Question

Evaluate. Write your answer as a fraction or whole number without exponents. 8^–3 =

Answer 1

1/512

Explanation:

You want the know the fraction equivalent to 8^-3.

Negative exponent

A negative exponent in the numerator is equivalent to a positive exponent in the denominator, and vice versa. Of course, an exponent signifies repeated multiplication.

`8^(-3)=(1)/(8^3)=(1)/(8\cdot8\cdot8)=\boxed{(1)/(512)}`

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Additional comment

When you want to express numbers in different formats, a spreadsheet or graphing calculator can often help.