a)

Did you know that negative exponents are like a secret code for division? For , it’s equivalent to . So, instead of worrying about negatives, just think of it as the inverse of cubing 3! Multiply 3 by itself three times, and you get 27. Thus, .

When dealing with negative exponents, a common mistake is forgetting that they imply reciprocals. Always remember to switch the base to the denominator for negative exponents! If you find yourself unsure, try rewriting the expression step by step, like unwrapping a present to see what’s inside!