When you divide a variable with an exponent by a variable with an exponent, you subtract the exponents. But you can only combine the exponents if the variable/base is the same(it's different for subtraction/addition).
For example:
[tex]\frac{x^5}{y^2}[/tex] You can't simplify this because they have different variables (x and y)
[tex]\frac{x^5}{x^2} =x^{5-2}=x^3[/tex] You can simplify since they have the same variable of x
When the exponent is negative, you have to move the variable and the exponent to the other side of the fraction to make the exponent positive.
For example:
[tex]\frac{x^2}{x^7}=x^{2-7}=x^{-5}=\frac{1}{x^5}[/tex]
[tex]\frac{y}{y^4}=y^{1-4} = y^{-3}=\frac{1}{y^3}[/tex]
You can do the problem like this:
[tex](\frac{-10}{-16} )(m^{-1+8})(y^{0+4})(r^{1+5})[/tex] 2 negative signs cancel out and becomes +
[tex](\frac{5}{8} )(m^7)(y^4)(r^6)[/tex]
Your answer is:
[tex]\frac{5m^7y^4r^6}{8}[/tex]
