Question

Choose the correct simplification of the expression a to the 7th power times b to the 8th power all over a to the 4th power times b to the 4th power

Answer 1

the simplification of the expression will be as follows:
(a^7b^8)/(a^4b^4)
According to the rules of indices, when you divide numbers with the same base, it's the same as subtracting their powers. Hence we shall have:
(a^7b^8)/(a^4b^4)
=(a^(7-4))(b^(8-4))
=a^3b^4
the answer is a^3b^4