SOLUTION: My teacher says you shouldn't have a negative exponent. What do I do to figure out a problem like this:(2b^4)^-1????

Algebra ->  Exponents-negative-and-fractional -> SOLUTION: My teacher says you shouldn't have a negative exponent. What do I do to figure out a problem like this:(2b^4)^-1????      Log On


   

Question 415397: My teacher says you shouldn't have a negative exponent. What do I do to figure out a problem like this:(2b^4)^-1????
Found 2 solutions by sudhanshu_kmr, Edwin McCravy:
Answer by sudhanshu_kmr(1152) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!

you can write as follows....
1/(2b^4)

Answer by Edwin McCravy(20060) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!

%282b%5E4%29%5E%28-1%29

Put a 1 under it and a 1 times it:

%281%2A%282b%5E4%29%5E%28-1%29%29%2F1

Rule: To make a negative exponent positive, move the entire
exponential from the 

top to the bottom if the exponential with the negative exponent is in the top,

or from the

bottom to the top if the exponential with the negative exponent is in the bottom,

and change the sign of the exponent to positive, so 

%282b%5E4%29%5E%28-1%29 is in the top so we bring it to the bottom and
change the sign of the -1 exponent to positive 1. 

So we have 

1%2F%281%2A%282b%5E4%29%5E1%29

and we can now erase the 1's in the bottom and the parentheses and 
just have:

1%2F%282b%5E4%29

but we can't erase the 1 on top.

Edwin