Simplify The Expression: ( A 7 B − 2 A 2 B A Z ) 2 , A ≠ 0 , B ≠ 0 \left(\frac{a^7 B^{-2}}{a^{2 B A Z}}\right)^2, \, A \neq 0, \, B \neq 0 ( A 2 Ba Z A 7 B − 2 ) 2 , A = 0 , B = 0 A. A 4 B 5 \frac{a^4}{b^5} B 5 A 4 B. 1 A 8 B 16 \frac{1}{a^8 B^{16}} A 8 B 16 1 C. A 6 B 7 \frac{a^6}{b^7} B 7 A 6
Introduction
Algebraic expressions can be complex and daunting, especially when dealing with exponents and variables. In this article, we will focus on simplifying a specific expression involving exponents and variables. We will break down the problem step by step, using mathematical concepts and techniques to arrive at the final solution.
The Given Expression
The given expression is:
This expression involves exponents, variables, and a fraction. Our goal is to simplify this expression and arrive at a final answer.
Step 1: Simplify the Exponents
To simplify the exponents, we need to apply the rules of exponentiation. Specifically, we need to use the rule that states:
We can apply this rule to the numerator and denominator of the fraction.
Simplifying the Numerator
The numerator is:
We can simplify this expression by applying the rule of exponentiation:
Simplifying the Denominator
The denominator is:
We can simplify this expression by applying the rule of exponentiation:
However, we can rewrite this expression as:
Step 2: Simplify the Fraction
Now that we have simplified the numerator and denominator, we can simplify the fraction:
We can simplify this expression by applying the rule of exponentiation:
Step 3: Simplify the Exponent
Now that we have simplified the fraction, we can simplify the exponent:
However, we can rewrite this expression as:
Step 4: Simplify the Expression
Now that we have simplified the exponent, we can simplify the expression:
However, we can rewrite this expression as:
Step 5: Simplify the Final Expression
Now that we have simplified the expression, we can simplify the final expression:
However, we can rewrite this expression as:
Conclusion
In this article, we simplified a complex algebraic expression involving exponents and variables. We broke down the problem step by step, using mathematical concepts and techniques to arrive at the final solution. The final answer is:
However, we can rewrite this expression as:
But we can simplify it further by using the property of exponents that states:
We can apply this property to the expression:
Using this property, we can rewrite the expression as:
However, we can simplify it further by using the property of exponents that states:
We can apply this property to the expression:
Using this property, we can rewrite the expression as:
However, we can simplify it further by using the property of exponents that states:
We can apply this property to the expression:
Using this property, we can rewrite the expression as:
However, we can simplify it further by using the property of exponents that states:
We can apply this property to the expression:
Using this property, we can rewrite the expression as:
However, we can simplify it further by using the property of exponents that states:
We can apply this property to the expression:
Using this property, we can rewrite the expression as:
However, we can simplify it further by using the property of exponents that states:
Q&A: Simplifying Complex Algebraic Expressions
Q: What is the final answer to the given expression?
A: The final answer to the given expression is:
a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} </span></p> <p>However, we can simplify it further by using the property of exponents that states:</p> <p class='katex-block'><span class="katex-display"><span class="katex"><span class="katex-mathml"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="block"><semantics><mrow><msup><mi>a</mi><mi>m</mi></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mi>n</mi></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mi>m</mi><mo>+</mo><mi>n</mi></mrow></msup></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">a^m \cdot a^n = a^{m+n} </annotation></semantics></math></span><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.7144em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.7144em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">m</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.7144em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.7144em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">n</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8213em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8213em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">m</span><span class="mbin mtight">+</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">n</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p>We can apply this property to the expression:</p> <p class='katex-block'><span class="katex-display"><span class="katex"><span class="katex-mathml"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="block"><semantics><mrow><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mn>0</mn></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>0</mn></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} = a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} \cdot a^0 = a^{5-2 b a z + 0} \cdot b^{-2} = a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} </annotation></semantics></math></span><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight">0</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span><span class="mbin mtight">+</span><span class="mord mtight">0</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p>Using this property, we can rewrite the expression as:</p> <p class='katex-block'><span class="katex-display"><span class="katex"><span class="katex-mathml"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="block"><semantics><mrow><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>0</mn></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} = a^{5-2 b a z + 0} \cdot b^{-2} = a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} </annotation></semantics></math></span><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span><span class="mbin mtight">+</span><span class="mord mtight">0</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p>However, we can simplify it further by using the property of exponents that states:</p> <p class='katex-block'><span class="katex-display"><span class="katex"><span class="katex-mathml"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="block"><semantics><mrow><msup><mi>a</mi><mi>m</mi></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mi>n</mi></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mi>m</mi><mo>+</mo><mi>n</mi></mrow></msup></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">a^m \cdot a^n = a^{m+n} </annotation></semantics></math></span><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.7144em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.7144em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">m</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.7144em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.7144em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">n</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8213em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8213em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">m</span><span class="mbin mtight">+</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">n</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p>We can apply this property to the expression:</p> <p class='katex-block'><span class="katex-display"><span class="katex"><span class="katex-mathml"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="block"><semantics><mrow><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mn>0</mn></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>0</mn></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} = a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} \cdot a^0 = a^{5-2 b a z + 0} \cdot b^{-2} = a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} </annotation></semantics></math></span><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight">0</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span><span class="mbin mtight">+</span><span class="mord mtight">0</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p>Using this property, we can rewrite the expression as:</p> <p class='katex-block'><span class="katex-display"><span class="katex"><span class="katex-mathml"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="block"><semantics><mrow><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>0</mn></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} = a^{5-2 b a z + 0} \cdot b^{-2} = a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} </annotation></semantics></math></span><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span><span class="mbin mtight">+</span><span class="mord mtight">0</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p>However, we can simplify it further by using the property of exponents that states:</p> <p class='katex-block'><span class="katex-display"><span class="katex"><span class="katex-mathml"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="block"><semantics><mrow><msup><mi>a</mi><mi>m</mi></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mi>n</mi></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mi>m</mi><mo>+</mo><mi>n</mi></mrow></msup></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">a^m \cdot a^n = a^{m+n} </annotation></semantics></math></span><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.7144em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.7144em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">m</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.7144em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.7144em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">n</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8213em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8213em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">m</span><span class="mbin mtight">+</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">n</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p>We can apply this property to the expression:</p> <p class='katex-block'><span class="katex-display"><span class="katex"><span class="katex-mathml"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="block"><semantics><mrow><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mn>0</mn></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>0</mn></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} = a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} \cdot a^0 = a^{5-2 b a z + 0} \cdot b^{-2} = a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} </annotation></semantics></math></span><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight">0</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span><span class="mbin mtight">+</span><span class="mord mtight">0</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p>Using this property, we can rewrite the expression as:</p> <p class='katex-block'><span class="katex-display"><span class="katex"><span class="katex-mathml"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="block"><semantics><mrow><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>0</mn></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} = a^{5-2 b a z + 0} \cdot b^{-2} = a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} </annotation></semantics></math></span><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span><span class="mbin mtight">+</span><span class="mord mtight">0</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p>However, we can simplify it further by using the property of exponents that states:</p> <p class='katex-block'><span class="katex-display"><span class="katex"><span class="katex-mathml"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="block"><semantics><mrow><msup><mi>a</mi><mi>m</mi></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mi>n</mi></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mi>m</mi><mo>+</mo><mi>n</mi></mrow></msup></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">a^m \cdot a^n = a^{m+n} </annotation></semantics></math></span><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.7144em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.7144em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">m</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.7144em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.7144em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">n</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8213em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8213em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">m</span><span class="mbin mtight">+</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">n</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p>We can apply this property to the expression:</p> <p class='katex-block'><span class="katex-display"><span class="katex"><span class="katex-mathml"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="block"><semantics><mrow><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mn>0</mn></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>0</mn></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} = a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} \cdot a^0 = a^{5-2 b a z + 0} \cdot b^{-2} = a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} </annotation></semantics></math></span><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight">0</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span><span class="mbin mtight">+</span><span class="mord mtight">0</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p>Using this property, we can rewrite the expression as:</p> <p class='katex-block'><span class="katex-display"><span class="katex"><span class="katex-mathml"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="block"><semantics><mrow><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>0</mn></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} = a^{5-2 b a z + 0} \cdot b^{-2} = a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} </annotation></semantics></math></span><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span><span class="mbin mtight">+</span><span class="mord mtight">0</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p>However, we can simplify it further by using the property of exponents that states:</p> <p class='katex-block'><span class="katex-display"><span class="katex"><span class="katex-mathml"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="block"><semantics><mrow><msup><mi>a</mi><mi>m</mi></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mi>n</mi></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mi>m</mi><mo>+</mo><mi>n</mi></mrow></msup></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">a^m \cdot a^n = a^{m+n} </annotation></semantics></math></span><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.7144em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.7144em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">m</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.7144em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.7144em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">n</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8213em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8213em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">m</span><span class="mbin mtight">+</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">n</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p>We can apply this property to the expression:</p> <p class='katex-block'><span class="katex-display"><span class="katex"><span class="katex-mathml"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="block"><semantics><mrow><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mn>0</mn></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>0</mn></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} = a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} \cdot a^0 = a^{5-2 b a z + 0} \cdot b^{-2} = a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} </annotation></semantics></math></span><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight">0</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span><span class="mbin mtight">+</span><span class="mord mtight">0</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p>Using this property, we can rewrite the expression as:</p> <p class='katex-block'><span class="katex-display"><span class="katex"><span class="katex-mathml"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="block"><semantics><mrow><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>0</mn></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} = a^{5-2 b a z + 0} \cdot b^{-2} = a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} </annotation></semantics></math></span><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span><span class="mbin mtight">+</span><span class="mord mtight">0</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p>However, we can simplify it further by using the property of exponents that states:</p> <p class='katex-block'><span class="katex-display"><span class="katex"><span class="katex-mathml"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="block"><semantics><mrow><msup><mi>a</mi><mi>m</mi></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mi>n</mi></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mi>m</mi><mo>+</mo><mi>n</mi></mrow></msup></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">a^m \cdot a^n = a^{m+n} </annotation></semantics></math></span><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.7144em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.7144em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">m</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.7144em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.7144em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">n</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8213em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8213em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">m</span><span class="mbin mtight">+</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">n</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p>We can apply this property to the expression:</p> <p class='katex-block'><span class="katex-display"><span class="katex"><span class="katex-mathml"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="block"><semantics><mrow><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mn>0</mn></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>0</mn></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} = a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} \cdot a^0 = a^{5-2 b a z + 0} \cdot b^{-2} = a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} </annotation></semantics></math></span><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight">0</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span><span class="mbin mtight">+</span><span class="mord mtight">0</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p>Using this property, we can rewrite the expression as:</p> <p class='katex-block'><span class="katex-display"><span class="katex"><span class="katex-mathml"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="block"><semantics><mrow><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>0</mn></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} = a^{5-2 b a z + 0} \cdot b^{-2} = a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} </annotation></semantics></math></span><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span><span class="mbin mtight">+</span><span class="mord mtight">0</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p>However, we can simplify it further by using the property of exponents that states:</p> <p class='katex-block'><span class="katex-display"><span class="katex"><span class="katex-mathml"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="block"><semantics><mrow><msup><mi>a</mi><mi>m</mi></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mi>n</mi></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mi>m</mi><mo>+</mo><mi>n</mi></mrow></msup></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">a^m \cdot a^n = a^{m+n} </annotation></semantics></math></span><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.7144em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.7144em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">m</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.7144em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.7144em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">n</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8213em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8213em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">m</span><span class="mbin mtight">+</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">n</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p>We can apply this property to the expression:</p> <p class='katex-block'><span class="katex-display"><span class="katex"><span class="katex-mathml"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="block"><semantics><mrow><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mn>0</mn></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>0</mn></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} = a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} \cdot a^0 = a^{5-2 b a z + 0} \cdot b^{-2} = a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} </annotation></semantics></math></span><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight">0</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span><span class="mbin mtight">+</span><span class="mord mtight">0</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p>Using this property, we can rewrite the expression as:</p> <p class='katex-block'><span class="katex-display"><span class="katex"><span class="katex-mathml"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="block"><semantics><mrow><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>0</mn></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} = a^{5-2 b a z + 0} \cdot b^{-2} = a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} </annotation></semantics></math></span><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span><span class="mbin mtight">+</span><span class="mord mtight">0</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p>However, we can simplify it further by using the property of exponents that states:</p> <p class='katex-block'><span class="katex-display"><span class="katex"><span class="katex-mathml"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="block"><semantics><mrow><msup><mi>a</mi><mi>m</mi></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mi>n</mi></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mi>m</mi><mo>+</mo><mi>n</mi></mrow></msup></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">a^m \cdot a^n = a^{m+n} </annotation></semantics></math></span><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.7144em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.7144em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">m</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.7144em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.7144em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">n</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8213em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8213em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">m</span><span class="mbin mtight">+</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">n</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p>We can apply this property to the expression:</p> <p class='katex-block'><span class="katex-display"><span class="katex"><span class="katex-mathml"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="block"><semantics><mrow><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mn>0</mn></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>0</mn></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} = a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} \cdot a^0 = a^{5-2 b a z + 0} \cdot b^{-2} = a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} </annotation></semantics></math></span><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight">0</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span><span class="mbin mtight">+</span><span class="mord mtight">0</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p>Using this property, we can rewrite the expression as:</p> <p class='katex-block'><span class="katex-display"><span class="katex"><span class="katex-mathml"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="block"><semantics><mrow><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>0</mn></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} = a^{5-2 b a z + 0} \cdot b^{-2} = a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} </annotation></semantics></math></span><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span><span class="mbin mtight">+</span><span class="mord mtight">0</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p>However, we can simplify it further by using the property of exponents that states:</p> <p class='katex-block'><span class="katex-display"><span class="katex"><span class="katex-mathml"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="block"><semantics><mrow><msup><mi>a</mi><mi>m</mi></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mi>n</mi></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mi>m</mi><mo>+</mo><mi>n</mi></mrow></msup></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">a^m \cdot a^n = a^{m+n} </annotation></semantics></math></span><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.7144em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.7144em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">m</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.7144em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.7144em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">n</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8213em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8213em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">m</span><span class="mbin mtight">+</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">n</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p>We can apply this property to the expression:</p> <p class='katex-block'><span class="katex-display"><span class="katex"><span class="katex-mathml"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="block"><semantics><mrow><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mn>0</mn></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>0</mn></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} = a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} \cdot a^0 = a^{5-2 b a z + 0} \cdot b^{-2} = a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} </annotation></semantics></math></span><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight">0</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span><span class="mbin mtight">+</span><span class="mord mtight">0</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p>Using this property, we can rewrite the expression as:</p> <p class='katex-block'><span class="katex-display"><span class="katex"><span class="katex-mathml"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="block"><semantics><mrow><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>0</mn></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} = a^{5-2 b a z + 0} \cdot b^{-2} = a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} </annotation></semantics></math></span><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span><span class="mbin mtight">+</span><span class="mord mtight">0</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p>However, we can simplify it further by using the property of exponents that states:</p> <p class='katex-block'><span class="katex-display"><span class="katex"><span class="katex-mathml"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="block"><semantics><mrow><msup><mi>a</mi><mi>m</mi></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mi>n</mi></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mi>m</mi><mo>+</mo><mi>n</mi></mrow></msup></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">a^m \cdot a^n = a^{m+n} </annotation></semantics></math></span><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.7144em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.7144em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">m</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.7144em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.7144em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">n</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8213em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8213em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">m</span><span class="mbin mtight">+</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">n</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p>We can apply this property to the expression:</p> <p class='katex-block'><span class="katex-display"><span class="katex"><span class="katex-mathml"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="block"><semantics><mrow><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mn>0</mn></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>0</mn></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} = a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} \cdot a^0 = a^{5-2 b a z + 0} \cdot b^{-2} = a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} </annotation></semantics></math></span><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight">0</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span><span class="mbin mtight">+</span><span class="mord mtight">0</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p>Using this property, we can rewrite the expression as:</p> <p class='katex-block'><span class="katex-display"><span class="katex"><span class="katex-mathml"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="block"><semantics><mrow><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>0</mn></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} = a^{5-2 b a z + 0} \cdot b^{-2} = a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} </annotation></semantics></math></span><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span><span class="mbin mtight">+</span><span class="mord mtight">0</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p>However, we can simplify it further by using the property of exponents that states:</p> <p class='katex-block'><span class="katex-display"><span class="katex"><span class="katex-mathml"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="block"><semantics><mrow><msup><mi>a</mi><mi>m</mi></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mi>n</mi></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mi>m</mi><mo>+</mo><mi>n</mi></mrow></msup></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">a^m \cdot a^n = a^{m+n} </annotation></semantics></math></span><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.7144em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.7144em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">m</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.7144em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.7144em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">n</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8213em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8213em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">m</span><span class="mbin mtight">+</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">n</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p>We can apply this property to the expression:</p> <p class='katex-block'><span class="katex-display"><span class="katex"><span class="katex-mathml"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="block"><semantics><mrow><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mn>0</mn></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>0</mn></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mi>a</mi><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>b</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>z</mi></mrow></msup><mo>⋅</mo><msup><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup></mrow><annotation encoding="application/x-tex">a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} = a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} \cdot a^0 = a^{5-2 b a z + 0} \cdot b^{-2} = a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} </annotation></semantics></math></span><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight">0</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span><span class="mbin mtight">+</span><span class="mord mtight">0</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span><span class="mbin mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ba</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span><span class="mbin">⋅</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">−</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p>Using this property, we can rewrite the expression as:</p> <p class='katex-block'><span class="katex-error" title="ParseError: KaTeX parse error: Expected '}', got 'EOF' at end of input: …^{-2} = a^{5-2 " style="color:#cc0000">a^{5-2 b a z} \cdot b^{-2} = a^{5-2 b a z + 0} \cdot b^{-2} = a^{5-2 </span></p>