w^3 x^6 / w^3 x^-4

Why does the answer = x^6 when there is a -4

Question

w^3 x^6 / w^3  x^-4


Why does the answer = x^6 when there is a -4

anonymous · Answer

why does the answer = x^10* when there is a negative 4

hero · Answer

Because -4 in the exponent does not mean negative number. It means "inverse"

anonymous · Answer

really? I should make a note of that.

hero · Answer

$$x^{-a} = \frac{1}{x^a}$$

hero · Answer

The inverse of $x^a$ is 1 over $x^a$

anonymous · Answer

thanks man, good night thanks a lot for your help XD i gotta sleep its 5:45 am. been studying for a good 5-6 hours

hero · Answer

$x^{-a}$ is read as the "inverse" of $x^a$

hero · Answer

Negative in math doesn't always explicitly mean "negative". In fact, for numbers, it was originally supposed to simply mean "opposite" as in "going in the opposite direction".

hero · Answer

Especially for number line systems. +x meant along x and to the right -x meant along x and to the left

hero · Answer

Now it is interpreted as "negative". But as I have shown, negative means different things for different bases.