How to Divide Exponents

Exponent Rules Dividing Exponents with like bases

There are two rules to remember when you are dividing exponents with like bases.

Divide the coefficients

Subtract the exponents

Today we are going to look at the Rules for Exponents when you are dividing.

Ok here we have 2 ^4divided by2^2.

Since we have like bases we can just subtract the exponents.

We are really just looking for like bases. 2^4 minus 2 which equals 2 squared and that simplifies to 4 if you need an integer.

Here is another example of dividing two exponents.

We have 2^6/2^4 which equals 6 -4 which equals 2 squared, which equals 4.

Now let's look at some additional problems 8x^5 divided by x^4

Since we don't have a coefficient to divide we will just imagine there is a 1 in front of the x^4 so x^5-x^4 equals x to the first power.

Let's now try one with a coefficient. We have 15x^7 divided by 5x^2.

Step 1 is to divide the coefficients, and then get x^7 -x^2 which means you subtract 2 so you end up with 3x^5

The rule is you divide the coefficients and subtract the exponents.

Let's look at one more problem in which you divide exponents

8b^7 divided by b^4

The 8 stays an 8 because you are dividing by one and b^7-4 =3 so the answer will be 8b^3

So this is how you simplify exponents when are dividing.