The correct steps to follow to simplify an exponential expression using the Quotient Rule of Integer Exponents are:
Check if the bases are the same; if they are, subtract the exponents of the numerator and denominator (leave as-is otherwise); and write the resulting expression in exponential form.
So, the second response is the accurate one. The Quotient Rule states that for any non-zero base \( a \):
\[ \frac{a^m}{a^n} = a^{m-n} \]
This applies only when the bases are the same. If the bases are different, you cannot apply the Quotient Rule and need to leave the expression as-is.