26.4k views
4 votes
Write the expression as a product of powers:

[(-4) * (-5)] * (-4) + (-5)

A) 4^2 * (-5)^2
B) 4 * 5 * (-4)^2 * (-5)
C) 5 * (-4)^2 + 5 * (-5)
D) 4^2 * 5^2

User Joe Mayo
by
7.6k points

1 Answer

3 votes

Final answer:

The expression [(-4) * (-5)] * (-4) + (-5) misleads the answer choices as it contains an addition, whereas the choices suggest multiplication only. The term (-4) is squared to (-4)^2, and assuming there's a typo turning the plus into multiplication, the term (-5) is also squared giving us the product of powers 4^2 * (-5)^2.

Step-by-step explanation:

To write the expression [(-4) * (-5)] * (-4) + (-5) as a product of powers, we need to factor out the common terms and use exponentiation rules. Let's look at each part of the expression separately:

The expression [(-4) * (-5)] * (-4) can be seen as ((-4)^2 * (-5)) because the term (-4) is being multiplied by itself, which can be written as a power: (-4)^2. Likewise, the term (-5) can be left as is because it is not being multiplied by itself.

Adding the second part, which is simply (-5), the entire expression can be rewritten as:

((-4)^2 * (-5)) + (-5) which can be seen to factor out the common (-5) term:

(-5)((-4)^2 + 1)

However, as none of the answer choices present this factored form but instead represent a pure product of powers, it appears the expression may have a typo, and the plus sign in the original expression might actually be intended to be a multiplication sign.

If the expression should have been [(-4) * (-5)] * (-4) * (-5), it would be [(-4)^2 * (-5)^2], fitting answer choice A) 4^2 * (-5)^2.

User Orien
by
8.2k points