Simplify. Express your answer as a single term, without a denominator. q^0 * r^(-1) * s^1 * q^r * s^(-1) * r^8
Understand the Problem
The question is asking us to simplify the expression q^0 * r^(-1) * s^1 * q^r * s^(-1) * r^8 and express the answer as a single term without a denominator.
Answer
The final result is \( r^{7} q^{r} \).
Answer for screen readers
The simplified expression is ( r^{7} q^{r} ).
Steps to Solve
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Use the property of exponents
The expression includes terms with exponents. Recall the property that states $a^0 = 1$ for any non-zero number $a$. Thus, $q^0 = 1$.
So the expression simplifies to:
$$1 \cdot r^{-1} \cdot s^1 \cdot q^r \cdot s^{-1} \cdot r^8$$
This reduces to:
$$r^{-1} \cdot s \cdot q^r \cdot s^{-1} \cdot r^8$$ -
Combine terms with the same base
Next, simplify the expression further by combining like terms. Notice that $s \cdot s^{-1} = s^{1-1} = s^0 = 1$. This means:
$$r^{-1} \cdot 1 \cdot q^r \cdot r^8$$
Which simplifies to:
$$r^{-1} \cdot q^r \cdot r^8$$ -
Add or subtract the exponents for like bases
Now, combine the terms with base $r$. The exponents are $-1$ and $8$, so add them together:
$$r^{-1 + 8} = r^{7}$$
Thus, we have:
$$r^7 \cdot q^r$$ -
Express as a single term without a denominator
Finally, write the expression as:
$$r^{7} q^r$$
The simplified expression is ( r^{7} q^{r} ).
More Information
This simplification process showcases how to manipulate and simplify expressions with exponents by applying the basic exponent rules, including the property of products and zero exponents.
Tips
- Ignoring zero exponent rule: Forgetting that $q^0 = 1$ can lead to unnecessary complexity.
- Combining terms incorrectly: It's crucial to remember that when multiplying like bases, you add the exponents.
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