Final answer:
The result of simplifying √−256 is not a real number; it's an imaginary number, represented by 16i. Therefore, the correct answer to the question is Ø.
Step-by-step explanation:
To simplify √−256, we first recognize that the square root of a negative number is not a real number, because no real number squared will give a negative result. However, in the context of complex numbers, the square root of -1 is represented by i, which stands for the imaginary unit. Therefore, √−256 can be simplified as follows:
- √−256 = √(256 * -1)
- = √256 * √-1
- = 16 * i, because √256 = 16 and √-1 = i
Since the result involves the imaginary number i, the correct answer is not a real number, and thus we would enter Ø.