## skylar87 2 years ago help!!! simplify do not use negative exponents in the answer 12a 5th power / 2a 8th power

1. skylar87

$12a ^{5}\2a ^{8}$ real problem

2. geoffb

Just to be clear, is this what you mean? $\frac{12a^{5}}{2a^{8}}$

3. skylar87

yes

4. geoffb

Okay, are you able to solve it *with* negative exponents?

5. skylar87

I did not know how to make the line on here

6. geoffb

\frac{top}{bottom} Do that in the Equation editor, or within $and \ ] 7. skylar87 nope it said do not use neg exponents and the 5 is -5 and the 8 is -8 8. geoffb I know, but once we get to the final answer *with* negative exponents, we can get rid of them by re-writing the answer. 9. geoffb Wait, are you saying it's to the power of -5 and -8? 10. geoffb Which is correct—top or bottom? \[\frac{12a^{5}}{2a^{8}}$ $\frac{12a^{-5}}{2a^{-8}}$

11. skylar87

bottom

12. geoffb

Okay, great. And there are no brackets, right? It's not $$(12a)^{-5}$$?

13. geoffb

So, to start, are you able to simplify the equation?

14. skylar87

right

15. skylar87

I could not find an exmaple in the book like mines so one of the problems in the exercise is like my real problem i need help to figure it out so i can solve mines

16. geoffb

Do you know how to simplify exponents?

17. geoffb

When dividing like bases (in this case, $$a$$), you subtract the bottom exponent from the top. So, $$a^{(-5)-(-8)}$$.

18. geoffb

As for your numeric constants, you just divide them ($$12 \div 2$$)

19. skylar87

ok so that will be -13

20. skylar87

5-8

21. geoffb

No, it's (-5) - (-8).

22. skylar87

12/2 is 6 -5-(-8)=3

23. geoffb

A double-negative is a positive (in math).

24. geoffb

Good!

25. geoffb

26. skylar87

6a$6a ^3$

27. geoffb

Good!

28. skylar87

do I do the samething if my problem has 12 x top and 8y bottom

29. geoffb

Do you mean like: $$\Large{\frac{12x}{8y}}$$ ? No, those are different variables, so you cannot divide one by the other.

30. geoffb

You can simplify the numbers $$\Large{\frac{12}{8} = \frac{3}{2}}$$, but that's all.

31. skylar87

yes with -6 at the top and -10 at the bottom

32. geoffb

Ahh, so: $\frac{12x^{-6}}{8y^{-10}}$ Nope, all you can simplify in this case is 12/8.

33. skylar87

3x,2y

34. geoffb

Yes, with the same exponents.

35. skylar87

so there isn't any steps to break it down because my teacher keep saying show your work

36. geoffb

If they're different variables, you can't simplify them further.

37. geoffb

The only "work" you could show is dividing both the top and bottom by 4, to simplify your numeric fraction.

38. geoffb

$\Large\frac{12x^{-6}}{8y^{-10}} \small\frac{\div 4}{\div 4}$

39. skylar87

ok