SOLUTION: I haven't seen this math in years. Can you help me please. What does it mean to simply the expression. Question: -3 (with a -2 in higher power) and also again when it's in

You are wanting to know the difference between

 and 

Notice that the first begins with a negative sign "-"
whereas the second begins with "(".

When an expression begins with a negative sign, consider
that introductory "-" as though it were "×"

So

 means ×

Then we use the rule for negative exponents
and replace only the  factor by 

Therefore

× means ×

which means × which means 

-------------------------------------

Now  does not begin with a negative sign,
so we go ahead and begin with using the rule for negative 
exponents and therefore

 means 

Since  means  which is +

 means  which means 

-------------------------

Note that the difference is in the sign.  One rule that
always works is: 

1. if the power is EVEN the answer to
the one that begins with a "-" is negative and
the one that begins with "(" is positive.

2. if the power is ODD the answers to
both are the same, and that answer is always negative. 

Yours was case 1 with an EVEN exponent, so they ended
up with different signs.  However if you had had an ODD 
exponent they would have both ended up as the same 
NEGATIVE number.

Edwin