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 March 26th, 2010, 07:51 PM #1 Newbie   Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 2 Thanks: 0 Exponential simplification So this is probably a ridiculously simple question for all you math geniuses out there, but I'm trying to simplify these exponentials and I keep getting the wrong answer. I get 16^(k) * 8^(-2k) * 2^(-2k) and have been asked to simplify. I keep getting 1/256^(3k), but maple is telling me the correct answer is 16^(-k). I'm not sure where I've gone wrong here. Any help you can provide is greatly appreciated. Cheers, Nick
 March 26th, 2010, 08:36 PM #2 Global Moderator     Joined: Oct 2008 From: London, Ontario, Canada - The Forest City Posts: 7,949 Thanks: 1141 Math Focus: Elementary mathematics and beyond Re: Exponential simplification $16^{k}\,\times\,8^{-2k}\,\times\,2^{-2k}$ $=\,(2^4)^k\,\times\,(2^3)^{-2k}\,\times\,2^{-2k}$ bases are the same: add the exponents $=\,2^{4k\,-\,6k\,-\,2k}$ $=\,2^{-4k}$ $=\,16^{-k}$
 March 26th, 2010, 08:55 PM #3 Newbie   Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 2 Thanks: 0 Re: Exponential simplification Hey thanks! Same bases...duh. Great avatar! I love Miles!

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