Math Question, please help..

[EpicDentist]

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


Would the answer be X^(-2) or would it be X^(2)? I am not sure if I should just make the answer x^2, to avoid a negative exponent. Thanks.

 

[jmukid]

The answer would be x^-2. When you divide you always subtract so it would be 2 - 4 = -2. So 1 x 10^2 / 1 x 10^4 would be 1 x 10^-2 or 0.01. If it was 10^2 / 10^-4 then your answer would be 10^6 since 2 -(-4) = 6. As a general rule when you multiply you add the exponents, when you divide you subtract the exponent, when you square you multiply the exponents and when you take the square root you divide the exponents. Hope this helps

 

[EpicDentist]

The answer would be x^-2. When you divide you always subtract so it would be 2 - 4 = -2. So 1 x 10^2 / 1 x 10^4 would be 1 x 10^-2 or 0.01. If it was 10^2 / 10^-4 then your answer would be 10^6 since 2 -(-4) = 6. As a general rule when you multiply you add the exponents, when you divide you subtract the exponent, when you square you multiply the exponents and when you take the square root you divide the exponents. Hope this helps

Awesome. Thank you.

 

[NewBee12]

To make the exponent positive you can write it this way :
X^(-2)= 1/X^(2)