How do you simplify #2/3m^-1n^5#?

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Answer 1 · 2017-07-23T21:51:09

See a solution process below.

The simplification I see is to eliminate the negative exponent using this rule of exponents:

#x^color(red)(a) = 1/x^color(red)(-a)#

#2/3m^color(red)(-1)n^5 = 2/3 * 1/m^color(red)(- -1) * n^5 = 2/3 * 1/m^color(red)(1) * n^5#

We can also use this formula to simplify the #m# term further now that it is has a positive exponent:

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

#2/3 * 1/m^color(red)(1) * n^5# => 2/3 * 1/m * n^5#

Finally, we can multiply the numerators and the denominators:

#2/3 * 1/m * n^5 = (2 * 1 * n^5)/(3 * m) = (2n^5)/(3m)#