# Math Help - Simplifying & Radicals

1. ## Simplifying & Radicals

I need help understanding and learning simplifying terms and radicals, if anoyne can show me a step-by-step for this?

Simplify the following: $(4x^2 y^2 z2) -^3 (x^3 y^4)$
That's a power to the negative three. Not a minus

2. Originally Posted by tw3akz
I need help understanding and learning simplifying terms and radicals, if anoyne can show me a step-by-step for this?

Simplify the following: $(4x^2 y^2 z2) -^3 (x^3 y^4)$
That's a power to the negative three. Not a minus
This is the same thing as:

$\frac{x^3y^4}{(4x^2y^2z^2)^3}$

Distribute the power in the denominator:

$\frac{x^3y^4}{(4x^6y^6z^6)}$

Now just reduce what you can. Remember, these are all multiplied together, so you can reduce without having to worry about like terms. Does that help?

3. So the answer would be: (correct me if im wrong)

$y^2 / 4x^2y^3z^6$

How do I do fractions with the {math} tool? And square roots?

*EDIT* and yes, that helps a lot, thankyou

4. Originally Posted by tw3akz
So the answer would be: (correct me if im wrong)

$y^2 / 4x^2y^3z^6$

How do I do fractions with the {math} tool? And square roots?
Actually you can completely get rid of the x & y terms on top.

Consider this:

$\frac{x^3}{x^2} = x$ right?

So you can cancel the top terms all together, you should get:

$
\frac{1}{4x^3y^2z^6}$

Go here http://www.mathhelpforum.com/math-he...-tutorial.html for LaTex typing info.

Just FYI, to make a fraction use:

\frac{x+2}{4+1} *then highlight it and click on the $\sum$ button on the taskbar \frac{x+2}{4+1} $\rightarrow$ $\frac{x+2}{4+1}$

5. Thankyou so much for helping me.

What if the exponent was a negative on that denominator, how would it affect the way you distribute it?

6. Originally Posted by tw3akz
Thankyou so much for helping me.

What if the exponent was a negative on that denominator, how would it affect the way you distribute it?

If the exponent on the denominator was negative, you could just make it into another fraction in the denominator, by putting it under 1 and then changing the exponent to a positive number:

ex.

$\frac{x+4}{(x-2)^{-2}}$

$= \frac{x+4}{\frac{1}{(x-2)^2}}$

To simplify it, you would just multiply the top of the big fraction by the reciprocal of the bottom fraction:

$\frac{x+4}{1} \cdot \frac{(x-2)^2}{1}$

Got it now?

****For square roots: \sqrt{number} then highlight it and click the $\sum$ button