## Understanding Exponents

Complex numbers, rational functions, logarithms, sequences and series, matrix operations, etc.
maroonblazer
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Joined: Thu Aug 12, 2010 11:16 am
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### Understanding Exponents

If $25^{b+1}= x$ and
$5^b = y$

then express x in terms of y.

$x=25y^2$

I'm struggling to understand the formula or operation(s) one would go through to answer this.

Help?
mb

maggiemagnet
Posts: 325
Joined: Mon Dec 08, 2008 12:32 am
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### Re: Understanding Exponents

maroonblazer wrote:If $25^{b+1}= x$ and
$5^b = y$

then express x in terms of y.

Try rewriting 25b+1 so the base is 5. If you can it so it's all in terms of 5b, then you can plug "y" in, and see what you get.

maroonblazer
Posts: 51
Joined: Thu Aug 12, 2010 11:16 am
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### Re: Understanding Exponents

Ok, so that would be:
$25^{b+1} = 5^{b+2}$, right?

Still stumped...

maggiemagnet
Posts: 325
Joined: Mon Dec 08, 2008 12:32 am
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### Re: Understanding Exponents

maroonblazer wrote:Ok, so that would be:
$25^{b+1} = 5^{b+2}$, right?

Still stumped...

How did you get that? Try showing all the steps:

25b+1 = (52)b+1 = 52(b+1) = ...

pulsar_qsr
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Dec 10, 2011 7:45 pm
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### Re: Understanding Exponents

25^(b+1) = x
and 5^b = y
or, 5^(b+1) = 5y
or, 5^2(b+1) = 5y^2
or, 25^(b+1) = 25y^2
or, x = 25y^2