Answer:
Step 1, all the exponents are increased by 4
Step-by-step explanation:
The first incorrect step occurred in Step 1, where all the exponents were increased by 4.
This is mathematically incorrect due to exponential rules. When distributing exponents inside parentheses, we have to multiply the existing exponents inside the parentheses by the exponent outside the parentheses.
For example, (x²)³ is not x²⁺³, but rather, x⁽²⁾⁽³⁾.
We multiply the exponents instead of adding them together.
Therefore, the correct Step 1 should multiply all the variables' exponents by 4.
Steps 2 and 3 are correct since we do add the exponents when multiplying exponents with the same base, and we do subtract exponents with the same base when dividing.
