How do you simplify #\frac{a^{-2}b^{-3}}{c^{-1}}# without any negative or fractional exponents in the answer?

1 Answer
Gió
Dec 19, 2014

Well, I am not completely sure it is what you want but here it is: #c/(a^2b^3)#

what happens is that a negative exponent allows you to "change floor" to your factor in a fraction.
So if you have:
#a^(-2)# it can go "downstairs" to the denominator loosing the minus sign: #1/(a^2)#;
Same thing with #b^(-3)# that becomes: #1/(b^3)#;
If the factor is already "downstairs", in the denominator, you can take it "upstairs" to the numerator, loosing again the minus sign.
#1/(c^(-1)# becomes: #c^1=c#.

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