Enrichment: Simplifying Algebraic Expressions Involving Power Rules

Negative Exponents Practice

1. Evaluate.

1 2−3 2 −3
a) 3−2 b) c) d) ( )
5−2 4 −2 3

2. Simplify. (positive exponents only!)

−2
1 𝑥 −2 𝑚3
a) 𝑥 −3
b) c) d) ( )
𝑦 −2 𝑦 −5 𝑛4

3. Simplify. (positive exponents only!)

−1 −2
(2𝑥 2 𝑦 4 ) (3𝑎−2 𝑏)
a) b)
5𝑥 (2𝑎𝑏−5 )−1

Answers:

1 27 1 𝑦5 𝑛8 1 2𝑎5
1. a) b) 25 c) 2 d) 2. a) b) 𝑦 2 c) d) 3. a) b)
9 8 𝑥3 𝑥2 𝑚6 10𝑥 3 𝑦 4 9𝑏7