If $\log_{10} 2 = 0.3010$ and $\log_{10} 3 = 0.4771$, find $\log_{10} 72$.

$72 = 8 \times 9 = 2^3 \times 3^2$, so $\log_{10} 72 = 3\log_{10} 2 + 2\log_{10} 3 = 3(0.3010) + 2(0.4771) = 0.9030 + 0.9542 = 1.8572 \approx 1.8573$. Common errors include using $72 = 2 \times 36$ incorrectly or adding instead of multiplying the indices.