Final answer:
The expression that uses the fewest number of bases is option B) 24^(a + b) * 23^(a + b).
Step-by-step explanation:
The expression that uses the fewest number of bases is option B) 24(a + b) * 23(a + b).
To understand why, let's break down each option:
- Option A) (24 * 23)(a + b): This uses 2 bases, 24 and 23.
- Option B) 24(a + b) * 23(a + b): This uses 2 bases, 24 and 23, just like option A.
- Option C) (24 * 23)(a * b): This uses 2 bases, 24 and 23, just like option A and B.
- Option D) 24(a * b) * 23(a * b): This uses 2 bases, 24 and 23, just like option A, B, and C.
Therefore, option B) uses the fewest number of bases with a total of 2 bases.
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