Step by step
The question
Question: simplify 4x⁻².
4x-2
1 Negative power
Why?
x² over x⁴: crossing out leaves 2 x's on the bottom, so it is 1/x².
With the rule it is x⁻².
So they are the same.
x2x4 = 1x2
x2x4 = x2 − 4 = x-2
A minus in the power means 1 over.
So we get 4/x².
= 4x2
Answer
= 4x2