Question

How do you simplify `\frac { - x ^ { 6} y ^ { 6} } { x ^ { 3} y ^ { 3} }`?

Answer 1

See a solution process below:

Explanation:

First, rewrite the expression as:

`-(x^6/x^3)(y^6/y^3)`

Now, use this rule of exponents to simplify the `x` and `y` terms:

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

`-(x^color(red)(6)/x^color(blue)(3))(y^color(red)(6)/x^color(blue)(3)) => -x^(color(red)(6)-color(blue)(3))y^(color(red)(6)-color(blue)(3)) => x^3y^3`