The past few weeks, we have been learning about rules and properties of exponents. Here are a few rules to use when you’re dealing with exponents.

When you are multiplying exponents that have the same bases, all you have to do is add the exponents together.

5^-4*5^-3=5^-7

When you are multiplying exponents with the same exponents but different bases, you multiply the bases.

3^4*5^4=15^4

When you are diving exponents, all you do is subtract the exponents.

y^8/y^4=y^4

In a problem like the one below, all you have to do is multiply the exponents inside the parenthesis with the exponent outside the parenthesis.

(5^-4*6^3)^-2=5^8*6^-6

When you’re trying to find the answer of a positive base to a negative exponent, all you have to do is flip the base and change the exponent from negative to positive.

6^-3= 1/6^3

1/6*1/6*1/6= 1/216

When you’re finding the answer of a negative base to a negative exponent, you do the same thing as you did with a positive base and a negative exponent.

-4^-4= 1/-4^4

1/-4*1/-4*1/-4*1/-4= 1/256