I don't understand how to divide monomials with negative (or positive, for that matter) powers. Please help!!!!
Try this link.
http://www.algebra-class.com/dividing-monomials.html
Certainly! Dividing monomials with negative or positive powers is actually quite straightforward. To divide monomials, you can follow these steps:
Step 1: Simplify the exponents
When dividing monomials, subtract the exponent of the divisor from the exponent of the dividend. For example, if you have x^3 divided by x^2, you subtract the exponent of x^2 from the exponent of x^3, which gives you x^(3-2), or x^1, which is simply x.
Step 2: Simplify the coefficients
After simplifying the exponents, divide the coefficients of the terms. For example, if you have 5x^3 divided by 2x^2, divide the coefficient 5 by the coefficient 2, which gives you 2.5.
Step 3: Combine the simplified exponent and coefficient
Bring together the simplified exponent and coefficient to express the final answer. For example, if you have (5/2)x, this is the simplified form of 5x^3 divided by 2x^2.
So, when dividing monomials with negative or positive powers, you simply subtract the exponents and divide the coefficients.