Answer: To simplify the expression 4 * 36m^8 * n^4, we can follow these steps:
Step 1: Simplify the numbers
Multiply 4 and 36 to get 144.
Step 2: Simplify the variables with exponents
Multiply m^8 and n^4 to get m^8 * n^4.
Step 3: Final simplification
Putting it all together, we have 144m^8 * n^4.
Remember that when multiplying variables with the same base, you add the exponents. So, the final answer is 144m^8 * n^4.
Let's look at an example to help illustrate this. Suppose m = 2 and n = 3.
The original expression would be 4 * 36 * 2^8 * 3^4.
Simplifying step by step:
1. Multiply 4 and 36 to get 144.
2. Substitute the values of m and n: 144 * 2^8 * 3^4.
3. Evaluate 2^8 to get 256.
4. Evaluate 3^4 to get 81.
5. Multiply 144, 256, and 81 to get the final answer.
Remember, the values of m and n may vary, so this example was just to demonstrate the simplification process.