Perform the indicated operations

Question

Perform the indicated operations, reduce to lowest terms, and find restrictions on the variables.

_-5x^3_*_2b^2_

3b^3 15x

Answer 1

re order because multiplication is commutative:

-5x^3 * 2b^2

-------- --------

15x 3b^3

simplify using properties of exponents:

-5x^2 * 2

-------- -----

15 3b

reduce fraction:

-x^2 * 2

------ -------

3 * 3b

combine to one fraction:

-2x^2

--------

9b