Practise Dividing Algebraic Terms with Powers

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

 

Example

 Simplify:

 

10a3

15a2

 

 

Answer

Remember what 10a³ and 15a² mean and divide them.

We get:    

 

10 x a x a x a

15 x a x a

 

Each a from the top of the fraction will cancel out with an a from the bottom, leaving just one a the top.

 

However, we need not write out our method like this each time.

 

Remember the rules of indices for division:

a^m ÷ aⁿ = a^m-n

 

In this example, we would calculate a^{3 - 2} = a¹ or a

 

This gives us

10a

15

 

 

which reduces by dividing the top and bottom by 5 to

 

2a

3

 

Remember that we can use letters other than a when we write algebraic terms - and that these have to be alike to cancel each other out.