calculating 3+ root with only a square root function

Is it possible to calculate an nth root where n>2 on a calculator that
only has a square root function (like the HP12C)?

I'm surprised to find out that the HP12C, the ogosho of financial
calculators, doesn't have this function, since to calculate a growth
rate (of, say, earnings per share), you divide the first and last
values and then take the nth root of the result, n being the number of
periods (say, years) in between.

Ex:
2002 2001 2000 1999
$1.41 $1.27 $1.05 $0.87

1.41/0.87 = 1.62

Third root (because 2002-1999 = 3) of 1.62 = 0.18 = 18% growth rate

This is pretty fundamental, so why can't the HP12C do it? Is there a
workaround?

TIA,
Marc

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