How do you rewrite #1/x^-2# with positive exponents?

Question

20061 views around the world

You can reuse this answer
Creative Commons License

Answer 1 · 2015-02-07T16:23:58

As #x^2#

A negative exponent means that the thing is "under the dividing bar".

So #1/x^-2# should be written as #1/(1/x^2)#

And then use the rule of "dividing by a ratio is multiplying by its inverse"

OR:
We could say that every time we change #x#'s from above the bar to below, or the other way around, we change the sign.

So #1/x=1/x^(+1)=x^-1/1=x^-1# and vice versa.

So #1/x^(-2)=x^(+2)/1=x^2#