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+---- Thread: Negative Exponentials (/Thread-Negative-Exponentials)
Negative Exponentials - mstcrow5429 - 08-11-2007
Why does 4p to the -3rd power equal 4/p to the third power when simplified, and not 1/4p to the third power?
Edit: Nevermind, I think I got it, sort of.
Negative Exponentials - mstcrow5429 - 08-11-2007
Is 3 to the -2 power positive or negative 9? Why?
Negative Exponentials - Blue - 08-12-2007
it's neither...
the answer would be positive 1/9...
because the negative inverses the 3 to 1/3 and then when you apply the exponent (which is 2) to the 1/3 so...
3^-2 = (1/3)^2 = (1/3)*(1/3) = 1/9
does that help? =]
Negative Exponentials - Kiwi Lover - 08-12-2007
Blue Wrote:because the negative inverses the 3 to 1/3 and then when you apply the exponent (which is 2) to the 1/3 so...Could y'all start speaking in English now?? hilarious
3^-2 = (1/3)^2 = (1/3)*(1/3) = 1/9
Negative Exponentials - Blue - 08-12-2007
hahaha sorry! =D
let's see if i can translate it better by typing steps:
original problem: 3 to the -2 power aka "3^-2"
1) due to the negative power, you flip the 3 upside down so it becomes 1/3
2) then you apply the exponent to it: 1/3 to the 2nd power
3) 1/3 to the 2nd power is bascially the same thing as 1/3 times 1/3
4) which equals to positive 1/9
does that explanation help? sorry, i wish i could write it out for you on paper b/c i'm sure it'd make more sense than on the computer =]
Negative Exponentials - mstcrow5429 - 08-12-2007
Blue Wrote:it's neither...
the answer would be positive 1/9...
because the negative inverses the 3 to 1/3 and then when you apply the exponent (which is 2) to the 1/3 so...
3^-2 = (1/3)^2 = (1/3)*(1/3) = 1/9
does that help? =]
I think the text has it wrong then...
Negative Exponentials - Blue - 08-12-2007
what does your textbook say?
i'm pretty sure 3 to the -2 power is equal to 1/9 because i checked with my TI-83+ calculator. both equal to 0.1111...does your text have an explanation?
Negative Exponentials - mstcrow5429 - 08-12-2007
I checked it on my TI-85, got the same answer you did. I can't find it in the text, it's possible I took it out of an equation at some point.