Question

How do you simplify `(-5x^3y^2)/(20x^4y^2)`?

Answer 1

`-1/x`

Explanation:

The numerator and denominator both consist of only one term.
We can simplify in the following way:

Simplify: the signs. ("How many negative signs are there?)
Simplify the numbers as for normal fractions
Simplify the variables - subtract indices of like bases.

`(-cancel5x^3cancelcancely^2)/(cancel20^4x^4cancely^2)`

=`-(x^3)/(4x^4`

=`-1/x`