Question

How do you simplify `-12^-1`?

Answer 1

-1/12

Explanation:

The negative exponent means that the number will go to the denominator.
`-12^-1 = -1/12`
The negative still stays.

Answer 2

`-1/12`

Explanation:

`-12^-1=1/-12=-1/12`

any number (except 0) raised to the power of a negative exponent becomes the reciprocal (or multiplicative inverse) of that number (e.g. `5^-2=1/5^2=1/25`).