Question

How do you simplify `b^5 • b^4`?

Answer 1

`b^9`

Explanation:

Notice that for a positive integer `n`, we can define:

`b^n = overbrace(b * b * ... * b)^"n times"`

So we find:

`b^m * b^n = overbrace(b * b * ... * b)^"m times" * overbrace(b * b * ... * b)^"n times"`

`=overbrace(b * b * ... * b)^"m + n times"`

`=b^(m+n)`

So in particular:

`b^5 * b^4 = b^(5+4) = b^9`