The teacher marked Silvano's problem wrong on his test.

(4^5) ^4

Explain what he did wrong and give the correct answer.

I͟ h͟a͟v͟e͟ n͟o͟ i͟d͟e͟a͟ w͟h͟a͟t͟ h͟e͟ d͟i͟d͟ w͟r͟o͟n͟g͟ b͟e͟c͟a͟u͟s͟e͟ I͟ d͟o͟n͟'t͟ k͟n͟o͟w͟ t͟h͟e͟ o͟r͟i͟g͟i͟n͟a͟l͟ p͟r͟o͟b͟l͟e͟m͟.

B͟u͟t͟, f͟r͟o͟m͟ w͟h͟a͟t͟ I͟ c͟a͟n͟ s͟e͟e͟,

(4^5) ^4 = 4^5•4

=>4^20

W͟o͟u͟l͟d͟ b͟e͟ t͟h͟e͟ c͟o͟r͟r͟e͟c͟t͟ a͟n͟s͟w͟e͟r͟.

N͟o͟w͟, I͟ c͟a͟n͟ s͟e͟e͟ S͟i͟l͟v͟a͟n͟o͟ d͟o͟i͟n͟g͟ t͟h͟i͟s,

(4^5) ^4=4^5+4

=>4^9

B͟u͟t͟, w͟h͟e͟n͟ a͟ p͟r͟o͟b͟l͟e͟m͟ i͟s͟ p͟u͟t͟ i͟n͟ p͟a͟r͟e͟n͟t͟h͟e͟s͟e͟s͟,

t͟h͟e͟n͟ r͟a͟i͟s͟e͟d͟ t͟o͟ t͟h͟e͟͟ p͟o͟w͟e͟r͟ o͟f͟ a͟ n͟u͟m͟b͟e͟r͟,

M͟U͟L͟T͟I͟P͟L͟Y͟ t͟h͟e͟ e͟x͟p͟o͟n͟e͟n͟t͟s͟ t͟o͟g͟e͟t͟h͟e͟r͟.