Question

Will medal and fan!
what is the simplified form of 3a^4 b^-2 c3?
81a^4 c^3/b^2
81a^4/b^2 c^3
3a^4/b^2 c^3
3a^4c^3/b^2

Answer 1

@DanJS

Answer 2

@mathstudent55 can somebody please help me?

Answer 3

\[3a^4*b^{-2}*c^3\]

Did i read your given expression correctly?

Answer 4

recall: The rule for exponents.

\[\frac{ x^{-y} }{ 1 } = \frac{ 1 }{ x^y }\]

If you move a base raised to an exponent to the opposite side of a fraction, the sign on the exponent will change.

Answer 5

never mind i figured it out! thanks though! Ill give you a medal though!

Answer 6

You can imagine that the thing has a x^0 in the denominator, and by properties of exponent addition, you can see why the sign changes...\[\frac{ x^{-y }}{ x^0 } = \frac{ x^{-y}*x^y }{ x^0*x^y } = \frac{ x^0 }{ x^{0+y} } = \frac{ 1 }{ x^y }\]

Answer 7

a base to the zero power is equal to 1, and the fraction was multiplied by x^y / x^y or 1.

Answer 8

That is why the sign on the exponent changes when you switch the side of the fraction it is on.