Question

Simplify the expression 4^-3.

Answer 1

-64
-12
1/12
1/64
choices

Answer 2

use this property :-
\[a^{-x}=\frac{ 1 }{ a ^{x} }\]

Answer 3

1/64, use casio class pad 330

Answer 4

I'm going to explain Shreya's answer (which is correct) in words a bit. When you have a negative exponent, you can simplify it by putting it in the denominator. Here, you have an implied denominator of one, so you put it there. Sometimes, you'll get an expression that's already a fraction that has negative exponents. Such as (3x^-1)/(x). Here, you take the term on top and put in next to the term that's already on the bottom, giving you 1/((3x)(x)). This only works if the negative is on top. If you have a negative exponent on the bottom, you move it to the top. (x)/(3x^-1) would be ((x)(3x)). When you move the negative, you leave a one in it's place. In the second case, it gives you ((x)(3x)/1, which is just ((x)(3x)). These examples all have a negative exponent of one. When you move the term, you change the sign on the exponent. For these, it changes to positive one, which you don't write out for the same reason you don't write out a denominator of one. Hope that helped!