Final answer:
The symbol used to indicate roots in mathematics is the radical symbol, notated as √. This is distinct from exponents, which are used to indicate repeated multiplication of a number by itself and can also represent roots when expressed as fractional powers.
Step-by-step explanation:
The symbol used to indicate roots in mathematics is the radical symbol. When we talk about roots, we're often referring to the square root, which is symbolized by a radical sign, such as √. For example, the square root of 9 is represented as √9, which equals 3 because 3 squared (3²) is 9. Similarly, the cube root of 8 would be written as √₃₈, which equals 2 because 2 cubed (2³) is 8. The radical symbol represents the general concept of taking any root, whether that be the square root, cube root, or higher roots.
Exponents, on the other hand, denote the number of times a number is used as a factor in a multiplication. For example, 5² is the same as 5 × 5, which equals 25. Exponents can also tell us about roots when used as fractional powers: for instance, x² equals the square root of x, because x raised to the 1/2 power is equivalent to the square root of x.