How do you divide #\frac { x ^ { 2} y ^ { 3} } { x ^ { 4} y ^ { 4} }#?

1 Answer
EZ as pi
Jul 23, 2017

#=1/(x^2y)#

Explanation:

The rule for dividing with indices is to subtract the indices of like bases. (Subtract bigger minus smaller)

#(x^2y^3)/(x^4y^4)#

#=1/(x^2y)#

Let's see why this works.

#(x^2y^3)/(x^4y^4)#

#=(cancelx*cancelx*cancely*cancely*cancely)/(cancelx* cancelx* x* x* cancely*cancely*cancely*y)" "(larr"every factor cancelled") /(larr"some factors were left" #

#=1/(x^2y)#

So find the difference between the indices of the same bases and write the answer where the bigger index was.

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