SOLUTION: If p = -2, then which of the following is true? A. p^ -17 < p^ -18 < p^ -19 B. p^ -19 < p^ -17 < p^ -18 C. p^ -19 < p^ -18 < p^ -17 D. p^ -17 < p^ -19 < p^ -18 E. p^ -18

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Question 1132407: If p = -2, then which of the following is true?
A. p^ -17 < p^ -18 < p^ -19
B. p^ -19 < p^ -17 < p^ -18
C. p^ -19 < p^ -18 < p^ -17
D. p^ -17 < p^ -19 < p^ -18
E. p^ -18 < p^ -19 < p^ -17
Found 2 solutions by MathLover1, greenestamps:
Answer by MathLover1(20850) (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!

If , then which of the following is true?
A.

=> False

B.

=>False

C.

=>False

D.

=>True

E.

=>False

so, your answer is: D

Answer by greenestamps(13200) (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!

With p = -2, p^-17 and p^-19 are negative and p^-18 is positive. So p^-18 is largest, so the answer is either B or D. We need to determine whether p^-17 < p^-19 (answer D) or p^-19 < p^-17 (answer B).

In absolute value, 1/2^19 is smaller than 1/2^17; so with them both negative -1/2^19 is "less negative" than -1/2^17.

So -2^(-17) is less than -2^(-19), and so the answer is D.

SOLUTION: If p = -2, then which of the following is true? A. p^ -17 < p^ -18 < p^ -19 B. p^ -19 < p^ -17 < p^ -18 C. p^ -19 < p^ -18 < p^ -17 D. p^ -17 < p^ -19 < p^ -18 E. p^ -18 < p