A couple of things about when you can't use this:
![w^3 + w^4](/sites/default/files/images/02-Exponents-13.gif)
This is addition -- not multiplication!
And these are not like terms!
![(x^5)(y^4)](/sites/default/files/images/02-Exponents-14.gif)
The bottom guys (called bases) don't match!
So, there's nothing we can do with either of these.
Here's a fun one... Let's simplify this: | ![5x(y^3)(w^2)(x^4)(y^10)(w^6)](/sites/default/files/images/02-Exponents-15.gif) |
![5(x^1)(x^4)(y^3)(y^10)(w^2)(w^6) = 5(x^(1+4))(y^(3+10))(w^(2+6)) = 5(x^5)(y^13)(w^8)](/sites/default/files/images/02-Exponents-16.gif)
YOUR TURN:
Simplify | |
![answers](/sites/default/files/page_images/algebra/images/algebra-navigation-answers.gif)