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Simplifying rational expressions (old video)

Sal simplifies (28b^6)/(7b) as 4b^5. Created by Sal Khan and Monterey Institute for Technology and Education.

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Video transcript

Simplify the expression 28b to the sixth divided by 7b. Well this is the same thing as 28/7 times b to the sixth over b. And I did it this way so that we have b to the sixth over b to some other power. And this is over b, which is the same thing as b to the first. So we could simplify this using exponent properties. And 28/7 we can just clearly simplify because 28 is divisible by 7. 28 divided by 7 is just 4. So that is just 4. And then b to the sixth divided by b to the one, that's just going to be b to the sixth minus 1 power. So times b to the sixth minus 1 or b to the fifth. So our answer is 4b to the fifth.