(-30a^14b^8/10a^17b^-2)totally lost on me??

-30/10 = -3

a14/a^17 = 1/a^3 or a^-3
b^8/b^-2 = b^10

so -30a^14b^8/(10a^17b^-2)
= -3 a^-3 b^10 or -3b^10/a^3