How do you simplify \frac { 2y } { 2x ^ { - 1} y ^ { - 1} }?

1 Answer
Nov 23, 2016

(2y)/(2x^(-1)y^(-1)) = xy^2

Explanation:

Consider these examples:

1/x " is another way of writing " x^(-1)

x^(-1)" " ->" " x^(-1)/1 " is another way of writing " 1/x
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Using the above approach

Splitting up the given expression so you can see more of what is going on. So we have:

Given:" "(2y)/(2x^(-1)y^(-1))

color(saddlebrown)(2xx1/2)color(green)(xxy)color(blue)(xx1/x^(-1))color(magenta)(xx1/y^(-1))

color(saddlebrown)(2/2)color(green)(xxy)color(blue)(xx1/x^(-1))color(magenta)(xx1/y^(-1))

Note that 2/2=1 so this gives:

color(saddlebrown)(1) color(green)(xxy)color(blue)(xx x)color(magenta)(xxy)

xy^2