Question

How do you simplify `15^12-15^11`?

Answer 1

`15^12-15^11=14*15^11`
or `1.2109658 \times 10^14` if you evaluate that number on a calculator/computer.

Explanation:

Exponential's are repeated multiplications of one number as in
`2^4=2*2*2*2=16` ,
because of this it's simple to break `15^12` into `15^11*15`.
We replace the `15^12` with this term producing,
`15^12-15^11=15*15^11-15^11` .
Since there is a `15^11` in both terms we can collect like terms to get
`=15^11(15-1)` .
Finishing it off we have
`=14*15^11`
or `1.2109658 \times 10^14` if you evaluate that number on a calculator/computer.