Fractional exponents are also called radicals or rational exponents. To get rid of this type of exponents, we remember the law of exponents when we multiply them. For instance,
x^1/2
x^1/2 ( x^1/2 ) = x^(1/2+1/2) = x^(1) = x
Therefore, x^1/2, when 2 times in a multiplication gives x and so x^1/2 is the square root of x.