# Math Help - Factors Involving Negative Exponents

1. ## Factors Involving Negative Exponents

EDIT: Yeah, I posted this in the urgent forum. Really sorry mods! Please delete!

So I've been able to do all my Precalc homework using prior knowledge with Algebra 2 until I came across this here:

If someone could hit up number 59 with a detailed procedure (The instruction is to simplify the expression,) I'd appreciate it SO much. Many apologies for the bluriness, if you can't make out what the exponents are, this is the problem typed out:

-2(x^2-3)^-3(2x)(x+1)^3)-3(x+1)^2(x^2-3)^-2/ [(x+1)^3]^2

2. Would you be able to do this type of question with only positive powers? (Just getting an idea of how much of an explaination you need).

To approach this problem, you want to expand each term then simplify.
First step is to expand each set of brackets. You'll need to be very good at expanding (a+b)^3 to do this. Can you do this ok?
Then multiply by the coefficient. eg -2 for the first set of brackets.
Then simplify by adding like terms.
Then see what can be cancelled out via the denominator.

A negaitve power is the same as 1/ the positive power.
eg. (3x+1)^-2 = 1/(3x+1)^+2

There are often shortcuts to this type of problem which you'll become more familiar with, but for now it's probably best to expand everything then simplify.

Let me know if this makes sense and when I have a few minutes I'll write out a worked answer for you (I'm having some issues with my own work at the moment).