document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=824765>Question 824765</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Simplify the expression. State your answer using positive indices.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=+4a%5E%28-1%2F2%29++%28a%5E%285%2F2%29+-+a%5E%28-3%2F2%29%29+ ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"+4a%5E%28-1%2F2%29++%28a%5E%285%2F2%29+-+a%5E%28-3%2F2%29%29+\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "That is \"4a\" to the <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=-1%2F2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"-1%2F2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > power<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\"a\" raised to <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=+5%2F2+ ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"+5%2F2+\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "And the second \"a\" raised to <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=-3%2F2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"-3%2F2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #496781 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=KMST><B>KMST(5328)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=KMST><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/cgi-bin/show-face.mpl?user=KMST><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=496781\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Good try!<BR>\n" );
document.write( "I often have trouble showing fractional exponents too.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "When in trouble, putting the fractions in quotation marks sort of makes it readable, like this:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=4a%5E%28-%221%2F2%22%29++%28a%5E%225%2F2%22+-+a%5E%28-%223%2F2%22%29%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"4a%5E%28-%221%2F2%22%29++%28a%5E%225%2F2%22+-+a%5E%28-%223%2F2%22%29%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( " <BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=4a%5E%28-%221%2F2%22%29%28a%5E%225%2F2%22-a%5E%28-%223%2F2%22%29%29=4a%5E%28-%221%2F2%22%29%2Aa%5E%225%2F2%22-4a%5E%28-%221%2F2%22%29%2Aa%5E%28-%223%2F2%22%29=%0D%0A4a%5E%28-%221%2F2%2B5%2F2%22%29-4a%5E%28-%221%2F2-3%2F2%22%29=4a%5E2-4a%5E%28-2%29=highlight%284a%5E2-4%2Fa%5E2%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( " <BR>\n" );
document.write( "NOTE:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "I am not sure that <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=4a%5E2-4%2Fa%5E2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"4a%5E2-4%2Fa%5E2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > would be considered \"simplified\".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Simplicity is in the eye of the beholder.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Maybe<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=4%28a%5E2-1%2Fa%5E2%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"4%28a%5E2-1%2Fa%5E2%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > ,<BR>\n" );
document.write( "or <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=4%28a%5E4-1%29%2Fa%5E2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"4%28a%5E4-1%29%2Fa%5E2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > ,<BR>\n" );
document.write( "or <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=4%28a%5E2%2B1%29%28a%2B1%29%28a-1%29%2Fa%5E2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"4%28a%5E2%2B1%29%28a%2B1%29%28a-1%29%2Fa%5E2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "would be preferred. </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</TD></TR></TABLE>\n" );