Radicals and Absolute Value: why do you sometimes need abs-v

[eouirai]

How come sometimes when you find the square root of something, you need absolute value signs? Why is the square root of x^6, |x^3|?

 

[Loren]

Re: Radicals and Absolute Value

How come sometimes when you find the square root of something, you need absolute value signs? Why is the square root of x^6, |x^3|?

If x is a negative number, is \(\displaystyle \sqrt{x^6}\) positive or negative?

If x is a negative number is x[sup:17vk1jed]3[/sup:17vk1jed] positive or negative?