document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=978039>Question 978039</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Hi! I need some step by step guidance on the following:  (a^1/2b)^1/2(ab^1/2).  I used the power of the product rule and arrived at: ((a^1/4b^1/2)(ab^1/2).  I am lost at this point.  The rules are a bit confusing.  Please and thank you. :) </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #599528 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=josgarithmetic><B>josgarithmetic(39618)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=josgarithmetic><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/nopicture.jpg><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=599528\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Trying to figure what you are really starting with,  my guess is this:\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28a%5E%281%2F2%29b%29%5E%281%2F2%29%28ab%5E%281%2F2%29%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28a%5E%281%2F2%29b%29%5E%281%2F2%29%28ab%5E%281%2F2%29%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >, and you probably see two associated groupings.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28a%5E%281%2F2%29b%5E%28%281%2F2%29%281%2F2%29%29%29%28ab%5E%281%2F2%29%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28a%5E%281%2F2%29b%5E%28%281%2F2%29%281%2F2%29%29%29%28ab%5E%281%2F2%29%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >, and the rendering may not display very well.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28a%5E%281%2F2%29b%5E%281%2F4%29%29%28ab%5E%281%2F2%29%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28a%5E%281%2F2%29b%5E%281%2F4%29%29%28ab%5E%281%2F2%29%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=a%5E%281%2F2%29b%5E%281%2F4%29ab%5E%281%2F2%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"a%5E%281%2F2%29b%5E%281%2F4%29ab%5E%281%2F2%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "and now you can use commutative property\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=a%5E%281%2F2%29%2Aa%2Ab%5E%281%2F4%29%2Ab%5E%281%2F2%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"a%5E%281%2F2%29%2Aa%2Ab%5E%281%2F4%29%2Ab%5E%281%2F2%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Rule for exponents,<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=highlight%28a%5E%283%2F2%29b%5E%283%2F4%29%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"highlight%28a%5E%283%2F2%29b%5E%283%2F4%29%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "That still might be displaying poorly, so in pure text,<BR>\n" );
document.write( "a^(3/2)b^(3/4) </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</TD></TR></TABLE>\n" );