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Rene Descarite
The same way you divide positive exponents like ( x^-7 ) / ( x^-12) = x^( -7 - - 12) = x^( -7+12) = x^5
If you have 10^-3 then you can consider it the same as (1/10^3) and you have changed the negative exponent to positive exponent. Similarly, if the original number is (1/10^-3), that is equivalent to 10^3. In most cases it is as simple as taking the reciprocal.
Rules for exponents to multiply powers, add the exponents to divide powers, subtract the exponents to find a power of a power, multiply the exponents to find a power of a quotient, apply the power top and bottom to find a power pf a product, apply the exponent to each factor in the product x0 = 1 anything to the power zero equals one x-a = 1/xa a negative exponent means "one over" the positive exponent
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why the exponents can not be negative
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You can have negative exponents anywhere. When they are in the denominator, they are equivalent to positive exponents in the numerator of a fraction.
by doing reciprocal
They are the reciprocals of the positive exponents. Thus, x-a = 1/xa
Positive exponents: an = a*a*a*...*a where there are n (>0) lots of a. Negative exponents: a-n = 1/(a*a*a*...*a) where there are n (>0) lots of a.
It is in the simplest form when all exponents are positive.
They can be written as reciprocals with positive exponents. For example, 5-7 = (1/5)7
A negative exponent becomes positive in the reciprocal. So if you have a number a^x where x is negative, then, a^x = 1/(a^-x) and, since x is negative, -x is positive.
Write in positive exponents: (3x ) / y =
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