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A root can only have a negative value if it is an odd root

Problem Solving — algebra and arithmetic (GMAT Focus Edition)
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Source: — Quantitative Reasoning |
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by thinkpanther » Tue May 18, 2010 11:01 am
Hi Eloka,

Below is how this works:

root of a negative number is real only if the root is odd, (3,5,7,9 etc)

Eg. cube root (-27) or (-27)^(1/3) = -3 or -3*-3*-3 = -27

root in general english refers to square root or ^(1/2)

sqrt(-27) or sqrt(-1) is not allowed and hence imaginary

HTH
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