1. The problem is to simplify an expression with a negative exponent. 2. Recall the rule for negative exponents: $$a^{-n} = \frac{1}{a^n}$$ where $a \neq 0$ and $n$ is a positive integer. 3. For example, if the expression is $x^{-3}$, then by the rule it becomes $$x^{-3} = \frac{1}{x^3}$$. 4. This means a negative exponent indicates the reciprocal of the base raised to the positive exponent. 5. Always ensure the base is not zero to avoid division by zero. 6. If you provide the exact expression, I can simplify it step-by-step using this rule.