%5E2-without-exponents.jpeg "(3b)^2 Without Exponents")
Understanding (3b)^2 Without Exponents
The expression (3b)^2 represents the squaring of the entire term 3b. To break it down without exponents, we need to understand what squaring means.
Squaring a Term
Squaring a term means multiplying it by itself. In our case, we're squaring the term 3b. This can be written as:
(3b)^2 = (3b) * (3b)
Expanding the Multiplication
Now, we need to multiply the terms inside the parentheses. We'll apply the distributive property:
- (3b) * (3b) = (3 * 3) * (b * b)
Simplifying the Expression
Multiplying the constants and variables together, we get:
- (3 * 3) * (b * b) = 9b^2
Therefore, (3b)^2 without exponents is 9b^2.
Key Points
- (3b)^2 means multiplying 3b by itself.
- We can use the distributive property to expand the multiplication.
- The final result is 9b^2.
This process highlights how exponents are simply shorthand notations for repeated multiplication. Understanding this concept helps us work with algebraic expressions more effectively.