Apply an exponent that is outside the parentheses to every term within the parentheses. For example, if the equation reads (3x)^2, apply the power of 2 to both the 3 and the x so that you get 9x^4.
Multiply the exponent within the parentheses times the exponent outside the parentheses if exponents are present within the parentheses. For example, if you have the equation (4x^2) squared, then multiply the inner and outer exponents, which would be 2 times 2, giving you the equation 16x^4.
Add exponents together if they are on the same term and not separated by parentheses. For example, if you have the equation 5x^2 times x, you would add the exponents 2 and 1 together to get 5x^3. Terms that do not have exponents like 5, x or y actually have an exponent of 1, meaning they can be represented as 5^1, x^1 or y^1.
Simplify negative exponents by moving them to the base of a fraction. For example, if you need to solve the equation 2x^-3, you would move factor with a negative exponent to the base of a fraction, which makes the exponent positive. This equation becomes 2/x^3.
Simplify the expression by canceling exponents to complete the equation. For example, if you have solved an equation to this point, 2x^7/2x^5, you can begin by canceling any factors that are multiples of each other. This equation can be represented in long form as (2)(x)(x)(x)(x)(x)(x)(x)/(2)(x)(x)(x)(x)(x). Cancel identical terms like the twos and the xs, which leaves you with x^2.