Question 8517
Look at it this way.

(-3)^2 = (-3)*(-3) = 9 You are correct in saying that a negative times a negative gives a positive result as you can see here. 

-3^2 = -(3*3) = -(3)^2 = -(9)  Here, you have a positive times a positive gives a positive result but the whole thing has a negative sign in front so that makes the result negative.