Find the value of 9-1/2. For this question we need to know indices rules. We apply two rules here as the power is negative and because it's a fraction. First, let's tackle the negative power rule. When the indice is a negative, we take the base (9) and we turn it into a reciprocal. 9-1/2 = 1/91/2The second indice rule is the fraction, this affects only the number 9. The denominator of the indice tells us what root of 9 we need to find. The numerator tells us the power to raise the answer to. Carrying on from 1/91/2, the square root of 9 = 3 and 3 to the power of 1 = 3. The answer is 1/3.