Question

identify the choice that describes what is wrong with the right side of the following statement:
$3^2 = 6$

• the right side should be the sum of three and two
• there should be two threes multiplied
• too many threes
• too few threes

Explanation:

To determine what's wrong with \(3^2 = 6\), recall the definition of exponents: \(a^n\) means multiplying \(a\) by itself \(n\) times. So \(3^2 = 3\times3 = 9\), not 6. Let's analyze each option:

• "The right side should be the sum of three and two": \(3 + 2 = 5\), which is not related to \(3^2\), so this is incorrect.
• "There should be two threes multiplied": \(3\times3 = 9\), which is the correct evaluation of \(3^2\), so this describes the error (the right side is wrong because \(3^2\) is two 3s multiplied, not equal to 6).
• "Too many threes": \(3^2\) involves two 3s, so this is incorrect.
• "Too few threes": \(3^2\) is two 3s, so this is incorrect.

Answer:

B. There should be two threes multiplied