Question

Please help… Algebra 1: (-2)^-5

Answer 1

Answer:

-0.03125

Step-by-step explanation:

Answer 2

Answer:

$-\frac{1}{32}$ or -0.03125

Skills needed: Exponents

Step-by-step explanation:

1) Negative exponent means 1 over if it was positive:

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

In this case: $-2^{-5}=\frac{1}{(-2)^5}$

2) Let's expand the $(-2)^5$ part:

Remember that the exponent (the smaller number in the top-right) shows how many times the base (bigger number) is multiplied by itself.

In this case:

$(-2)^5$ = $-2*-2*-2*-2*-2$

We know that: $-2*-2=4$

So the above simplifies into: $4 * 4 * -2$ = $16*-2$ = $-32$

3) That is the denominator in the fraction:

$\frac{1}{-32}$ which is $-\frac{1}{32}$