How do you simplify #(-3)^-5#?

1 Answer
VNVDVI
Mar 3, 2018

#-1/243#

Explanation:

#x^-a=1/x^a#

In other words, whenever a term is raised to a negative power, we can rewrite it as one over the same term raised to that power, but positive.

#(-3)^(-5)=1/(-3)^5=1/(-243)=-1/243#

A negative number raised to an odd power gives back a negative number.

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