Question

How do you simplify `-10^2`?

Answer 1

`-10^2 = -100`
it's helpful for the rest of your math life to view expressions in parentheses

Explanation:

note that `-10^2` and `(-10)^2` give different results
`-10^2 = (-1)(10)(10) = -100`
`(-10)^2 = (-10)(-10) = 100`

think of `-10^2` as `(-1)(10^2)`
and `-10^2` is the same as `-(10)^2`

it's helpful for the rest of your math life to view expressions in parentheses

`-10^2 = -100`

Answer 2

`-100`

Explanation:

This question is all about the order of operations: BEMDAS, or

• B (brackets)
• E (exponents)
• M (multiplication)
• D (division)
• A (addition)
• S (subtraction)

The term `-10^2` has two operations:

• multiplication between `-1` and 10, and
• the exponent which takes 10 to the second power

The E, or exponent, comes first:

`-10^2=-1xx10^2=-1xx100=-100`

If we our question as `(-10)^2`, then we'd have the B, or term within the bracket go first, which would give us `-10`, which is then squared to get 100:

`(-10)^2=(-1xx10)^2=(-10)(-10)=100`