# simpify (2xy)^2 divided by (-2xy)^3 using exponent prop's

#### fedwards

##### New member
(2xy)^2 over or divided by (-2xy)^3

Can you help me simplify this?

#### stapel

##### Super Moderator
Staff member
fedwards said:
(2xy)^2 over or divided by (-2xy)^3

Can you help me simplify this?
What have you tried? How far have you gotten? You've applied the exponent properties that you've learned (and memorized, I hope!). Where are you stuck?

Eliz.

#### nycfunction

##### New member
fedwards said:
(2xy)^2 over or divided by (-2xy)^3

Can you help me simplify this?
Use the Power of a Product rule as step one in the numerator and denominator.

I will use the letters a, b and x to show you how the rule works.

(ab)^x = a^x times b^x

(2xy)^2 becomes 4x^2y^2 = our numerator.

(-2xy)^3 becomes -8x^3y^3 = our denominator.

We have this new fraction:

(4x^2y^2)/(-8x^3y^3)

We now reduce the fraction to the lowest term piece by piece.

4/-8 becomes -1/2.

x^2/x^3 becomes 1/x.

y^2/y^3 becomes 1/y.

We now have this new fraction as a final answer:

-1/2xy

Done!

#### stapel

##### Super Moderator
Staff member
stapel said:
What have you tried? How far have you gotten? You've applied the exponent properties that you've learned (and memorized, I hope!). Where are you stuck?