SOLUTION: reduce the rational expression to lowest terms. {{{(-r^8s^2)/(r^5s^7)}}}

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Question 338164: reduce the rational expression to lowest terms.
%28-r%5E8s%5E2%29%2F%28r%5E5s%5E7%29


Answer by katealdridge(100) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
When the same variable is divided with different exponents, you subtract the exponent number: top-bottom. If the exponent number becomes negative, then move the variable to the bottom of the fraction and change the negative exponent to a positive one. So %28-r%5E8%29%2F%28r%5E5%29=-r%5E3 because you subtract 8-5 to get 3. The negative in front of the r does not affect the exponents. s%5E2%2Fs%5E7=s%5E-5 but this is not the accepted way to leave your answer. Your answer must not have any negative exponents in it. So you change s%5E-5 to 1%2Fs%5E5 Put it all together and you get: %28-r%5E3%29%2F%28s%5E5%29
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