What is the exponent result of 3^4 × 3^2?

What is the exponent result of 3^4 × 3^2?

• A. 3^8
• B. 3^6
• C. 3^2
• D. 9^2

Answer: (B)

Powers with the same base multiply by adding their exponents. Since the base is 3 in both terms, you add 4 and 2 to get 6. So 3^4 × 3^2 = 3^(4+2) = 3^6. You can check by computing 3^4 = 81 and 3^2 = 9, then 81 × 9 = 729, which is 3^6. The other options come from mixing up the rule or changing the base: 3^8 would come from multiplying exponents or using a different rule, 3^2 would ignore one exponent, and 9^2 corresponds to (3^2)^2 = 3^4, not 3^6.

Powers with the same base multiply by adding their exponents. Since the base is 3 in both terms, you add 4 and 2 to get 6. So 3^4 × 3^2 = 3^(4+2) = 3^6. You can check by computing 3^4 = 81 and 3^2 = 9, then 81 × 9 = 729, which is 3^6. The other options come from mixing up the rule or changing the base: 3^8 would come from multiplying exponents or using a different rule, 3^2 would ignore one exponent, and 9^2 corresponds to (3^2)^2 = 3^4, not 3^6.