SOLUTION: Doctor Frankenstein has gathered enough bits and pieces for 2^-1+2^-2 of his creature-to-be. Write the fraction that represents the amount of his creature that must still be obtain

Algebra ->  Percentage-and-ratio-word-problems -> SOLUTION: Doctor Frankenstein has gathered enough bits and pieces for 2^-1+2^-2 of his creature-to-be. Write the fraction that represents the amount of his creature that must still be obtain      Log On


   

Question 46957: Doctor Frankenstein has gathered enough bits and pieces for 2^-1+2^-2 of his creature-to-be. Write the fraction that represents the amount of his creature that must still be obtained.
Answer by aaaaaaaa(138) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
We want to solve
2%5E-1%2B2%5E-2
A bit of theory first: Negative exponents are evaluated with the following rule:

(a/b)^-c = (b/a)^c

I hope it makes sense. Therefore:
%282%2F1%29%5E-1+=+%281%2F2%29%5E1+=+1%2F2
%282%2F1%29%5E-2+=+%281%2F2%29%5E2+=+1%5E2%2F2%5E2+=+1%2F4
Since 1/2 + 1/4 is equal to 3/4, he still has 1/4 to go.
Funny thing - I just read Frankenstein!