How come (2xy^2)^3 is equal to 8x^3 y-6? I thought that six exponent should be a five since you add them together. So 2 and 3 should be five. But why is this?

Question

How come (2xy^2)^3 is equal to 8x^3 y-6? I thought that six exponent should be a five since you add them together.  So 2 and 3 should be five.  But why is this?

MathMate · Answer

Review the laws of exponents, and you will find the answer. If you do not have them handy, some of them are listed in the following thread: http://www.jiskha.com/display.cgi?id=1252793470