How do you simplify #(4a^2)(-3a)(-5a^4)# using the product of powers property?

1 Answer
KillerBunny
Jan 21, 2015

The result is #60a^7#.

First of all, let's see that the sign is positive: one factor is positive, and two factors are negative, so the sign changes twice and it is + in the end.

Then, we simply multiply the coefficient: #4\cdot 3\cdot 5 = 60#

Finally, we multiply the powers of #a#: the product of powers property says that if we multiply two powers of the same base, we simply have to sum up the exponents, so #a^2\cdot a\cdot a^4 = a^{2+1+4}=a^7#.

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