SOLUTION: Hi, I just have a quick question about simplifying negative exponents. Does the coefficient of a variable stay with the number when factoring? i.e. Would 3m^-4 be simplified to 3/m

Question 1144237: Hi, I just have a quick question about simplifying negative exponents. Does the coefficient of a variable stay with the number when factoring? i.e. Would 3m^-4 be simplified to 3/m^4, or would it be simplified to 1/3m^4? Thank you.
Found 3 solutions by ikleyn, MathTherapy, Alan3354:
Answer by ikleyn(52794)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
.

3m^(-4) = .

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Alan, "quick question" assumes "quick answer", exactly as my answer was . . .

Answer by MathTherapy(10552)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!

Hi, I just have a quick question about simplifying negative exponents. Does the coefficient of a variable stay with the number when factoring? i.e. Would 3m^-4 be simplified to 3/m^4, or would it be simplified to 1/3m^4? Thank you.

In this particular case, ONLY the "m" is being raised to the - 4^th power.
In other words, .
On the other hand if it were: , then we'd have: . Understand?
Answer by Alan3354(69443)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
What is a "quick question?"
How is it different from a "slow question?"
Or just a question?

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