Question

Simplify the following expression:

3⁻² + 3⁻¹
(Type in integer or a simplified fraction form)

Answer 1

The expression 3⁻² + 3⁻¹ simplifies to 4 / 9 by converting the negative exponents to fractions and adding them.

Step-by-step explanation:

To simplify the expression 3⁻² + 3⁻¹, we need to convert the negative exponents into their respective fraction form since a negative exponent indicates that we should take the reciprocal of the base raised to the positive exponent.

For 3⁻², we have:

• 3⁻² = 1 / 3² = 1 / 9

For 3⁻¹, we have:

• 3⁻¹ = 1 / 3¹ = 1 / 3

Now, let's add these fractions together:

(1 / 9) + (1 / 3) = (1 + 3) / 9 = 4 / 9

Therefore, the simplified form of the expression 3⁻² + 3⁻¹ is 4 / 9.