document.write( "Question 220688: Evaluate (-x) square and -x square when x= 10 and x= -10 \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #165632 by jsmallt9(3759) $\"\"$ $\"About$

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An important lesson to learn about exponents is that an exponent applies only to what is immediately in front of it

\n" ); document.write( "With $\"%28-x%29%5E2\"$ it is the right parenthesis, \")\", that is immediately in front of the exponent. Therefore exponent applies to the entire expression in the parentheses. So $\"%28-x%29%5E2+=+%28-x%29%28-x%29\"$ .

\n" ); document.write( "With $\"-x%5E2\"$ it is the x that is immediately in front of the exponent. Therefore the exponent applies only to the x. So $\"-x%5E2+=+-x%2Ax\"$

\n" ); document.write( "Now that we understand the differences in the two expressions we can correctly evaluate them for the given values of x:
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document.write( "x = 10\r\n" );
document.write( "   \r\n" );
document.write( "   \r\n" );
document.write( "x = -10\r\n" );
document.write( "   \r\n" );
document.write( "   \r\n" );
document.write( "

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