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

Algebra ->  Algebra  -> Exponents-negative-and-fractional -> 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      Log On

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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) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
by definition, a%5E%28-m%29+=+1%2Fa%5Em

so 4x%5E%28-3%29 is 4%2Fx%5E3
and %284x%29%5E%28-3%29 is 1%2F%284x%29%5E3

so, for yours... %28-3y%5E-1%29%5E-1, we get

%28-3%2Fy%29%5E%28-1%29

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... %284%2F3%29%5E%28-1%29 should be 3/4, which it is on the calculator.

Does that help?

jon.