# Math Help - Quick Exponent Question

1. ## Quick Exponent Question

I know when you move an exponent from the denominator to numerator it becomes negative, and vice versa, but what about a whole numbers?

For Example:

3/x^2 can also be written as 3x^-2

x^2/3?

I realize that 3 is really 3^0, but changing the exponent from 0 to -0 doesn't do any me any good, because any exponent raised to 0 is equal to one. Would the 3 by itself in the denominator if put in the numerator become -3, or is there another principle you must follow? Is changing signs just for exponents or for whole numbers too? Just some clarification would be nice. Thanks for all your help.

2. Originally Posted by qbkr21
I know when you move an exponent from the denominator to numerator it becomes negative, and vice versa, but what about a whole numbers?

For Example:

3/x^2 can also be written as 3x^-2

x^2/3?

I realize that 3 is really 3^0, but changing the exponent from 0 to -0 doesn't do any me any good, because any exponent raised to 0 is equal to one. Would the 3 by itself in the denominator if put in the numerator become -3, or is there another principle you must follow? Is changing signs just for exponents or for whole numbers too? Just some clarification would be nice. Thanks for all your help.
first of all, 3 is not 3^0. 3 is 3^1. anything raised to 0 is 1. so 3^0 = 1, 5^0 = 1, 57.98236478944^0 = 1.

now to answer your question, yes, it does work for whole numbers. x^2/3 = 3^-1*x^2

remember 3^-1 = (1/3) so 3^-1*x^2 = (1/3)x^2 = x^2/3

3. Originally Posted by qbkr21
Would the 3 by itself in the denominator if put in the numerator become -3, or is there another principle you must follow? Is changing signs just for exponents or for whole numbers too? Just some clarification would be nice. Thanks for all your help.
no, putting 3 in the numerator would not make it -3. raising a number to a negative power does not change the sign of the number itself. negative powers mean something totally different, they just mean you take the inverse.

4. ## Re:

Thanks so much!!! YOU ARE THE MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

5. Originally Posted by qbkr21
Thanks so much!!! YOU ARE THE MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
you're very much welcome