How do you simplify $4^5 * 4^3$ ?

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Answer 1 · 2016-04-28T18:38:51

Think about the definition of exponents: repeated multiplication.

Therefore, $4^5$ is basically just $4*4*4*4*4$

Similarly, $4^3$ is just $4*4*4$

Thus, if we multiply these together, we get $(4*4*4*4*4)*(4*4*4)$

This is just $4*4*4*4*4*4*4*4$ or $4^8$

There is a formula for this, which is just adding the exponents together, so $4^(5+3) = 4^8$

How do you simplify 4^5 * 4^34^5 * 4^3?