Final answer:
The expression –6c^4 • –2c^7 simplifies to 12c^11 by multiplying the coefficients to get 12 and adding the exponents to get c^11.
Step-by-step explanation:
To simplify the expression –6c^4 • –2c^7, we need to eliminate terms wherever possible. When multiplying these terms together, we multiply the numerical coefficients and add the exponents of like bases according to the laws of exponents. Thus, the expression becomes:
(-6) × (-2) = 12 (since a negative times a negative is a positive), and
c^4 × c^7 = c^(4+7) = c^11 (since when we multiply like bases, we add the exponents).
Therefore, the simplified expression is 12c^11.
To check the reasonableness of this solution, recognize that both numerical coefficients and exponents on the variable c were handled correctly, so the answer is indeed reasonable.