SOLUTION: why is x8 and x2 x6 and not x 4

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Question 647322: why is x8 and x2 x6 and not x 4
Found 2 solutions by VirtualMathTutor, stanbon:
Answer by VirtualMathTutor(26) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Let's think about it this way:


x%5E8 is the same as x * x * x * x * x * x * x * x
x%5E2 is the same as x * x


Now let's divide:
x%5E8%2Fx%5E2 = %28x+%2A+x+%2A+x+%2A+x+%2A+x+%2A+x+%2A+x+%2A+x%29%2F%28x+%2A+x%29


Cancel out the common x's to get:
x%5E8%2Fx%5E2 = x * x * x * x * x * x = x%5E6


This is the quotient rule: x%5Em%2Fx%5En = x%5E%28m-n%29

Answer by stanbon(75887) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
why is x8 and x2 x6 and not x 4
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x^8/x^2 = (xxxxxxxx)/(xx)
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2 of the "x's are canceled by the 2 in the denominator.
That leaves you with (xxxxxx) = x^6
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The general rule is x^a/x^b = x^(a-b)
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Cheers,
Stan H.
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