Rewrite terms with fractional exponents.
abab=(ab)21(ab21)21
Using a few exponent rules,
(ab)21(ab21)21=a21b21a21b21⋅21
=a21b21a21b41=b21b41
=b41−21=b−41
=4b1
Looking at the individual factors underneath the square roots:
abab=a⋅ba⋅b
=bb
Like the first approach, the next part is much easier to simplify with fractional exponents.
=bb=b21(b21)21
=b21b41
=b41−21=b−41
=4b1