Question

How do you simplify `5x^2 * 2x^5` leaving only positive exponents?

Answer 1

`10x^7`

Explanation:

Since multiplication is commutative, this can be rearranged and written as

`(5*2)(x^2*x^5)`

Multiply `5` and `2` to get `10`, and recall the rule for multiplying exponential terms with the same base:

`x^a*x^b=x^(a+b)`

Thus, we see the expression equals

`10x^(2+5)=10x^7`