Question 648738: Simplify, and express as a single fraction with positive exponents:
[(a+b)^-1]/[a^-1 + b^-1]
Answer by best82394(4)   (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website! Hi. First, look at the negative exponents. Take the first one: (a+b)^-1. You need to get rid of the negative exponent. You get 1/(a+b). Now the denominator. So (a^-1 +b^-1) becomes ((1/a)+(1/b)). Then rewrite the equation with the work that you did. So that becomes: (1/(a+b))/((1/a)+(1/b)). Now, you need to take the reciprocal of the denominator. So that becomes 1/(a+b)*1/((1/b)+(1/a)). Then multiply. The final answer is: (1/(a+b))/((1/b)+(1/a)).
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