I apologize for any misunderstanding, and I appreciate your patience. Let's revisit the simplification step by step, ensuring clarity throughout the explanation.
Given Expression
You have the expression:
\[
2^4 \cdot 2^2
\]
Step 1: Apply the Product Rule of Exponents
The Product Rule of Exponents states that when you multiply two exponents with the same base, you can add their exponents. In mathematical notation, it is expressed as:
\[
a^m \cdot a^n = a^{m+n}
\]
In your case, the base \(a\) is 2, \(m\) is 4, and \(n\) is 2. So when we apply the product rule, we add the exponents:
\[
2^4 \cdot 2^2 = 2^{4 + 2} = 2^6
\]
Step 2: Calculate \(2^6\)
Now, we compute \(2^6\):
\[
2^6 = 2 \cdot 2 \cdot 2 \cdot 2 \cdot 2 \cdot 2
\]
Calculating that step-by-step:
- \(2 \cdot 2 = 4\)
- \(4 \cdot 2 = 8\)
- \(8 \cdot 2 = 16\)
- \(16 \cdot 2 = 32\)
- \(32 \cdot 2 = 64\)
Thus, \(2^6\) indeed equals 64.
Summary
With the expression \(2^4 \cdot 2^2\), we applied the Product Rule to arrive at \(2^6\), and when we computed \(2^6\), we found it to equal 64.
If you assert that the answer of 64 is incorrect for another reason or context, please clarify the perspective from which you're viewing the problem, or if there’s a specific part of the process you disagree with. Understanding the context will help me provide a more accurate explanation. Thank you for your engagement, and I’m here to assist!