9514 1404 393
Answer:
b⁶
Step-by-step explanation:
The question tells you how to work it: use the relations you studied.
Here, you have the power of an expression with an exponent. The exponents multiply.
[tex]\text{Rule: }(a^b)^c=a^{bc}\\\\\text{Appication: }(b^3)^2=b^{3\cdot2}=\boxed{b^6}[/tex]
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Additional comment
A coefficient is used to indicate repeated addition: 3x = x + x + x.
An exponent is used to indicate repeated multiplication: x³ = x·x·x.
This is still true when the exponent is applied to an expression with an exponent:
(b³)² = (b³)(b³) . . . . the factor b³ is repeated 2 times as indicated by the exponent 2
Of course, each of these indicates repeated multiplication, so we really have ...
(b³)(b³) = (b·b·b)·(b·b·b) = b·b·b·b·b·b
And this can be simplified using an exponent to show the repeated multiplication:
= b⁶
Then, by going the long way around, we arrive at ...
(b³)² = b⁶
