How do you simplify (8b^2)(2b^-8)(2b^-6)?

1 Answer
Alan P.
Feb 16, 2016

(8b^2)(2b^(-8))(2b^(-6))=color(green)(32b^(-12) or color(green)(32/b^12)

Explanation:

Remembering that b^pxxb^q = b^(p+q)

Re-arrange the factors, grouping the constants together and the powers of b separately:
(8b^2)(2b^(-8))(2b^(-6))
color(white)("XXX")=(8xx2xx2)(b^2xxb^(-8)xxb^(-6))

color(white)("XXX")=32 b^(-12)

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