Question

Can someone please help me with this 7g^-2/g^4

Answer 1

When you have a negative exponent, you move the variable with the negative exponent to the other side of the fraction to make the exponent positive.

For example:

$\frac{1}{x^{-3}} =\frac{x^3}{1}$  or  x³

$x^{-2}$ or $\frac{x^{-2}}{1} =\frac{1}{x^2}$

When you multiply a variable with an exponent by a variable with an exponent, you add the exponents together. (The variables have to be the same in order to combine them)

For example:

$(y^3)(x^2)=y^3x^2$    (The variables(x and y) are different, so you can't combine them)

$(x^3)(x^2)=x^{(3+2)}=x^5$

$\frac{1}{(y^{-4})(y^2)} =\frac{1}{y^{(-4+2)}} =\frac{1}{y^{-2}} =\frac{y^2}{1}$  or y²

$\frac{7g^{-2}}{g^4}$   First make all the exponents positive

$\frac{7}{g^4(g^2)}$

$\frac{7}{g^{(4+2)}}$

$\frac{7}{g^6}$    (This is as far as you can simplify)