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\(16^{1/4}\qquad means \qquad \sqrt[4]{16}\)

 

 

in others words find a number x such that

\(x\times x\times x\times x=16 \)

 

I can see that the answer is 2  (-2 also works but it is conventional to give the positive answer.)

 

2*2*2*2=16   

 

so

 

\(16^{1/4}\quad = \quad \sqrt[4]{16}\quad = \qquad 2\)

 

 

You could of course get the answer from any scientific calculator.      :)