How do you evaluate (-2)^5?

2 Answers
Mar 7, 2018

-32

Explanation:

-2 * -2 = 4 or (-2^2)
4 * -2 = -8 or (-2^3)
-8 * -2 = 16 or (-2^4)
16* -2 = -32 or (-2^5)

Mar 7, 2018

-32

Explanation:

The exponent represents the number of times that (-2) is multiplied by itself.

The easiest way to evaluate this, is to rewrite it out like such:

(-2)(-2)(-2)(-2)(-2)

From here it is just simple multiplication:

(-2)(-2)(-2)(-2)(-2)

(4)(-2)(-2)(-2)

(4)(4)(-2)

(16)(-2)

(-32)