How do you simplify #(-5a^2b^7)^7#?

1 Answer
Sep 24, 2015

#-3125a^14b^49#

Explanation:

Since the whole thing is a multiplication, so there is only one term, you can distribute the power to each 'term' in the parentheses.

First of all, since there is a negative, and the power is an odd number, the result should also be negative.

Then you do #5^7# which equals #3125#.

Next you do #(a^2)^7#, and when you take a power to another exponent, you multiply the exponents, which gets you #a^14#.

Same applies to #(b^7)^7#. This will give you #b^49#.

Therefore, you have #-3125a^14b^49#.