Question

can someone explain solving negative exponents...

Answer 1

\(x^{-1}=\dfrac{1}{x^1}\)

Answer 2

Example:

\(5^{-2}=\dfrac{1}{5^2}=\dfrac{1}{25}\)

Answer 3

You just move the term that has the negative exponent to the denominator and the exponent becomes positive! So if it was like 5x^-2 then it would just be 5/x^2 because the negative exponent is acting on the x not the 5.