Question

7^16/7^12=7^-18/? what is the missing denominator

Answer 1

$\bf \left.\qquad \qquad \right.\textit{negative exponents}\\\\ a^{-{ n}} \implies \cfrac{1}{a^{ n}} \qquad \qquad \cfrac{1}{a^{ n}}\implies a^{-{ n}} \qquad \qquad a^{{{ n}}}\implies \cfrac{1}{a^{-{{ n}}}}\\\\ -------------------------------$

$\bf \cfrac{7^{16}}{7^{12}}=\cfrac{7^{-18}}{x}\implies x\cdot 7^{16}=7^{12}\cdot 7^{-18}\implies x\cdot 7^{16}=7^{12-18} \\\\\\ x\cdot 7^{16}=7^{-6}\implies x=\cfrac{7^{-6}}{7^{16}}\implies x=\cfrac{7^{-6}\cdot 7^{-16}}{1}\implies x=7^{-6-16} \\\\\\ \boxed{x=7^{-22}}\implies x=\cfrac{1}{7^{22}}$