Evaluate the Expression: Finding the Value of 8^(-2x)

Question

82x=? 8^{-2x}=\text{?}

Video Solution

Solution Steps

00:04 Let's simplify this expression.
00:07 Remember, with exponents, a number like A to the power of N is the same as one divided by A to the power of negative N.
00:15 Let's use this on our problem.
00:18 The number 8 becomes one divided by 8.
00:21 And the exponent, negative 2X, turns into positive 2X.
00:27 Negative times negative is positive, so the exponent is now 2X.
00:32 Also, when raising A to the power of M, then to the power of N, it's like A to the power of M times N.
00:39 Let's see how that works here.
00:42 For the power 2X, break it into steps.
00:46 We have 8 raised to the power of 2, then raised to the power of X.
00:51 Now let's calculate 8 squared.
00:54 This is our solution.

Step-by-Step Solution

Let's use the law of exponents for negative exponents:

an=1an a^{-n}=\frac{1}{a^n} and apply it to our problem:

82x=182x 8^{-2x}=\frac{1}{8^{2x}} Next, we'll use the law of exponents for power of a power:

(am)n=amn (a^m)^n=a^{m\cdot n} and apply this law to the denominator in the expression we got:

182x=1(82)x=164x \frac{1}{8^{2x}}=\frac{1}{(8^2)^x}=\frac{1}{64^x} where we actually used the above law in the opposite direction, meaning instead of expanding the parentheses and multiplying by the power exponent, we interpreted the multiplication by the power exponent as a power of a power, and in the final stage we calculated the power inside the parentheses in the denominator.

Let's summarize the solution steps, we got that:

82x=182x=164x 8^{-2x}= \frac{1}{8^{2x}}=\frac{1}{64^x}

Therefore, the correct answer is answer D.

Answer

164x \frac{1}{64^x}