SOLUTION: need guidance on adding exponents the problem is 40a^8 + 16a^7 + 25a^9 thank you

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Question 246291: need guidance on adding exponents
the problem is
40a^8 + 16a^7 + 25a^9
thank you
Answer by Theo(13342) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
your equation is:

40a^8 + 16a^7 + 25a^9

this would be equivalent to:

a^7 * (40a + 16 + 25a^2)

expand this out again, and you get:

(a^7 * 40*a) + (a^7 * 16) + (a^7 * 25 * a^2)

a^7 * a = a^(7+1) = a^8
a^7 * a^2 = a^(7+2) = a^9

your equation becomes:

(40*a^8) + 16*a^7) + 25*a^9) which becomes:

40a^8 + 16a^7 + 25a^9

since we're back to the original equation, we're good.