# Math Help - negative simplification

1. ## negative simplification

Consider:

(8a) (b) (a)
----------------
(b) (-8a^2) (-b)

Simplify:

(-1) (a^2-2) (b^1-2)

8 divide by -8 is -1, two a at numerator is a^2, then a^2-2

what about b? I have a minus b at the denominator, what would the final b be? a positive or negative? - I took the numerator b which is a positive.

(-1) (a^0) (b^-1)

(-1) (1) (b^-1)

-b^-1

I think I got my signs wrong and I don't know how to deal with the signs as in the case of b.

Thanks.

2. Originally Posted by shenton
Consider:

(8a) (b) (a)
----------------
(b) (-8a^2) (-b)
rewrite this as:

...(8a) (b) (a).............. (8a)(b)(a) ..................(8a)(b)(a)...............
---------------- = ---------------------- = ----------------------
(b) (-8a^2) (-b).... (b)(-1)(8a^2)(-1)(b)...... (b)[(-1)^2](8a^2)(b)

.....................(8a)(b)(a)...............
...............= ---------------
...................(b)(8a^2)(b)

That is collect all the negative signs together and simplify down.

RonL