document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=21897>Question 21897</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> the question is : do you agree with the following statment, if not, why?<BR>\n" );
document.write( "                                         <BR>\n" );
document.write( "                                     3^4= (-3)^4<BR>\n" );
document.write( "to me it seems a simple yes, but someone else says that since the power of four is on the outside of the parenthesis then the power takes effect on a 1 after the (-3). this would simplify the equation to 81= -3<BR>\n" );
document.write( "if that is true then all questions such as (xy)^4 would equal xy, rather than x^4y^4. im having a hard time finding out why they would be different, thank you for your help. </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #10536 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Alwayscheerful><B>Alwayscheerful(414)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-10.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Alwayscheerful><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/nopicture.jpg><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=10536\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> First of all, in the equation <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=3%5E4=%28-3%29%5E4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"3%5E4=%28-3%29%5E4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >, there is no \"hidden\" 1.  <BR>\n" );
document.write( "Well, there could be in the second part <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=1%28-3%29%5E4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"1%28-3%29%5E4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >, but it still would not affect the answer because it's outside of the parenthesis. <BR>\n" );
document.write( "So, in fact, <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=3%5E4=%28-3%29%5E4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"3%5E4=%28-3%29%5E4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > is TRUE.  \r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "You probably know that two negatives make a positive number.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "So, <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=-3%2A-3%2A-3%2A-3 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"-3%2A-3%2A-3%2A-3\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > will be equal to <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=3%2A3%2A3%2A3 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"3%2A3%2A3%2A3\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >, which is 81\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "HOWEVER, if the negative sign was on the outside of the parenthesis, it would make the 2 equations different.  For example, <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=-%283%2A3%2A3%2A3%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"-%283%2A3%2A3%2A3%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > would be different from <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=3%2A3%2A3%2A3 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"3%2A3%2A3%2A3\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > because the negative is on the outside, which makes the whole product negative.  That's where the \"hidden\" 1 comes in.  In <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=-%283%2A3%2A3%2A3%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"-%283%2A3%2A3%2A3%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >, it's not 1, it's -1.  \r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "The Law of Exponents is (and there are many more):<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28ab%29%5Ec ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28ab%29%5Ec\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >=<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=a%5Ec%2Ab%5Ec ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"a%5Ec%2Ab%5Ec\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "So I don't know where you got <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28xy%29%5E4=xy ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28xy%29%5E4=xy\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > because that is completly wrong.  <BR>\n" );
document.write( "Hope this helps! </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</TD></TR></TABLE>\n" );