Question

How do you simplify `-3^-4`?

Answer 1

`-3^(-4) = -1/81`

Explanation:

Some things to note:

• `a^(-b) = 1/a^b`

• `(-a^4) = (-a)(-a)(-a)(-a)` whereas

• `-a^4 = -(a*a*a*a)`

Applying these, we have:

`-3^(-4) = -1/3^4`

`=-1/(3*3*3*3)`

`=-1/81`