Quick MAth destroyer Queston

[thegreat267]

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Test 4 question 16

Question states to simplify this:

2^15/ (8^3+4^3)

I simplified down to this point, which goes along the answer, but the book takes a different method after this.

2^15/(2^9+2^6)= 1 ( That's what I thought the answer would be. I added the two exponents because the bases were the same)

Book said:
2^15/2^6(2^3+1)=2^9/9

Am I just missing something? Please let me know what you guys think.

 

[alexis2010]

No. You can only add exponents if you are multiplying not when you are adding. The book is right. You factor out 2^6 on the bottom then you divide 2^15 by 2^6 and the result is 2^9/9.