You can rewrite the multiplication using properties of the exponents. We have that if the base is the same, the exponents are added. For this case, we have: Base = (- 4) Exponent = 1 Applying properties of exponents: (-4) (- 4) = ((- 4) ^ 1) ((- 4) ^ 1) = (- 4) ^ (1 + 1) = (- 4) ^ 2 answer: the expression is the same as (-4) ^ 2
