Question

16. Which is greater, 4^-2 or 2^-4? How do you know? Those are exponents.

Answer 1

Answer:

Both are equal to $\frac{1}{16}$

Step-by-step explanation:

If the exponent is negative we can turn it into a fraction and make it positive.

This means the number goes to the denominator and the numerator becomes one. Therefore the following.

$4^{-2} = \frac{1}{4^{2} } =\frac{1}{16}$

$2^{-4} =\frac{1}{2^{4} } = \frac{1}{16}$