Expert: Paul Klarreich - 10/21/2010

Question
Simplfy with a positive exponent.

(m^-8 n)(m^3 n^-4)

I get

(m^-5 n^-3)

How do I get the exponents to be positive?

Answer
Questioner:   Chris
Country:  United States
Category:  Advanced Math
Private:  No
 
Subject:  Exponents
Question:  Simplfy with a positive exponent.

(m^-8 n)(m^3 n^-4)

I get

(m^-5 n^-3)

>> So far, so good.

How do I get the exponents to be positive?

There are self-help programs for exponents and persuasion sometimes helps, and....

OK, OK, enough of the comedy routine.

A negative exponent means a fraction.

m^-5 means  
  1
------
 m^5

and

n^-3 means  
  1
------
 n^3

So your expression is the product of those,

   1
----------
m^5  n^3

That is all you have to do.