# 1.05 question - Shortcut?

• Apr 7th 2009, 03:57 PM
suddenlysmarter
1.05 question - Shortcut?
If I have 1.05 and it's to the power of can I just move the decimal to the right to get the same answer as if I went 1.05 * 1.05 * 1.05 (and then just keep taking my answer and multiplying it by 1.05 till I have done so 120 times.

Will the answers be the same, theory? I hope that makes sense.
• Apr 7th 2009, 04:01 PM
e^(i*pi)
Quote:

Originally Posted by suddenlysmarter
If I have 1.05 and it's to the power of can I just move the decimal to the right to get the same answer as if I went 1.05 * 1.05 * 1.05 (and then just keep taking my answer and multiplying it by 1.05 till I have done so 120 times.

Will the answers be the same, theory? I hope that makes sense.

No they won't be the same unless you're counting in base 1.05 I suppose. In base ten moving the decimal point to the right n times will give you 1.05x10^n rather than 1.05^n
• Apr 7th 2009, 04:02 PM
Mush
Quote:

Originally Posted by suddenlysmarter
If I have 1.05 and it's to the power of can I just move the decimal to the right to get the same answer as if I went 1.05 * 1.05 * 1.05 (and then just keep taking my answer and multiplying it by 1.05 till I have done so 120 times.

Will the answers be the same, theory? I hope that makes sense.

No. By that method $4^2$ would be equal to $400$, but it's not. $4^2 = 16$

However, $4 \times 10^2 = 400$
• Apr 7th 2009, 04:23 PM
suddenlysmarter
I think you did it.
I believe I was confusing another example where the base number was 10 and then tried to apply it to the 1.05 to the power of 120. If what you are saying is true then moving the decimal to the right would only apply when using a base of 10. Is my assumption correct?