Expert: Sherry Wallin - 10/21/2009

Question
I need to figure our how to get 5 problems to their simplest form:
They are: 5x-^4;  3^6/3^3;   (2x^2)^-5; 2x^-2; (3y)^3/3^2y; All exponents should be positive.

Answer
Any time you have a negative exponent regardless of whether it is in the numerator or denominator, move the factor with the exponent to the 'other' position (move it up if it is down or down if it is up) and change the sign on the exponent. So for example 5x^-4 has a factor of x with a negative exponent in the numerator so move x downstairs into the denominator and change the -4 to a positive 4 getting 5/x^4. Now 3^6/3^3 you need to get all your factors of 3 either up or down and when you move it change it's sign, so move the 3^3 from the denominator to the numerator and change the sign on 3 to - 3 getting 3^6*3^-3 and now use the rule for combining factors when the base is the same add the exponents so 3^6*3^-3 = 3^(6-3) = 3^3 = 27. Now you do the other problems...