Adding fractions with exponents 3 5 + 1 3 5 = ?My first instinct was to rewrite the second term as 3 − 5 . Since the base is 3, rewrite as 3 5 + − 5 . It simplifies to 3 0 = 1. Apparently this is incorrect. Can anyone please explain why?

Question

Adding fractions with exponents      3    5    +            1              3        5              =  ?My first instinct was to rewrite the second term as       3          −      5      . Since the base is   3, rewrite as       3          5      +      −      5      . It simplifies to       3    0    =  1. Apparently this is incorrect. Can anyone please explain why?

Donavan Scott · Accepted Answer

This is incorrect because the exponent rule that you were thinking of is:      a    b    ⋅      a    c    =      a          b      +      c      So if you had       3          5        ⋅      3          −      5        then you could use that rule:      3          5        ⋅      3          −      5        =      3          0

tr2os8x · Accepted Answer

There is not much you can do in terms of simplifying these exponents. You could rewrite       3          5       as             3              10                    3              5             then simplify with common denominators to                    3                  10                    +      1              3              5

Adding fractions with exponents 3 5 </msup> + <mrow class="MJX-TeXAtom-ORD"

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