Powers w/Rational Exponents: Evaluate (Review My Work)

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around evaluating expressions involving rational exponents and powers, specifically focusing on two problems related to the base numbers -32 and 4096. Participants are analyzing the simplification of these expressions and the application of exponent rules.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Mathematical reasoning, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster attempts to simplify the expressions using exponent rules but expresses uncertainty about the results, particularly in the first problem. In the second problem, a participant points out a potential mistake in the original poster's calculations and suggests a different approach using the properties of exponents.

Discussion Status

Some participants have provided feedback on the calculations, indicating that the first answer is correct while the second requires further review. There is an ongoing clarification regarding the correct formulation of the second problem, with participants discussing the importance of proper notation and the use of parentheses for clarity.

Contextual Notes

The original poster acknowledges copying down the wrong problem for the second part, which has led to confusion in the calculations. Participants are also discussing the need for a common denominator in the exponent calculations.

calcdummy
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Homework Statement


Write as a single power, then evaluate:
a) (-32)^3/5 x (-32)^-4/5 / (-32)^2/5


b) 4096^3/6 / 4096^2/3 x 4096^5/6

Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution



a) (-32)^3/5 x (-32)^-4/5 / (-32)^2/5
= (-32)^3/5+(-4/5)-2/5
= -32^-3/5
= -1/8 <- not sure about this

b) 4096^3/6 / 4096^2/3 x 4096^5/6
= 4096^(9-8+10)/12
= 4096^11/12

I'm not so sure of where to go from here.
 
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Your first answer is right :-)

Second needs some review.

Remember (x^a*x^b)/(x^c*x^d)

Is x^(a+b-c-d)

So its 4096^(3/6-2/3-5/6)


You have made a mistake by writing 4096^({9}-8-10)/12

It shouldn't be 9 in the curly brackets i put{} :-).

Also factorise 4096.
Write it in power of primes.

For eg 400=2^4*5^2

So (400)^(1/2)

Is
[(2^4)*(5^2)]^(1/2)

So its (2^2)*(5) which gives 20.
 
Last edited:


Oh man I copied down the wrong problem. I'm so sorry. It was supposed to be:
4096^3/4 / 4096^2/3 x 4096^5/6
I got the common denominator which would been 12. That is how I got 4096^(9-8+10)/12
= 4096^11/12

am I still incorrect?
 


calcdummy said:
Oh man I copied down the wrong problem. I'm so sorry. It was supposed to be:
4096^3/4 / 4096^2/3 x 4096^5/6
I got the common denominator which would been 12. That is how I got 4096^(9-8+10)/12
= 4096^11/12

am I still incorrect?

You should probably use parentheses instead of spaces to make that clearer. If you mean (4096^(3/4)/4096^(2/3))*4096^(5/6) then 4096^(11/12) is correct. There's a much simpler way to express that answer. 4096^(1/12)=2.
 

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