Final answer:
To simplify the exponential expression 16¹/⁴, you find the fourth root of 16, which is 2. The correct option in the final answer is c. 2.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question is asking to find the simplified value of the exponential expression 16¹/⁴. To simplify an exponential expression where the exponent is a fraction, you interpret the numerator as the power and the denominator as the root.
So for 16¹/⁴, you're looking for the fourth root of 16 (because the denominator is 4). The fourth root of a number is the number that when multiplied by itself three times (for a total of four instances), gives the original number.
In this case, the fourth root of 16 is 2 because 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 = 16. Therefore, 16¹/⁴ simplifies to 2.
The correct option in the final answer to the simplified value of the exponential expression 16¹/⁴ is c. 2.