Final answer:
To rewrite 5^10/5^12 in the form 5^n, subtract the exponents to get 5^(-2), which simplifies to 1/25.
Step-by-step explanation:
You've asked to rewrite the expression 5^10/5^12 in the form 5^n. When dividing exponential terms with the same base, you subtract the exponents. This is based on the rules of Division of Exponentials, which say:
- Divide the digit term of the numerator by the digit term of the denominator, which in this case are both 5, so they cancel out leaving us with 1.
- Subtract the exponents of the exponential terms, here it is 10 - 12.
So the operation we need to perform is:
5^10/5^12 = 5^(10-12) = 5^(-2).
The negative exponent indicates that the expression is the reciprocal of the base raised to the positive of that exponent. Hence, the simplified answer is 5^(-2), which represents 1 divided by 5 squared or 1/25.