Question 558782
A fraction raised to a negative exponent, essentially means to INVERT the fraction.  {{{(3/5)^-1}}} means {{{5/3}}}


{{{(3/5)^-2}}} means invert the fraction and square, like this {{{(5/3)^2}}} which is 25/9.



For a complete explanation of negative exponents with LOTS of examples and exercises, please see my website.   To go to my website, use the easy-to-spell and easy-to-remember link www.mathinlivingcolor.com. At the very bottom of this page, there is a link that will take you to my Homepage.
 

Once you are on my Homepage, look for the link "Basic, Intermediate, and College Algebra: One Step at a Time." Choose "Basic Algebra", and look in "Chapter 2," for "Section 2.13 Laws of Exponents: Negative and Zero" for a complete, non-traditional explanation that my own students, before I retired, found a lot easier to understand than the published textbooks of that day. You should really like my MATH IN LIVING COLOR pages, where the most difficult problems are solved IN COLOR. In addition, I have a video of me teaching this topic before I retired. 


Everything on the website is FREE. If you find something you really like, just print your own copy of it!! 


If anyone needs to contact me, especially about the website, my Email address is rapaljer@seminolestate.edu. I'll be glad to help you find an explanation on my website to help you with your algebra topic! 


Dr. Robert J. Rapalje, Retired
Seminole State College of Florida
Altamonte Springs Campus