Rule 2: To divide identical bases, subtract the exponents.
Problem 4: Simplify .
Answer:
Solution: Use Rule 2: can be written as
which in turn can be simplified to .
This answer can also be written or .
Since the answer is just another way of representing the original expression , both expressions are equivalent . You can check your answer with the calculator by letting a, b, and c take on values in the initial problem and take on the same values in the answer. For example, let a = 2, b = 3, and c = 5 in the original problem. The value of that fraction would be
The value of the final expression would be . Since the values are the same, your answer is correct.
If you want to go back to the start of Exponential Rules, click on Exponential Rules .