To simplify the expression involving the base 16, it's helpful to express 16 in terms of its prime factors, as this can aid in simplification.
The correct factorization of 16 is:
- \( 16 = 2 \cdot 2 \cdot 2 \cdot 2 \) (or \( 16 = 2^4 \))
Among the provided responses, the one that correctly factors 16 and is beneficial for simplification is:
16 = 2⋅2⋅2⋅2 (16 equals 2 times 2 times 2 times 2)
This factorization shows that 16 is \( 2^4 \), which is important for simplifying expressions with rational exponents.