Question

How do you rewrite `1/ (7x^-4y^-1)` using positive exponents?

Answer 1

`(x^4y)/7`

Explanation:

We change the sign of an exponent when we move the term with that exponent to the other side of the fraction.

Some examples in math:

`a^(–b) = 1/a^b " "and" "x/y^(–z)=xy^z`

For this question, we can change the sign of the `x^(–4)` and `y^(–1)` terms if we move them to the top of the fraction like this:

`1/(7x^(–4)y^(–1))" "=" "(1x^4y^1)/7`

Then, since multiplying something by 1 doesn't change its value, and raising something to the power of 1 also doesn't change its value, we can remove the 1's from this fraction:

`=(x^4y)/7`