SOLUTION: Simplify each of these, expressing your answers with postive indices: a. (x^-4y^7/x^-2y^-5) / (x^3y^-6/x^-1y) b. 5(a^-4)^3b^-6/(a^2b^-1)^4 x 2a^7(b^-3)^2/a^-4b^-9 Coud you p

Algebra ->  Algebra  -> Exponents-negative-and-fractional -> SOLUTION: Simplify each of these, expressing your answers with postive indices: a. (x^-4y^7/x^-2y^-5) / (x^3y^-6/x^-1y) b. 5(a^-4)^3b^-6/(a^2b^-1)^4 x 2a^7(b^-3)^2/a^-4b^-9 Coud you p      Log On

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Question 187188: Simplify each of these, expressing your answers with postive indices:
a. (x^-4y^7/x^-2y^-5) / (x^3y^-6/x^-1y)
b. 5(a^-4)^3b^-6/(a^2b^-1)^4 x 2a^7(b^-3)^2/a^-4b^-9
Coud you please show all working out because we've only started working on these, and I'm finding them really hard.
Thanks in advance.
Answer by vleith(2517) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
a. %28%28x%5E-4y%5E7%2Fx%5E-2y%5E-5%29+%2F+%28x%5E3y%5E-6%2Fx%5E-1y%29%29 First, convert so that all exponents are positive
%28%28x%5E2y%5E7y%5E5%2Fx%5E4%29+%2F+%28x%5E3x%2Fy%5E6y%29%29 Combine powers of like terms
%28%28x%5E2y%5E12%2Fx%5E4%29+%2F+%28x%5E4%2Fy%5E7%29%29 Simplify
%28%28y%5E12%2Fx%5E2%29+%2F+%28x%5E4%2Fy%5E7%29%29 divide
%28%28y%5E12%2Fx%5E2%29+%2A+%28y%5E7%2Fx%5E4%29%29 multiply
%28y%5E12y%5E7%2Fx%5E2x%5E4%29 Combine powers of like terms
%28y%5E19%2Fx%5E6%29
b. 5(a^-4)^3b^-6/(a^2b^-1)^4 x 2a^7(b^-3)^2/a^-4b^-9
use the same process as shown above for this one with one extra step.
%28%285%28a%5E-4%29%5E3b%5E-6%2F%28a%5E2b%5E-1%29%5E4%29+%2A+%282a%5E7%28b%5E-3%29%5E2%2Fa%5E-4b%5E-9%29%29 evaluate powers of powers first
%28%285%28a%5E-12%29b%5E-6%2F%28a%5E8b%5E-4%29%29+%2A+%282a%5E7%28b%5E-6%29%2Fa%5E-4b%5E-9%29%29+ Complete as done above, step by step