Understanding (a^3)^2 without Exponents
The expression (a^3)^2 might seem confusing at first glance, but it's actually quite straightforward when broken down. Let's explore how to write it without exponents.
Breaking Down the Exponents
- a^3: This means "a multiplied by itself three times": a * a * a
- (a^3)^2: This means "a^3 multiplied by itself two times": (a * a * a) * (a * a * a)
Expanding the Expression
Expanding the expression, we get:
(a * a * a) * (a * a * a) = a * a * a * a * a * a
Simplifying with Multiplication
Since we are multiplying the same variable 'a' by itself six times, we can write it as:
a * a * a * a * a * a = a^6
Conclusion
Therefore, (a^3)^2 is equivalent to a^6. This demonstrates that when dealing with exponents raised to another exponent, we simply multiply the powers.