When multiplying a number with an exponent attached do you add or multiply the exponent?

Question

Example: Does $1p^2(1p^3)$ equal $1p^6$ or $1p^5$?

Answer 1

It equals $p^5$ because in this case you add the exponents. However if you were given something along the lines of $(p^2)^3$, then you multiply them and get $p^6$.

Edit: If you are still having trouble, try plugging in values for $p$ and find out what happens.

Answer 2

$p^2=p\cdot p$ and $p^3=p\cdot p\cdot p$ so $$p^2\cdot p^3=(p\cdot p)\cdot(p\cdot p\cdot p) = p\cdot p\cdot p\cdot p\cdot p = p^5$$

Basically, this is the associative law.