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

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Answer 1 · 2015-04-30T18:23:21

The answer is #4x^4#.

Simplify #((4x^5y^2)/(-2x^3y^2))^2# .

Simplify what's inside the parentheses first.

Cancel the #y^2# from the numerator and denominator.

#((4x^5cancel(y^2))/(-2x^3cancel(y^2)))^2#

Divide #4# in the numerator by #-2# in the denominator.

#((-2x^5)/(x^3))^2#

Simplify the exponents by subtraction.

#(-2x^(5-3))^2#

Square the simplified term inside the parentheses.

#(-2x^2)^2=4x^4#