Question

How do you simplify `(16 times r ^3 times t ^2) /(- 4 times r times t)`?

Answer 1

See full simplification process below:

Explanation:

To simplify this expression use these rule for exponents:

`x^color(red)(a)/x^color(blue)(b) = x^(color(red)(a)-color(blue)(b))`

`a = a^color(red)(1)`

`a^color(red)(1) = a`

`(16 xx r^color(red)(3) xx t^color(red)(2))/(-4 xx r^color(blue)(1) xx t^color(blue)(1)`

`-4 xx r^(color(red)(3)-color(blue)(1)) xx t^(color(red)(2)-color(blue)(1))`

`-4 xx r^2 xx t^1`

`-4 xx r^2 xx t`

Answer 2

`-4r^2t`

Explanation:

Using the `color(blue)"law of exponents"`

`color(orange)"Reminder " color(red)(bar(ul(|color(white)(2/2)color(black)(a^m/a^n=a^(m-n))color(white)(2/2)|)))`

`rArr(16r^3t^2)/(-4rt)`

`=16/(-4)xxr^3/r^1xxt^2/t^1`

`=-4xxr^(3-1)xxt^(2-1)=-4r^2t`