Exponent Law Practice Question

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Question 1

Which of the following equations are true?

  1. (ab)0 = 1
  2. (a2b)3 = a5b2
  3. (a10b-3)0 = z0

The following pictures are the exponent laws. You can use them as reference.

first law of exponents second law of exponents
third law of exponents law of exponents
law of exponents law of exponents

Answer

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Select and check your answer...

A. I and II
B. I and III
C. I, II and III
D. All of the above

Step by Step Solution

  • Lesson Icon

    Step 1

    Let's take a look at: I. (ab)0 = 1

    We can treat ab as 'some number'. So, this term becomes:

    (some number)0

    Referring to the law as shown in the picture, we can see that (some number)0 is equals to 1.

    Therefore, I. is true.

    law of exponents
  • Lesson Icon

    Step 2

    Let's take a look at: II. (a2b)3 = a5b3

    Oops! It seems that (a2b)3 doesn't fit into the exponent law as shown in the picture.

    However, if we understand the logic behind the exponent laws, we can derive our own formula.

    The following step will show you how.

    This exponent law doesn't seems to fit
  • Lesson Icon

    Step 3

    Now, we know that:

    a^6 b^3

    Now, realize that you can also get a6b3 by:

    a6b3 = a2x3 b1x3

    With this, we can see that: (a2b1)3 = a2x3 b1x3

    Therefore, we can formulate: (anbm)p = anp bmp

    *Note that b = b1

    Newly formulated exponent law
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    Step 4

    Anyway, since we already found that:

    (a2b)3 = a6b3

    The equation II. (a2b)3 = a5b3 is false.

  • Lesson Icon

    Step 5

    Let's take a look at: III. (a10b-3)0 = z0

    Again, we can treat a10b-3 as 'some number'. So this term becomes:

    (some number)0

    Referring to the law as shown in the picture, we can see that (some number)0 is equals to 1.

    Now, z0 is also equals to 1. So, the equation becomes: 1 = 1

    Therefore, III. is true.

    'a' to the power of zero equals to 1
  • Lesson Icon

    Step 6

    From Step 1 to Step 5. The valid choices are I and III.

    Clearly, the answer is B.