How do you simplify each expression using positive exponents (x−2y−4x3)−2?

1 Answer
Zack M.
Jan 7, 2016

y8x2

Explanation:

We can use exponent rules to simplify this expression. Taking a look at the original function;

(x−2y−4x3)−2

We can see that there are two x terms inside of the parenthesis. Lets combine those first. If we multiply two terms with exponents, the exponents add, in other words;

xa×xb=xa+b

Applying this to our case, we get;

(x(3−2)y−4)−2

(x1y−4)−2

Now lets take a look at the exponent outside the parenthesis. Whenever we raise an exponent term to an exponent, we multiply the exponents.

(xa)b=x(a)(b)

In our case, raising both the x term and the y term to −2 we get;

x(−2)(1)y(−2)(−4)

x−2y8

Now we have one negative exponent and one positive exponent. We need to convert the x term to a positive exponent. To do that we will invert the term.

x−a=1xa

So to get rid of the − we will move the x term to the denominator.

y8x2

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