please help me, I forget how to do the problem -> 3^-5 + 3^-4 / 3^-5 - 3^-4 .... the answer is apparently -2.. please help
To solve the problem, we can break it down step by step.
Step 1: Calculate the values of 3^-5 and 3^-4.
To compute negative exponents, you can use the rule: a^(-n) = 1 / a^n. Therefore:
3^-5 = 1 / (3^5) = 1 / 243
3^-4 = 1 / (3^4) = 1 / 81
Step 2: Simplify the expression.
Let's substitute the values we found into the expression:
(1/243) + (1/81) / (1/243) - (1/81)
Step 3: Simplify the individual fractions.
(1/243) + (1/81) = 4/243
(1/243) - (1/81) = -2/243
Step 4: Perform the division.
Dividing fractions is done by multiplying the first fraction by the reciprocal of the second fraction. Therefore:
(4/243) / (-2/243) = (4/243) * (-243/2) = -486/2 = -243
So, the final answer is -243, not -2.
It's possible that there was an error in the given solution or an issue with interpreting the problem. If you could provide more context or clarification, I'd be happy to assist further.