How do you simplify -5^-252?

2 Answers
Mar 10, 2016

color(blue)(-1/25 or -0.04)125or0.04

Explanation:

-5^-252

since, x^-1 = 1/xx1=1x,

therefore,

1/-5^2152

= 1/(-(5)(5)1(5)(5)

= -1/25125

Is the final answer :D

If the negative was meant to be part of the power, one would need to write (-5)^-2(5)2

-0.040.04

Explanation:

-5^-252

Remember a^-n=1/(a^n)an=1an

and that -a=(-1)*aa=(1)a

since the order of operations has us do powers before multiplication, the power does not affect the -11. The other way to look at it is that the power 5^-252 is being subtracted, in which case the order of operations also tells us to do the power before the subtraction:

:.-5^-2=(-1)*1/(5)^2

=-1/((5)(5))

=-1/25=0.04

If the negative was meant to be included in the power, it would need to be written as (-5)^-2