Question

How do you simplify `(m^-3)(-2m^-5)(-m^6)`?

Answer 1

First start by moving the ( `m^-3`) and (`m^-5`) to the denominator in order to make the exponents positive. By doing this, you should get `(((-m^6)(-2))/((m^3)(m^5)))`.

Now you can multiply the two terms in the numerator. You do so in two steps:
1. multiply the coefficients `(-1)(-2)` and
2. keep the `m^6`
This should give you the term `-2m^6`. The whole fraction should look like `((2m^6)/((m^3)(m^5)))`.

Now you can multiply the two terms in the denominator. You do so in three steps:
1. multiply the coefficients `(1)(1)`,
2. keep the base `(m)`, and
3. add the exponents `3+5`.
This is based off the rule `x^a * x^b = x^(a+b)`. This should give you the term `m^8`. The whole fraction should look like `((2m^6)/(m^8))`.

Now you can divide the two terms. You do so in three steps:
1. divide the coefficients `2//1`,
2. keep the base `(m)`, and
3. subtract the exponents `6-8`.
This is based off of the rule `x^a // x^b = x^(a-b)`. This should give you the term `m^-2`.

Once again, to make the exponent positive, you have to move it to the denominator. this should give you `(2/(m^2))`.

Hope this helped!! :)