Question 420170
you can take the root of a negative number if the root is odd.


you cannot take the root of a negative number if the root is even.


if you are taking the fourth root and the number is 16, then the root is 2, because 2^4 = 16


if you are taking the fourth root and the number is -16, then the root is not -2, because (-2)^4 = + 16.


can't be done.


not with real numbers.


they invented imaginary numbers to allow you to do things like take the fourth root of -16, but that's another story.


as long as you are dealing with real numbers, the answer is no, you cannot take the fourth root of -16.