Thread: Problem with Exponents

Hi, i'm having trouble with how to deal with this question. The question states: Simplify - Express each answer with positive exponents.

Do put the whole numerator under one and square everything? What next? Please show me the steps. I don't know how to edit the math code so I posted a picture. Please check it out. Thanks.

You can do it that way, but it's not necessary. Remember, and this applies no matter what the sign of a,b or c are. If I were doing the problem I would apply the exponent to every term in the parentheses of the numerator, then work on moving around negative exponents such that they can be expressed as positive ones. I think once you simplify the numerator and don't write it as 1/something, the rest of the problem will be fairly simple since everything is multiplied together.

Originally Posted by Jameson

You can do it that way, but it's not necessary. Remember, and this applies no matter what the sign of a,b or c are. If I were doing the problem I would apply the exponent to every term in the parentheses of the numerator, then work on moving around negative exponents such that they can be expressed as positive ones. I think once you simplify the numerator and don't write it as 1/something, the rest of the problem will be fairly simple since everything is multiplied together.

I'd use that method too, but remember you need to multiply each term inside the parentheses by the power which is outside it. i.e.: