standard_description: Explain how the definition of the meaning of rational exponents follows from extending the properties of integer exponents to those values, allowing for a notation for radicals in terms of rational exponents. For example, we define 5^(1/3) to be the cube root of 5 because we want (5^(1/3))^(3) = 5(^(1/3))^(3) to hold, so (5^(1/3))^(3) must equal 5.
problem_activity: In science class, you measure the mass and volume of different pieces of aluminum. You determine that there is a proportional relationship between mass and volume. The data on four samples of aluminum is shown in the table.
| **           Volume (cm                       $$^3$$                      )          ** | **           Mass (g)          ** |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
|                                            4                                            |               10.8                |
|                                            7                                            |               18.9                |
|                                           12                                            |               32.4                |
|                                           18                                            |               48.6                |
After you put your scale away, you realize that you forgot to find the mass of one more piece of aluminum. The volume of the piece of aluminum is 10 cm
$${^3}$$
. Can you determine the mass without taking your scale back out?


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