How do you simplify #15^12-15^11#?

1 Answer
May 7, 2016

#15^12-15^11=14*15^11#
or #1.2109658 \times 10^14# if you evaluate that number on a calculator/computer.

Explanation:

Exponential's are repeated multiplications of one number as in
#2^4=2*2*2*2=16# ,
because of this it's simple to break #15^12# into #15^11*15#.
We replace the #15^12# with this term producing,
#15^12-15^11=15*15^11-15^11# .
Since there is a #15^11# in both terms we can collect like terms to get
#=15^11(15-1)# .
Finishing it off we have
#=14*15^11#
or #1.2109658 \times 10^14# if you evaluate that number on a calculator/computer.