Simplify (x^-1x^-1)/(y^6y^-4)

$\frac{x^{- 1} x^{- 1}}{y^{6} y^{- 4}}$

Step 1

Multiply $x^{- 1}$ by $x^{- 1}$ by adding the exponents.

Use the power rule $a^{m} a^{n} = a^{m + n}$ to combine exponents.

$\frac{x^{- 1 - 1}}{y^{6} y^{- 4}}$

Subtract $1$ from $- 1$ .

$\frac{x^{- 2}}{y^{6} y^{- 4}}$

Step 2

Multiply $y^{6}$ by $y^{- 4}$ by adding the exponents.

Use the power rule $a^{m} a^{n} = a^{m + n}$ to combine exponents.

$\frac{x^{- 2}}{y^{6 - 4}}$

Subtract $4$ from $6$ .

$\frac{x^{- 2}}{y^{2}}$

Step 3

Move $x^{- 2}$ to the denominator using the negative exponent rule $b^{- n} = \frac{1}{b^{n}}$ .

$\frac{1}{y^{2} x^{2}}$