Question

How do you multiply `(7a b ^ { 2} ) ( 3a ^ { 4} b ^ { 5} )`?

Answer 1

`21a^5b^7`

Explanation:

For multiplication:

• multiply the signs. (In this case both positive, nothing to be done)
• multiply the numbers
• add the indices of like bases

`color(blue)(7)color(red)(a)color(forestgreen)(b^2) xx color(blue)(3)color(red)(a^4)color(forestgreen)(b^5)` can be treated as:

`color(blue)(7 xx 3) xx color(red)(a^1 xx a^4) xx color(forestgreen)(b^2 xx b^5)`

`color(blue)(21) xx color(red)(a^5) xx color(forestgreen)(b^7)`