How to simplify exponents of exponents

[bdjinsd]

When doing symbolic math, sometimes the result has exponents of exponents, for instance

(x^2)^(3/2)

A simpler form for this expression would be x^3, but even using "simplify,max" does not change the form of the  result. "combine" and "expand" don't help either.

Is there any way to get Matchcad to simplify this expression?

[Werner_E · Accepted solution]

(x^2)^(3/2) = x^3 is true for x>=0 only, not for x<0.

And if x is non-real, the square root ()^.../2 has two results, not just one like x^3.

Mathcad takes that into account and will only simplify to x^3 if you tell it with the "assume" that x is positive (that implicitly also tells MC that x is real of course).

[bdjinsd]

Ah, that helps. Thanks!