Question 1202091
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It's a matter of order of operations (PEMDAS)


If we write (-2)^4, then
(-2)^4 = (-2)*(-2)*(-2)*(-2) = 16
The (-2)^4 means "multiply four copies of (-2) together to get 16"
The four negatives pair up and cancel out
negative * negative = positive


If on the other hand we have -(2^4), then,
-(2)^4 = -(2)*(2)*(2)*(2) = -16
The key difference this time is the negative doesn't get copied four times
We evaluate 2^4 first, then stick a negative at the front, to end up with -16.
Recall that PEMDAS has us do the parenthesis part first, then multiplication later. Think of -(2^4) as -1*(2^4)


Side note: many calculators will interpret -2^4 as -(2^4) and not as (-2)^4
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