document.write( "Question 29512: I am unsure of what to do with this problem because there is a negative sign in front of some of the variables.\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "-x^6*x^2*-x^12 \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #16618 by sdmmadam@yahoo.com(530)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
If it is minus x we are talking about and then the poweris 6,or 12 or what ever then the problem ought to have been given as
\n" ); document.write( "(-x)^6 X(x^2)X (-x)^12
\n" ); document.write( "=(x)^6 X(x^2)X(x)^12
\n" ); document.write( "=(x)^(6+2+12) (while quantities of the same base are multiplied,write the base and add the powers is the rule)
\n" ); document.write( "=x^20
\n" ); document.write( "( why? what has happened?have we simply left out the not so pleasant minus sign without rhyme or reason? No.Not at all. We have used the mathematical concept that (-1) raised to any even integer power is (+1)
\n" ); document.write( "Here (-x) means (-1)X(x) and
\n" ); document.write( "(-x)^6 means [(-1)X(x)]^6 (using (ab)^m = (a^m)(b^m) )
\n" ); document.write( "= (-1)^6X(x)^6 = 1X(x^6) = x^6\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Supposing the problem is
\n" ); document.write( "-(x^6)X(x^2)X[-(x^12)] then since (negativeXpositiveXnegative = positive)
\n" ); document.write( "=+(x)^(6+2+12)
\n" ); document.write( "=x^20\r
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