SOLUTION: I need some refreshing. I have a problem figuring out some of the rules and properties of negative exponents. As an example: (-3y^-1)^-1 I'm not concerned with the answer, as muc

Question 9348: I need some refreshing. I have a problem figuring out some of the rules and properties of negative exponents. As an example: (-3y^-1)^-1
I'm not concerned with the answer, as much as I am on how and why do do the steps to solve it.
Answer by longjonsilver(2297) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
by definition,

so is
and is

so, for yours... , we get

and then this becomes -y/3. The negative sign can remain on top...it doesn't matter as the 3 is -ve and the y is +ve, swapping them in the fraction, we still have a + and -... making a -ve.

remember, you can always take a numerical example to test... should be 3/4, which it is on the calculator.

Does that help?

jon.

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