Final answer:
To multiply exponential terms with the same base, like (-36)⁷ x(-36)² x(-36)⁸, simply add the exponents: (-36)7+2+8 = (-36)17. The result is -36 raised to the 17th power.
Step-by-step explanation:
When you have multiple exponential terms with the same base being multiplied, like (-36)⁷ x(-36)² x(-36)⁸, you can simplify the expression by adding the exponents. This is because raising a number to an exponent is shorthand for multiplying the number by itself that many times. Therefore, in the example provided, each base of -36 is being multiplied by itself a certain number of times, and when the bases are the same, the exponents can be added together.
The formula for multiplying exponents with the same base is:
xʸ x xʹ = x(p+q)
Applying this rule to our original problem, we get:
(-36)⁷ x (-36)² x (-36)⁸ = (-36)7+2+8 = (-36)17
The number -36 raised to the 17th power is the answer, which involves multiplying -36 by itself 17 times. Remember, when the base is negative and the exponent is odd, the result will also be negative.