How do you simplify #(3x^4y^5)^ -3#?

1 Answer
Nov 21, 2015

#1/(27x^12y^15)#

Explanation:

Recall that #(x^ay^bz^c)^d=x^(ad)y^(bd)z^(cd)#. In other words, when something that already has an exponent is being raised to another exponent, you can just multiply the values of the exponents.

So, #(3x^4y^5)^-3=3^-3x^-12y^-15#

Also, recall that #a^-b=1/(a^b)#.

#3^-3x^-12y^-15=1/(3^3x^12y^15)=1/(27x^12y^15)#