document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=157295>Question 157295</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> I have a difficulty with my daughter's algebra book.  She has been taught something about apply exponents to negative numbers I am not so sure about.  specifically she was taught that -8^2=-64, in effect that the formula is equivalent to -(8)^2, whereas I thought it was the equivalent to (-8)^2 and therefore would be +64.  We checked her textbook and it clearly supports what she was taught, but clearly contradicts what I do in engineering.  Can someone either correct me or point me to a correct resource? </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #115929 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=gonzo><B>gonzo(654)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-11.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=gonzo><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=115929\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> either the book is wrong or your interpretation of what the book is saying is wrong.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "if the book is saying that -8^2 = -64, then the book must be implying (-1)*(8)^2.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "assume it was in an equation where the - sign was an operand of the equation rather than part of the number.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "let's say the equation was y^5 - x^2.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "what would your interpretation be then?<BR>\n" );
document.write( "mine would be - (x)^2.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "in this case the - sign would be an operand rather than part of the number.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "i would guess the book is not teaching that (-8)^2 = -64.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "could be a typo.  could be just bad wording.  could be your interpretation was taken out of context.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "check the rest of the chapter and see if they are supporting the wrong conclusion.  <BR>\n" );
document.write( "books are not perfect even though they try very hard.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "i would say if it's showing the number by itself, then -8^2 should imply (-8)^2 as you indicated, but if it's part of an equation, then -8^2 could definitely be interpreted as -(8)^2.\r<BR>\n" );
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