Step-by-step explanation:
ab
= (5⁹⁹ * 2⁹⁸) * (5⁷² * 4³⁸)
= 2⁹⁸ * 2⁷⁶ * 5⁹⁹ * 5⁷²
= 2¹⁷⁴ * 5¹⁷¹
= 2³ * (2¹⁷¹ * 5¹⁷¹).
The 2¹⁷¹ * 5¹⁷¹ will give 171 ending zeroes as 2 * 5 = 10.
And there is a 8 infront as 2³ = 8.
Hence altogether there are 171 + 1 = 172 digits.