How do you simplify #1/(3p^-4)#?

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Answer 1 · 2016-03-09T21:09:15

#p^4/3#

A negative exponent denotes:

#a^-b=1/a^b#

Yielding the expression:

#=1/(3(1/p^4)#

To simplify this, multiply the fraction by #p^4/p^4#:

#=1/(3(1/p^4))(p^4/p^4)#

The denominator equals

#=3(1/p^4)(p^4)=3#

since #1/p^4(p^4)=1#.

Since the numerator is just #p^4#, the simplified expression equals

#=p^4/3#