How do you simplify #78^-1#?

1 Answer
Jun 10, 2015

#78^(-1)=1/78#

Explanation:

Use the negative exponent rule: #a^(-n)=1/(a^n)#, in which negative exponents in the numerator are moved to the denominator and become positive, and negative exponents in the denominator are moved to the numerator and become positive.

#a^(-n)# is understood to be #(a^(-n))/1#, and #78^(-1)# is understood to be #78^(-1)/1#, and #1/78# is understood to be #1/(78^1)# .

http://www.mesacc.edu/~scotz47781/mat120/notes/exponents/review/review.html