals a square root:
$25^{\frac{1}{2}} = \sqrt{25}$

Step2: Evaluate the square root

Calculate the positive square root of 25:
$\sqrt{25} = 5$

Step3: Analyze negative base square root

For $(-25)^{\frac{1}{2}} = \sqrt{-25}$, no real number squared equals a negative value.

Answer:

(a) $5$
(b) Not a real number