document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=30468>Question 30468</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> First, I'm told that -X can be read as -1*X where the 1 is not written because it is \"understood\" and when X=9, -x= -1* +9 or -9.  It would also follow that if X=-9 then -X=-1*-9 or +9.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "I'm also told that a negetive number times a negetive number yeilds a positive answer.  I know that 6^2=36 so it makes sense that <BR>\n" );
document.write( "-6^2 would mean -6*-6 or +36.  <BR>\n" );
document.write( "My problem is that when I enter -6^2 into my graphing calculator, I get -36.  When I enter it into my scientific calculator I get +36.  A teacher explained that I should read -6 like I read -X, as -1*+6^2= -36.  Another teacher explained that -6^2 means (-6)*(-6)and that the answer is infact +36.  Which teacher and which calculator is right? </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #17111 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=mbarugel><B>mbarugel(146)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-09.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=mbarugel><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=17111\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> This problem is due just to the order in which you apply the operators ^ and -.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "It's true that a negative number times a negative number yields a positive number, so (-6)*(-6) = 36.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "However, when you say -6^2, you could either mean \"find the square of -6\" or \"find the square of 6 and then multiply it by -1\". Clearly, these two interpretationes yield different results: the first one is 36; the 2nd one is -36.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Your graphing calculator processes first the square and the minus, so the result is -36 (the 2nd interpretation). In your scientific calculator, you're telling it to take -6 and multiply it by -6. The result of this is clearly 36.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "This problem is solved by correctly applying parenthesis. If you want to say \"-6 squared\" you should write (-6)^2. However, if you want to find the square of 6 and multiply it by -1, then you could write -(6^2) in order to avoid confusion. </SPAN>\n" );
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