Simplify (x^-5)^4

${(x^{- 5})}^{4}$

Step 1

Multiply the exponents in ${(x^{- 5})}^{4}$ .

Apply the power rule and multiply exponents, ${(a^{m})}^{n} = a^{m n}$ .

$x^{- 5 \cdot 4}$

Multiply $- 5$ by $4$ .

$x^{- 20}$

Step 2

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

$\frac{1}{x^{20}}$