A class is given this question on a test about exponents: A squirrel collects 12 nuts an hour for 12 hours on 12 days. Write an expression with and without exponents to find how many nuts the squirrel collected.
Two students provided these answers.
Student A Student B
12^3 12^3
12⋅3 12⋅12⋅12
36 nuts 1,728 nuts
Which student is correct? Explain what the incorrect student did incorrectly.
(2 points)
Student A is correct. The expression 12^3 is the correct way to use exponents to find how many nuts the squirrel collected. This means that the squirrel collected 12 raised to the power of 3, which is 12 multiplied by itself 3 times.
Student B is incorrect. Their expression, 12⋅12⋅12, is multiplying 12 by itself three times, but it is not written with exponents. This expression would result in 1,728 nuts, which is incorrect.