Thread: Need Help With Exponents of e

Hi,
I seem to be missing something with the rules of exponents. Maybe someone can help. How does (3e)e^-1/x get to 3e^(x-1)/x? If I apply the rule for adding exponents when multiplying by the same base, i.e, e^1 x e^-1/x, I get e^1+(-1/x), but from here I can't seem to get to e^(1-x)/x. I hope this adequately communicates my problem. Any help will be appreciated.

Originally Posted by jimdec23

Hi,
I seem to be missing something with the rules of exponents. Maybe someone can help. How does (3e)e^-1/x get to 3e^(x-1)/x? If I apply the rule for adding exponents when multiplying by the same base, i.e, e^1 x e^-1/x, I get e^1+(-1/x), but from here I can't seem to get to e^(1-x)/x. I hope this adequately communicates my problem. Any help will be appreciated.

From what you have written, you can't! But you may have miscopied or what you were copying may have been a misprint. Certainly, you could use more parentheses! What would give you "3e^(x-1)/x" would be (3e^x)(e^(-1))/x.

Also "e^(1+ (-1/x))" would be e^(x/x- 1/x)= e^((x-1)/x), not e^((1-x)/x).

HallsofIvy,
Thanks for your response. You're correct - In my first line I did have the right question "How does (3e)e^-1/x get to 3e^(x-1)/x?" Later in my second line I did miscopy this to be "",but from here I can't seem to get to e^(1-x)/x"
Your last line does show me how to arrive at the correct e^((x-1)/x). Thanks for your help.