First give the coefficient numbers 3 and 2 the exponent 1: Now that every factor has an exponent, we remove the parentheses, by multiplying every exponent inside the parentheses by the exponent outside the parentheses. [This is the distributive principle of exponents], Simplify: Now use the rule for making negative exponents positive, which is If there is a negative exponent on the TOP, move the base and exponent to the BOTTOM and change the sign of the negative exponent to positive. and If there is a negative exponent on the BOTTOM, move the base and exponent to the TOP and change the sign of the negative exponent to positive. So we move the 3-3 from the top to the bottom and put 33 on the bottom. We move the x-12 from the top to the bottom and put x12 on the bottom. And we move the 2-3 from the bottom to the top and put 23 on the top. But we leave the y9 on the bottom because it already has a positive exponent. We finish by raising 2 to the 3 power and getting 2∙2∙2 = 8, and raising 3 to the 3 power and getting 3∙3∙3 = 27: Edwin