Applying the Power of a Product Rule

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 31 views

Understanding the Problem

When dealing with exponents, it's essential to understand the rules that govern their behavior. In this case, we're given the expression $\left(3 a^{-6} b^5\right)^{-4}$ and are asked to simplify it using only positive exponents. To approach this problem, we need to apply the rules of exponents, specifically the power of a product rule and the power of a power rule.

Applying the Power of a Product Rule

The power of a product rule states that for any numbers $a$ and $b$ and any integer $n$ , $\left(ab\right)^n = a^n b^n$ . In our case, we can apply this rule to the expression $\left(3 a^{-6} b^5\right)^{-4}$ by distributing the exponent $-4$ to each factor inside the parentheses.

Distributing the Exponent

Using the power of a product rule, we can rewrite the expression as:

\left(3 a^{-6} b^5\right)^{-4} = 3^{-4} \left(a^{-6}\right)^{-4} \left(b^5\right)^{-4}

Applying the Power of a Power Rule

The power of a power rule states that for any number $a$ and any integers $m$ and $n$ , $\left(a^m\right)^n = a^{mn}$ . We can apply this rule to each factor inside the parentheses to simplify the expression further.

Simplifying the Expression

Applying the power of a power rule to each factor, we get:

3^{-4} \left(a^{-6}\right)^{-4} \left(b^5\right)^{-4} = 3^{-4} a^{24} b^{-20}

Simplifying Negative Exponents

To simplify the expression further, we need to get rid of the negative exponents. We can do this by taking the reciprocal of each factor with a negative exponent and changing the sign of the exponent.

Simplifying the Expression with Positive Exponents

Taking the reciprocal of each factor with a negative exponent, we get:

3^{-4} a^{24} b^{-20} = \frac{1}{3^4} a^{24} \frac{1}{b^{20}}

Simplifying the Expression with Positive Exponents (continued)

We can simplify the expression further by evaluating the exponent $3^4$ and rewriting it as a product of prime factors.

Evaluating the Exponent

Evaluating the exponent $3^4$ , we get:

3^4 = 3 \cdot 3 \cdot 3 \cdot 3 = 81

Simplifying the Expression with Positive Exponents (continued)

Substituting the value of $3^4$ into the expression, we get:

\frac{1}{3^4} a^{24} \frac{1}{b^{20}} = \frac{1}{81} a^{24} \frac{1}{b^{20}}

Simplifying the Expression with Positive Exponents (continued)

We can simplify the expression further by rewriting it as a product of fractions.

Simplifying the Expression with Positive Exponents (continued)

Rewriting the expression as a product of fractions, we get:

\frac{1}{81} a^{24} \frac{1}{b^{20}} = \frac{a^{24}}{81 b^{20}}

Final Answer

The final answer is $\boxed{\frac{a^{24}}{81 b^{20}}}$ .

Understanding the Problem

Q&A

Q: What is the power of a product rule?

A: The power of a product rule states that for any numbers $a$ and $b$ and any integer $n$ , $\left(ab\right)^n = a^n b^n$ . This rule allows us to distribute the exponent $n$ to each factor inside the parentheses.

Q: How do I apply the power of a product rule to the given expression?

A: To apply the power of a product rule, we can rewrite the expression $\left(3 a^{-6} b^5\right)^{-4}$ as $3^{-4} \left(a^{-6}\right)^{-4} \left(b^5\right)^{-4}$ by distributing the exponent $-4$ to each factor inside the parentheses.

Q: What is the power of a power rule?

A: The power of a power rule states that for any number $a$ and any integers $m$ and $n$ , $\left(a^m\right)^n = a^{mn}$ . This rule allows us to simplify expressions with exponents by multiplying the exponents.

Q: How do I apply the power of a power rule to the given expression?

A: To apply the power of a power rule, we can simplify the expression $3^{-4} \left(a^{-6}\right)^{-4} \left(b^5\right)^{-4}$ by multiplying the exponents. This gives us $3^{-4} a^{24} b^{-20}$ .

Q: How do I simplify negative exponents?

A: To simplify negative exponents, we can take the reciprocal of each factor with a negative exponent and change the sign of the exponent. This gives us $\frac{1}{3^4} a^{24} \frac{1}{b^{20}}$ .

Q: How do I simplify the expression with positive exponents?

A: To simplify the expression with positive exponents, we can evaluate the exponent $3^4$ and rewrite it as a product of prime factors. This gives us $\frac{1}{81} a^{24} \frac{1}{b^{20}}$ .

Q: How do I simplify the expression with positive exponents (continued)?

A: To simplify the expression with positive exponents, we can rewrite it as a product of fractions. This gives us $\frac{a^{24}}{81 b^{20}}$ .

Final Answer

The final answer is $\boxed{\frac{a^{24}}{81 b^{20}}}$ .