Question

Apply the product rule of integer exponents to find the numerical equivalent of 12^-5 x 12^7.
Show your work and explain how you used the product rule of integer exponents.

Answer 1

To find the numerical equivalent of 12^-5 x 12^7 using the product rule of integer exponents, we simply need to add the exponents together and keep the base the same.

According to the product rule of integer exponents, if we have the same base raised to different exponents, we can multiply the base and add the exponents.

In this case, the base is 12, and we have 12^-5 multiplied by 12^7.

Using the product rule, we add the exponents:
12^(-5+7)
12^2

Therefore, the numerical equivalent of 12^-5 x 12^7 is 12^2.