Simplify (3a)^-2

${(3 a)}^{- 2}$

Step 1

Rewrite the expression using the negative exponent rule $b^{- n} = \frac{1}{b^{n}}$ .

$\frac{1}{{(3 a)}^{2}}$

Step 2

Simplify the denominator.

Apply the product rule to $3 a$ .

$\frac{1}{3^{2} a^{2}}$

Raise $3$ to the power of $2$ .

$\frac{1}{9 a^{2}}$