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

1 Answer
Jul 23, 2017

See a solution process below.

Explanation:

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)