How would you solve this

Question

(2a^4)^2

Answer 1

two ways
easy way
(2a^4)^2 = 2^2 * (a^4)^2
= 4 a^8
hard way
2 a^4 * 2 a^4
= 2 * 2 * a^(4+4)
= 4 a^8