How do you simplify the expression $(42a^5b^6)/(7a^2b^3)$ ?

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Answer 1 · 2016-06-01T02:55:47

$6a^3b^3$

The first simplification we can make involves the big numbers 42 and 7. Notice that 42 is a multiple of 7:

$42/7=6$ , therefore the fraction can be changed to $(6a^5b^6)/(a^2b^3$ .

Next, let's simplify those exponents. The rule is simple, and it's called the quotient of powers property:

$a^n/a^m=a^(n-m)$ .

This property only works with powers that have the same base. Therefore, we can subtract the powers of the upper and lower letters that are the same:

$6a^(5-2)b^(6-3)=6a^3b^3$ .

How do you simplify the expression (42a^5b^6)/(7a^2b^3)(42a^5b^6)/(7a^2b^3)?