How to simplify and write answer using negative exponent ?
( -5 ) ^ -2 / -5 ^ 3
Are both bases negative 5 or is base on the numerator negative 5 and base on denominator
5 ?
Are both bases negative 5 or is base on the numerator negative 5 and base on denominator
5 ?
SOLUTION
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ASKER
Thanks for adding parentheses for clarification.
The bases are different so how can you add exponents ?
The bases are different so how can you add exponents ?
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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Frosty555, you are correct this is a complete mess. Order of precedence is confusing for most at the best of times. The minus is being used as a unary operation and as such has higher preference over binary +,-,* and /. The teacher should have been clearer in asking the question. Conventions in computer expressions are well defined but in written maths we make short cuts. Writing 1/-5³ is sloppy and ambiguous in every sense and the teacher should have been more careful. My guess is, and I am guessing, he or she meant 1/(-5)³
( ( -5 ) ^ (-2) ) / ( (-5) ^ 3 )
So giving
1/(-5)^5 = -1/5^5
This is the convention used to break the ambiguity in these expressions. The minus on its own is always applied before all other mathematical operations.