# Math Help - Show how this equals this.

1. ## Show how this equals this.

I need help to solve this one. I don't understand the reply given by the answer book. Maybe someone can help to explain and make it clearer, or help me find a much better answer on th equestion.

I have marked the part that I really don't understand in the answer book with a rectangle.

2. Post what the question actually asks you for. It seems unlikely that you were asked to solve this, more likely you were asked to show it is true.

What it is doing is simplifying the denominator:

$3^{-n}+4^{-n}=\dfrac{1}{3^n}+\dfrac{1}{4^n}= \dfrac{4^n+3^n}{3^n4^n}=\dfrac{4^n+3^n}{12^n}$

CB

3. In detail, they are multiplying by 1 in order to give the fractions a common denominator so that they can add them, making only one fraction:
$\frac{1}{3^n} + \frac{1}{4^n} = \frac{1}{3^n}\cdot 1 + \frac{1}{4^n}\cdot 1$

$= \frac{1}{3^n}\cdot \left(\frac{4^n}{4^n}\right) + \frac{1}{4^n}\cdot\left(\frac{3^n}{3^n}\right) = \frac{4^n}{3^n\cdot 4^n} + \frac{3^n}{3^n\cdot 4^n}$

$= \frac{4^n + 3^n}{(3\cdot 4)^n} = \frac{4^n + 3^n}{12^n}$

4. consider also that when you divide fraction one with fraction two, then it's the same as fraction one multiplied by fraction two "upside down".

For instance $1/2/2$. 2 writtin as a fraction is $2/1$ so we get
$1/2*1/2$ (remember that you have to write $2/1$ 'upside down' so in this case its $1/2$) and then we get $1/2*1/2=1/(2*2)=1/4$