How do you simplify #-4^2#?

1 Answer
Nam D.
Jun 23, 2018

#-16#

Explanation:

Given: #-4^2#.

It's very easily to confuse this with #(-4)^2#. Just remember that #-a^2!=(-a)^2# with all #ainRR,CC#.

This is the same thing as writing:

#-(4^2)#

#=-16#

Alternatively, we can use #bb(PEMDAS)# to figure this out, as exponents will go first. Then, we just add a negative sign in front of the number. Also evaluates to #-16#.

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