## Should I flip the negative sign? (9^5 / 8^-6) ^-7

Simple patterns, variables, the order of operations, simplification, evaluation, linear equations and graphs, etc.
Gina
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### Should I flip the negative sign? (9^5 / 8^-6) ^-7

Here's where I started:

(9^5 / 8^-6) ^-7

Multiplying each exponent by -7:

(9^5)^-7 = 9^-35

(8^-6)^-7 = 8^42

Gives me this:

9^-35 / 8^42

Should I flip it to this to get rid of the negative exponent ?:

8^42 / 9^35

...or should I leave it as the second example? I feel like I'm missing one last step.

(I haven't figured out the LaTex formatting yet... )

stapel_eliz
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Gina wrote:Here's where I started:

(9^5 / 8^-6) ^-7

You can flip at this point, to get:

. . . . .$\left(\frac{8^{-6}}{9^5}\right)^7\, =\, \frac{8^{-42}}{9^{35}}$

Then you'd move the 8, with its power, down to the other side of the fraction line, and convert its power to a positive value.

Gina wrote:9^-35 / 8^42

Should I flip it to this to get rid of the negative exponent ?

Yup! But flip only the part with the negative power!

. . . . .$\frac{9^{-35}}{8^{42}}\, =\, \frac{1}{9^{35}8^{42}}$

Gina
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Joined: Wed May 27, 2009 5:20 am
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### Re: Should I flip the negative sign? (9^5 / 8^-6) ^-7

That makes things much clearer. Thank you for your time and help (and for this site!)