Question

How do you use laws of exponents to simplify `(( 10x^4y^2)/(-5x^3y^2)^2)`?

Answer 1

Let's first work the brackets below the division bar:

Explanation:

`=(10x^4y^2)/(25x^6y^4)=(2*cancel5*cancelx^4*cancely^2)/(5*cancel5*cancelx^4*x^2*cancely^2*y^2)`

`=2/(5x^2y^2)or2/(5(xy)^2)`

Or you could have done:

`=10/((-5)^2) * x^(4-3*2)*y^(2-2*2)=2/5*x^-2*y^-2`