Expert: Lynn Houston - 9/12/2009

Question
Simplify to positive exponents only:

{-11m^-2np^-3}^-2/{44mn^3p^-4}^-2

I'm so confused with this problem.

Answer
When you have a negative exponent, to make it positive you put it on the other side of the line.  That is, if it's in the numerator, you move it to the denominator and vice versa.  So, in your problem, start by switching the denominator and numerator.

{44mn^3p^-4}^2/{-11m^-2np^-3}^2  Now, square both

1936m^2n^6p^-8/121m^-4n^2p^-6  now move the variable with negative exponents to the other side of the line and reduce

16m^6n^4/p^2

Let me know if something doesn't make sense.