document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=717186>Question 717186</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Explain the Law of Exponents that states a to the -n power = 1 divided by a to the n power? </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #440175 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=jsmallt9><B>jsmallt9(3758)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=jsmallt9><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/nopicture.jpg><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=440175\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> You probably understand the positive exponents:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=a%2Aa+=+a%5E2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"a%2Aa+=+a%5E2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >, <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=a%5E2%2Aa=a%5E3 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"a%5E2%2Aa=a%5E3\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >, <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=a%5E3%2Aa=a%5E4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"a%5E3%2Aa=a%5E4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >, <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=a%5E4%2Aa=a%5E5 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"a%5E4%2Aa=a%5E5\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >, ...<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "To help us understand negative exponents, let's think about the opposite of the above. Instead of starting with a and repeatedly multiplying by a, think about starting with a high power of a and repeatedly dividing by a:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=a%5E5%2Fa+=+a%5E4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"a%5E5%2Fa+=+a%5E4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >, <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=a%5E4%2Fa+=+a%5E3 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"a%5E4%2Fa+=+a%5E3\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >, <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=a%5E3%2Fa+=+a%5E2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"a%5E3%2Fa+=+a%5E2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >, <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=a%5E2%2Fa+=+a%5E1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"a%5E2%2Fa+=+a%5E1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >...<BR>\n" );
document.write( "As we did this the exponents kept going down by 1. Now, let's keep going!<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=a%5E1%2Fa+=+1+=+a%5E0 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"a%5E1%2Fa+=+1+=+a%5E0\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > The exponent went down by 1 again!<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=a%5E0%2Fa+=+1%2Fa+=+a%5E%28-1%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"a%5E0%2Fa+=+1%2Fa+=+a%5E%28-1%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > again, the exponent went down by 1<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=a%5E%28-1%29%2Fa+=+%281%2Fa%29%2Fa+=+1%2Fa%5E2+=+a%5E%28-2%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"a%5E%28-1%29%2Fa+=+%281%2Fa%29%2Fa+=+1%2Fa%5E2+=+a%5E%28-2%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "etc. </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</TD></TR></TABLE>\n" );