Question

How do you simplify `(-16a^5b^3)/(-24a^5b^7)`?

Answer 1

`= color(blue)(2/3b^(-4)`

Explanation:

`(-16a^5b^3)/(-24a^5b^7)`

`= ((-cancel16)/-cancel24) . (cancel(a^5/a^5)) . (b^3/b^7)`

`= (2/3) . color(blue)(b^3/b^7`
Note:
`color(blue)(a^m/a^n= a^(m-n)`

Applying the above to the exponents of `b`
`= (2/3) color(blue)(b^(3-7)`
`= 2/3 color(blue)(b^(-4)`