Negative and zero exponets

Printable View

February 16th 2009, 12:19 PM
XGBrandon

Negative and zero exponets

My teacher assigned me this assignment and it looks totally different that what we did... here are a few of the problems...

X^-2 Y^4

C^0 D^4

R^-3 T^5

There is just a couple of them I just want to get the hang of it so I can do the rest. (Happy)
P.S I made this thread in the exponents section but i realized that there is this section... I believe it would be better because it is really urgent.
February 16th 2009, 12:25 PM
masters

Quote:

Originally Posted by XGBrandon

My teacher assigned me this assignment and it looks totally different that what we did... here are a few of the problems...

X^-2 Y^4

C^0 D^4

R^-3 T^5

There is just a couple of them I just want to get the hang of it so I can do the rest. (Happy)
P.S I made this thread in the exponents section but i realized that there is this section... I believe it would be better because it is really urgent.

Hi XGBrandon,

What were your instructions? Simplify? Get rid of negative exponents?

$x^{-2}y^4=\frac{y^4}{x^2}$

$c^0d^4=1d^4=d^4$

$r^{-3}t^5=\frac{t^5}{r^3}$
February 16th 2009, 12:28 PM
XGBrandon

Quote:

Originally Posted by masters

Hi XGBrandon,

What were your instructions? Simplify? Get rid of negative exponents?

$x^{-2}y^4=\frac{y^4}{x^2}$

$c^0d^4=1d^4=d^4$

$r^{-3}t^5=\frac{t^5}{r^3}$

get rid of the negative exponent and it has to be in fraction form.,
February 16th 2009, 12:30 PM
XGBrandon

Also htis one is throwing me off...ab^0 c^-4 would it be c^4 ?
February 16th 2009, 12:31 PM
masters

Quote:

Originally Posted by XGBrandon

get rid of the negative exponent and it has to be in fraction form.,

Ok then. That's what I thought. All are in fraction form except $d^4$ . If you wanted to, I guess you could write it as $\frac{d^4}{1}$ , but I don't know why you would want to.
February 16th 2009, 12:32 PM
XGBrandon

Quote:

Originally Posted by masters

Ok then. That's what I thought. All are in fraction form except $d^4$ . If you wanted to, I guess you could write it as $\frac{d^4}{1}$ , but I don't know why you would want to.

Do you got a instant messenger program?
February 16th 2009, 12:36 PM
masters

Quote:

Originally Posted by XGBrandon

Also htis one is throwing me off...ab^0 c^-4 would it be c^4 ?

$ab^0c^{-4}=\frac{a}{c^4}$

The variable a remains in the numerator. $c^{-4}$ must go to the denominator to have a positive exponent. $b^0$ is simply 1.
February 16th 2009, 12:47 PM
XGBrandon

another problem I came across is g^7 h^-1 k
would the answer be K/GH ?
February 16th 2009, 12:56 PM
masters

Quote:

Originally Posted by XGBrandon

another problem I came across is g^.7 h^-1 k
would the answer be K/GH ?

This one looks a little strange. Is it copied correctly? If so, then

$g^{.7}h^{-1}k=\frac{g^{.7}k}{h} \ \ or \ \ \frac{g^{7/10}k}{h}$

The g and the k term stay in the numerator. The h term moves to the denominator to achieve a positive exponent of 1.

Remember a few rules:

$a^0=1$

$a^{-1}=\frac{1}{a}$

$a^{-n}=\frac{1}{a^n}$
February 16th 2009, 02:14 PM
HallsofIvy

Masters, I don't see any decimal 7 in the problem. I see g^7 h^-1 k.

XGBrandon, you have been told, repeatedly, that the negative exponent means it goes into the denominator (with positive exponent). Only the h has a negative exponent. And the "7" exponent on the g doesn't just "disappear".

$g^7h^{-1}k= \frac{gk}{h}$
February 17th 2009, 04:00 AM
masters

Quote:

Originally Posted by HallsofIvy

Masters, I don't see any decimal 7 in the problem. I see g^7 h^-1 k.

XGBrandon, you have been told, repeatedly, that the negative exponent means it goes into the denominator (with positive exponent). Only the h has a negative exponent. And the "7" exponent on the g doesn't just "disappear".

$g^7h^{-1}k= \frac{gk}{h}$

Hi HallsofIvy,

I don't know where that decimal point came from. I just quoted XGB's post and there it was. Made it interesting, though. Spooky!