How To Simplify Negative Exponents

Power property a m n a m n a m n a m n. Let s start by multiplying negative exponents with variables.

Negative Exponents

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How to simplify negative exponents. Multiplying dividing and understanding negative exponents is the first step to simplifying expressions with negative exponents. Calculate the positive exponent an then take the reciprocal i e. Simplify the following expression.

Use the product to a power property a b m a m b m a b m a m b m. The general formula for rewriting negative exponents as a positive exponent is. 1 5 5.

To find what 5 to the second power is you simply multiply 1 by the number 5 two times. Now to find what 5 to the negative second power is take inverse of 5 2. Negative exponents indicate the inverse of the corresponding positive exponent.

The minus on the 6 says that the 6 is negative. 1 an to change the sign plus to minus or minus to plus of the exponent. How to simplify negative exponents with variables distribute here s what you ll get.

All the steps covered above hold true no matter how complicated the expression is. The factor of b with the 0 exponent becomes 1. Remember you see a negative exponent that just means the reciprocal of the positive exponent.

5 x 3 2 5 x 3 2. So 1 over negative 2 to the third power to the positive third power. Whether or not you ve been taught about negative exponents when they say simplify they mean simplify the expression so it doesn t have any negative or zero powers.

The negative exponent is only on the x not on the 2 so i only move the variable. 5 2 x 3 2 5 2 x 3 2. Take a look at the example below.

The minus on the 2 says to move the variable. That last example showed an easier way to handle negative exponents. 5x 3 2 5 x 3 2.

And this is equal to 1 over negative 2 times negative 2 times negative 2. X a 1 x a examples of rewriting negative examples as positive 1 5 2 1 5 2 2 3 x 2 1 3 x 2. Simplify 5 2 5 2 and multiply the exponents of x x using the.

Some students will try to get around this minus sign problem by arbitrarily switching the sign to magically get 56 on top rather than below a 1 but this is incorrect. Change terms with negative exponents to fractions.

Negative Exponent Rules