How do you simplify ((3x^-1) / (6y^-3)) ^-2 ?

1 Answer
Apr 11, 2018

I got (4x^2)/y^6 pretty sure it's right I checked

Explanation:

There are plenty of ways to start, I like dealing with the inside first.

So to start you have to flip the x^-1 and the y^-3 but make sure not to bring the whole numbers with the variables because the exponents are only attached to the x and y.
After you flip the variables you should get ((3y^3)/(6x))^-2 .
Once you do that you can reduce the 3 and 6 to make ((y^3)/(2x))^-2. After that you have to flip the entire thing to make the outside -2 positive: ((2x)/(y^3))^2. After that just distribute the 2 and it becomes (4x^2)/(y^6).
Remember if you combine terms without the parenthesis the exponents just add but with parenthesis the exponent must multiply to everything which is why the 2 became 4.