# Simplifying exponents

• January 30th 2010, 12:05 PM
DemonX01
Simplifying exponents
How would one simplify the following expression?

(x^(-2))/(x^(-2)-x^(-3))

It has the negative exponents, and I'm not sure how I would flip/simplify it as there are 2 terms in the denominator being added.
• January 30th 2010, 12:07 PM
VonNemo19
Quote:

Originally Posted by DemonX01
How would one simplify the following expression?

(x^(-2))/(x^(-2)-x^(-3))

It has the negative exponents, and I'm not sure how I would flip/simplify it as there are 2 terms in the denominator being added.

Multiply both denominator and numerator by $x^{3}$
• January 30th 2010, 12:09 PM
pickslides
Quote:

Originally Posted by DemonX01
How would one simplify the following expression?

(x^(-2))/(x^(-2)-x^(-3))

It has the negative exponents, and I'm not sure how I would flip/simplify it as there are 2 terms in the denominator being added.

$\frac{x^{-2}}{(x^{-2}-x^{-3})} = \frac{1}{x^{2}(x^{-2}-x^{-3})}$

Now expand through the denominator.