can you subtract exponents and get negatives?

Question

anonymous · Answer

yes

anonymous · Answer

so x^2-x^3 is x^-1?

anonymous · Answer

Exponents are funny:
when you multiply them, you add them
and when you divide them you subtract them.

anonymous · Answer

no they do not have the same exponents so you can not subtract them

anonymous · Answer

so 3x^1-2x^3 is no solution?

anonymous · Answer

So to answer that reply no.
If you want to get "x^(-1) you will need an expression like:
(x^4)/(x^5)

anonymous · Answer

but all my hw problems are like that

anonymous · Answer

depending on what you are looking for, the answer differs

anonymous · Answer

im dividing polynomials

anonymous · Answer

you can only add or subtract terms with exponents if the exponents are the same!  If they are different you leave them apart.

anonymous · Answer

or at least trying to:/

anonymous · Answer

Can you give me a problem from your homework and we can go through it together :)

anonymous · Answer

$$1x-2\sqrt{2x ^{3}+3x-4}$$

anonymous · Answer

its division not square root

anonymous · Answer

Phew!  Haha that'd take much longer.

anonymous · Answer

Okay!

anonymous · Answer

We're gonna leave that 1x alone for a while and focus on that division

anonymous · Answer

my teacher said to start with the 1x

anonymous · Answer

and leave the -2 and just put the remainder number/1x-2

anonymous · Answer

Oh!  is the question :  (2x^3 + 3x - 4)/(1x-2) ?

anonymous · Answer

yes

anonymous · Answer

ah, this makes much more sense now

anonymous · Answer

Give me a second and i'll type it all out for you

anonymous · Answer

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