# Math Help - Exponents ...

1. ## Exponents ...

Hello,

The question:

1. (c^5 + c^2) x (c^6 x c^8)

= c^21

2. 7^7 + 7^7 x 7^7 x 7^7

= 7^24

A general question. In addition if the base is the same do you add the exponents and leave the base as is or do you figure out the exponents meaning the answer to this question should be...

eg. 6^3 + 6^2 + 6^2
= 6^9

or

6 x 6 x 6 + 6 x 6 + 6 x 6
=216 + 36 + 36
=288

Thank you.

walrus

2. Originally Posted by walrus
Hello,

I'm just learning about exponents and having a trouble totally understanding them. My parents signed up and paid a year's subscription for a website that allows me to download tests in math with an answer key because it is a subject that neither of them can help me with.
Out of curiosity, what website was it?

Originally Posted by walrus
1. (c^5 + c^2) x (c^6 x c^8)

= c^21

There is an addition term in the first parenthesis, so we should expect at least two terms in our final answer.

$(c^5 + c^2) (c^6 * c^8) = (c^5 + c^2) (c^{14}) \Rightarrow c^5c^{14}+c^2c^{14} = c^{19}+c^{16}$

Your problem was that you treated that first addition sign as a multiplication sign and added all of the exponents together.

Originally Posted by walrus
2. 7^7 + 7^7 x 7^7 x 7^7

= 7^24

$7^7 + 7^7 * 7^7 * 7^7 = 7^7 + 7^{21}$

Either the answer key or your representation of the problem is wrong.

Originally Posted by walrus
A general question. In addition if the base is the same do you add the exponents and leave the base as is or do you figure out the exponents meaning the answer to this question should be...

eg. 6^3 + 6^2 + 6^2
= 6^9

or

6 x 6 x 6 + 6 x 6 + 6 x 6
=216 + 36 + 36
=288
You only add the exponents when like bases are multiplied together. When they are added, you cannot do much for simplification purposes.

3. ## Exponents ...

Colby2152: Thank you very much for your help I don't quite understand how you got the answers you did but I'm going to go through them thoroughly until I do.

The website is edHelper.com - Math, Reading Comprehension, Themes, Lesson Plans, and Worksheets It is really cool but I am finding the occasional incorrect answer.