Question

How do you simplify `(3a)^-3` and write it using only positive exponents?

Answer 1

It would be `1/((3a)^3)`

Explanation:

Two things to note here:

A negative exponent always means the power can be written with a positive exponent by moving that power to the other side of a quotient (a fraction). So, the `(3a)^(-3)` becomes the denominator of a fraction (or the divisor in a quotient if would you rather think of it that way).

Second, since the brackets are placed around the entire `3a` monomial, this is the base to which the exponent applies, and not just the `a` part.