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This activity is about the division of algebraic terms with powers.

 

Example

Do the following division.

 

a9÷ a3 =  
 
 

 

Answer

 

Remember what a9 and a3 mean and divide them. We get: 

        

 a x a x a x a x a x a x a x a x a

a x a x a

 

Each a from the bottom of the fraction will cancel out with an a from the top leaving a6

 

This process can be simplified into the rule

a÷ an = am-n

 

Let's have a go at applying that rule in the questions that follow.

10 questions