Question

Simplify the expression 10 to the 5th power times 10 to the 4th power

Answer 1

10 power 9. If the bases are equal and you need to multiply you'll add the exponents.

Answer 2

Explanation:

In exponential form, those look like this:

10⁵ × 10⁴

Those 10's are not just regular numbers, they're called bases. The rule for multiplying bases with exponents is that if you're multiplying like bases, you add the exponents. We do indeed have like bases, so we add the exponents 5 and 4 together (which is 9) so the solution to this simplification is 10⁹. If the bases are not like, this rule does not apply. In fact, no rule applies!!