Can you add exponents if their bases are different?

Josephine has a great garden with and area of 2x2 + x - 6 square feet

Solve with work both bert and ernie received an increase in their weekly salaries. bert's salary increased from $520 to $520. ernie's salary went from $580 to $645. find the percent of increase for each salary. what was the larger of the two percents ?

Which statement about the annual percentage rate (apr) is not true?