SOLUTION: what does this mean?? simplify -1^8 and (-1)^8

Question 23243: what does this mean?? simplify -1^8 and (-1)^8
Answer by rapaljer(4671) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
This is a very important question, and a very important difference!
-1^8 means "-1*1*1*1*1*1*1*1
(-1)^8 means "(-1)*)-1)*(-1)*(-1)*(-1)*(-1)*(-1)*(-1)"
-1^8 with no parentheses means only the 1 is raised to the power of 8. Therefore you take 1^8, which is 1, and the negative is still there. Final answer is -1.

(-1)^8 with parentheses, means to raise -1 to the 8 power. Because it is an even power, the answer will be 1. Final answer.

Thanks for asking a GREAT question!

R^2 at SCC

RELATED QUESTIONS
(-8) (1/8)=1 what property does this tell... (answered by kimboo)

What does this ratio mean... (answered by MathLover1)

simplify: 8^2/8 8^1/8 (answered by checkley77)

Simplify.... (answered by Tutorteddy.Com)

Simplify... (answered by robertb)

(1/8)*(3/4)= what is ( ) supposed to mean? And what is the most simple way to solve this? (answered by josgarithmetic)

Simplify:... (answered by Boreal)

1/5b= -8 what does b... (answered by nerdybill)

Boiling Point Celsius stem|leaf 0 | 1 2 3 4 4 8 9 1 | 8 2 | 2 4 9 9 3 (answered by KMST)