No matter how you read a^b log(c), the multiplication is implied. The original confusion is whether it's to be read as (a^b)log(c) or a^(b log(c)). a^b*log(c) simply removes the implied multiplication, but it does not change whether that should be read as (a^b)*log(c) or a^(b*log(c)) and thus does not resolve the original confusion.