The problem
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how do they get 2^6 or why do they state it this way instead of going straight to 64?
Answer provided by our tutors
The underlying change from 8 to 2^3 is simply a feature of the software, in that all integers are prime factored. Prime factorization is a good practice because it helps identify common terms in the numerator and denominator of any fraction and therefore ensures that cancellations are properly recognized. For "8^2" this converts to "(2^3)^2" = "2^(2*3)" = "2^6".
