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Properties of Exponents
Exponents COUNT how many times you are MULTIPLYING the baseThis can be confusing because we are using Adding to describe Multiplying!!Remember that you are counting multiplication! In order to COUNT you must be multiplying! For example  is 5 x's multiplied which is MULTIPLIED to the multiplication of 4 x's. This makes a TOTAL of 9 x's being multiplied or x9 However...  is NOT multiplying, this is ADDING, how can you count multiplying if you aren't multiplying? You can't!!! The simplification is  One note: The COEFFICIENT (in 3x2 the 3 is the coefficient) COUNTS ADDING. So IF the exponents are identical, thus creating like terms, then you can ADD the COEFFICIENTS. Be Careful!!! Do NOT change the exponents when you are adding! |
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