Negative Exponent Rule for Exponents:
Negative exponents and negative numbers have nothing whatsoever to do with each other - and they don't mingle well. A negative number is a number that belongs to the left of the zero on the number line. A negative exponent is mathematical shorthand for "you and your base should be on the other side of the fraction bar, with a positive exponent. The official rule for negative exponents is this:
a -m = 1 over a m , or , in the more complete version, a -m over b -n = b n over a m
Let's change the first formula so you see the term a -m written as a fraction:
a -m over 1 and the negative exponent means "hey, you are just an a with a positive m exponent that belongs on the other side of the fraction bar - move to the denominator, change your exponent to positive, multiply yourself to whoever is already there, and replace yourself in the numerator with a 1.
can anyone explain to me why you flip it and multiply it or put a 1? where does the b go or what happen to it?? im trying to figure out why it is done this way?? i copied and pasted but it didnt take the examples with it for some reason so i wrote them in the best i could. it uses a and b as a fraction the a has a negative m exponent and the b has a negative n for an exponent. none of this really makes sense to me and idk why.
Negative exponents and negative numbers have nothing whatsoever to do with each other - and they don't mingle well. A negative number is a number that belongs to the left of the zero on the number line. A negative exponent is mathematical shorthand for "you and your base should be on the other side of the fraction bar, with a positive exponent. The official rule for negative exponents is this:
a -m = 1 over a m , or , in the more complete version, a -m over b -n = b n over a m
Let's change the first formula so you see the term a -m written as a fraction:
a -m over 1 and the negative exponent means "hey, you are just an a with a positive m exponent that belongs on the other side of the fraction bar - move to the denominator, change your exponent to positive, multiply yourself to whoever is already there, and replace yourself in the numerator with a 1.
can anyone explain to me why you flip it and multiply it or put a 1? where does the b go or what happen to it?? im trying to figure out why it is done this way?? i copied and pasted but it didnt take the examples with it for some reason so i wrote them in the best i could. it uses a and b as a fraction the a has a negative m exponent and the b has a negative n for an exponent. none of this really makes sense to me and idk why.
