Fractional exponents are a way to express roots using exponents. For example, the expression x^(1/2) represents the square root of x, while x^(1/3) represents the cube root of x. In general, a fractional exponent a/b indicates that you take the b-th root of x and then raise it to the power of a. To simplify expressions with fractional exponents, you can rewrite them in radical form. For instance, x^(3/4) can be expressed as the fourth root of x raised to the third power, or √[4]{x^3}. This method helps in solving equations and simplifying calculations involving roots and powers.