SOLUTION: I am soon to be going back to college and its been awhile since I've had math to do. I have tried this problem many ways and maybe I am missing it by a silly step... But i need yo

Algebra ->  Exponents-negative-and-fractional -> SOLUTION: I am soon to be going back to college and its been awhile since I've had math to do. I have tried this problem many ways and maybe I am missing it by a silly step... But i need yo      Log On


   

Question 23157: I am soon to be going back to college and its been awhile since I've had math to do. I have tried this problem many ways and maybe I am missing it by a silly step... But i need your help please... this is to help prepare me for an entrance exam.
Simplify.
Big Bracket ( 2X with 7 exponent y with 2 exponent )
__________________________________________ outside bracket 3 exponent
4xy with 3 exponent
=
this is read 2x with an exponent of 7 times y with an exponent of 2 divided by 4xy with an exponent of 3 .... then outside the brackets exponent of 3.
Please help!
Thanks Ashley
Answer by rapaljer(4671) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
I'm not sure what you mean by this. It looks like you have this:
+%28%282%2Ax%5E7%2Ay%5E2%29%5E3%29%2F%28%284%2Ax%2Ay%5E3%29%5E3%29+.

Maybe if this is NOT what you meant, you can use this illustration to re-state your problem and resubmit it.
+%28%282%2Ax%5E7%2Ay%5E2%29%5E3%29%2F%28%284%2Ax%2Ay%5E3%29%5E3%29+
+%282%5E3x%5E21%2Ay%5E6%29%2F%284%5E3x%5E3y%5E9%29+
+%288x%5E21%2Ay%5E6%29%2F%2864x%5E3y%5E9%29+

It might be a good idea to split this rather LARGE problem into three smaller problems:
%288%2F64%29%2A%28%28x%5E21%29%2F%28x%5E3%29%29%2A%28%28y%5E6%29%2F%28y%5E9%29%29

Each of these smaller fractions reduces:
%281%2F8%29%2A+%28x%5E%2821-3%29%29%2A%28y%5E%286-9%29%29
%281%2F8%29%2A+%28x%5E%2818%29%29%2A%28y%5E%28-3%29%29

Remember that a negative exponent, does NOT mean that the answer is negative! Rather, it means that you have a fraction with numerator of 1, and a positive denominator. In this instance, y%5E%28-3%29+=+1%2F%28y%5E3%29+.

So, %281%2F8%29%2A+%28x%5E%2818%29%29%2A%28y%5E%28-3%29%29
%281%2F8%29%2A+%28x%5E%2818%29%29%2A%281%2F%28y%5E3%29%29+

+%28x%5E18%29%2F%288y%5E3%29+

R^2 at SCC