Question

How do you simplify `(3n^4)/(3n^3)` and write it using only positive exponents?

Answer 1

See a solution process below:

Explanation:

First, we can cancel the common term in the numerator and denominator of the fraction:

`(3n^4)/(3n^3) => (color(red)(cancel(color(black)(3)))n^4)/(color(red)(cancel(color(black)(3)))n^3) => n^4/n^3`

Next, we can use these rules for exponents to complete the simplification:

`x^color(red)(a)/x^color(blue)(b) = x^(color(red)(a)-color(blue)(b))` and `a^color(red)(1) = a`

`n^color(red)(4)/n^color(blue)(3) => n^(color(red)(4)-color(blue)(3)) => n^color(red)(1) => n`