Subtracting Exponents with Same Base

Subtracting Exponents with Same Base
$\begingroup$

If $2^4 - 2^3 = 2^3$ and $2^5 - 2^4 = 2^4$, then is below a rule of subtracting exponents with similar base and exponents which are just $1$ away from each other?

$$A^e - A^{e-1} = A^{e-1}$$

I will also like to get an visual intuition of why this works. Thanks.

$\endgroup$
3

1 Answer

$\begingroup$

For $A \ne 0$ we have:

$A^e - A^{e-1} = A^{e-1} \iff A^e=2A^{e-1} \iff A^e=2 A^e A^{-1} \iff 1=2 A^{-1} \iff A=2$.

$\endgroup$
1

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy

David Miller
Author

David Miller

David Miller brings 15 years of experience in global economics, personal finance strategy, and market dynamics. He specializes in turning complex economic trends into actionable insights for everyday readers.