4x^3y^-2 / 2x^-1y^4
is the answer:
2x^4y^-6 ?
((4x^3)(y^-2))/((2x^-1)(y^4) The way you typed your equation leaves some ambiguity; I'm assuming this is it. First move the variables with negative exponents to opposite sides of the fraction bar, and make those exponents positive. Then add the exponents and multiply the constants for each side. The answer is (8x^4)/(y^6).
The way I wrote it is exactly how the book has it. It's all written together without brackets. Very ambiguous I agree but I'm now not sure if the answer you provided is correct.
To simplify the given expression, you need to follow these steps:
Step 1: Start by dividing the coefficients (numerical values).
4 / 2 = 2
Step 2: Next, simplify the variables with exponents:
For x terms:
Multiply the exponents since they have the same base.
x^3 * x^-1 = x^(3-1) = x^2
For y terms:
Divide the exponents since they have the same base.
y^-2 / y^4 = y^(-2-4) = y^-6
Step 3: Combine the simplified coefficients and variables:
The simplified expression becomes 2x^2y^-6.
Therefore, the simplified expression is 2x^2y^-6, not 2x^4y^-6.