%5E-2-without-exponents.jpeg "(3/8)^-2 Without Exponents")
Understanding (3/8)^-2 without Exponents
The expression (3/8)^-2 might look intimidating at first, but we can break it down and understand it without using exponents.
What does a negative exponent mean?
A negative exponent indicates a reciprocal. This means we take the base, in this case, (3/8), and flip it. So (3/8)^-2 is the same as (8/3)^2.
What does squaring mean?
Squaring a number means multiplying it by itself. So (8/3)^2 is the same as (8/3) * (8/3).
Multiplying fractions
To multiply fractions, we multiply the numerators and the denominators.
- (8/3) * (8/3) = (88) / (33) = 64/9
Therefore, (3/8)^-2, expressed without exponents, is equivalent to 64/9.