9th grade enriched math
Today I started school due to being on vacation. They were doing a review quiz and I was also doing it but one question was complicating for me. Keep in mind I haven't done this in grade 8.
Also, I chose Academic but I hear they view your marks and some people are enrolled in enriched. There is no AP/Honor classes, just saying.
So the question was to simplify 2b*2b^4.
Me being a total idiot who has never done this before wrote down 4b^5. I'm pretty sure it's wrong, thanks.
September 15, 2011
10 Comments • Newest first
[quote=guitarfreak]Yes and the base is b the 2 are just constants that are not affected by the exponents 2(b^1)*2(b^4) the only number affected by the exponents is the variable b.
At TS: No problem, practice more and you will be able to be confident in your answers ^^[/quote]
Oh yeah, good call. Sorry bout that. It's been a while since I've done this stuff, lol.
Alright now i'm positive it's 4b^5.
The calculator at algebra help said so atleast.
[quote=guitarfreak]If the equation was 2b*(2b)^4 the simplified version would be 32b^5
For the equation to be 2b^5 it would have to be 2b*b^4 or b*2b^4[/quote]
After reading your equation i'm pretty sure it's 4b^5 now, thanks.
[quote=guitarfreak]If the equation was 2b*(2b)^4 the simplified version would be 32b^5
For the equation to be 2b^5 it would have to be 2b*b^4 or b*2b^4[/quote]
Correct me if I'm wrong, but exponent laws state that you keep the same base and add the exponents when multiplying.
b^n * b^m = b^(n+m)
Similarly,
(b^n)/(b^m) = b^(n - m)
Not being in school isn't an excuse for not knowing that.
Of course, you're young and are still in a low level of math, so it's not your fault.
Oh, just realized what you're unsure of.
In this case, the constants are multiplied just the same as if they would be alone.
Yeah, 2b^5 is right.
Isn't 4b^4 wrong?
If the equation is 2b*2b^4 I simplified like this.
2b*2b^4
2*2b^5
4b^5.
I also plugged in a random number to try it 4b^4 and it was less than 2b*2b^4 so it's wrong.
Edit: Isn't 2b^5 wrong?
Since in 2b*2b^4 the power is over the b. It'd be 2b^5 if the equation was 2b*(2b)^4
[quote=ABReaper]If the question says simplify,then 4b^4 would be right.
Since you have no idea what b is,then you couldn't progress any farther.
Unless powers have some rule/property no-one told me about. o.o[/quote]
When terms don't have an exponent written on them, it automatically means they are to the first power.
4b^4 is wrong.
2b*2b^4>4b^4.
4b^5 is correct.