Question

What does the zero-exponent rule state regarding a real number b (other than 0), and how can it be used when multiplying exponential expressions with the same base?

Answer 1

The zero-exponent rule posits that any non-zero number raised to the power of zero equals one, which simplifies multiplications of exponential expressions with the same base.

Step-by-step explanation:

The zero-exponent rule states that any real number b (as long as b is not zero) raised to the zeroth power is equal to one, expressed as b0 = 1. This rule is fundamental when dealing with exponential expressions, especially during multiplication or division of expressions with the same base. For example, if you have bm × bn, you can add the exponents, resulting in bm+n. However, if one of the exponents is zero, the expression simplifies to just the other term because of the zero-exponent rule. For instance, b3 × b0 simplifies to b3.