What's -4^2

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Reply 20

Glutamic Acid

Use BIDMAS

Indices come before subtraction, so you do 4^2 first and then the minus.

Reply 21

silent ninja

Okay op,
let's say you had the expression

2x-x^2

By your reasoning, this is equal to

2x+x^2

Reply 22

valentine_strongrod

the question IS vague...
-4 <---- do u read that as -(4) or (-4) ?
obviously its (-4)
but yeh, there are two possibilities to that question...i'd just say its 16 tho

Reply 23

generalebriety

musicmobile

Is this GCSE or Alevel?

What? Neither. This is basic arithmetic. I was taught this when I was 11. This is why I'm so insulted at everyone giving the wrong bloody answer again and again.

Reply 24

valentine_strongrod

depends where ur using this too...
but i think the OP now knows that it just depends where the negative sign is placed =)

Reply 25

musicmobile

If GCSE id say -(4^2)
If alevel id say (-4)^2

At alevel they assume you know that!

Reply 26

valentine_strongrod

depends where ur using this too...
but i think the OP now knows that it just depends where the negative sign is placed =)

Reply 27

generalebriety

musicmobile

If GCSE id say -(4^2)
If alevel id say (-4)^2

At alevel they assume you know that!

Stop being an idiot.

Reply 28

silent ninja

ILoveCalpol

It is 16. With or without brackets. If you leave out brackets and put it in a calculator then it squares 2 and puts the negative sign at the front, rather than squaring -2. Then brackets don't change the question/answer, they're just needed to make sure the calculator does the correct process.

You are going to confuse the op further. Please read the rest of page 1.

Reply 29

musicmobile

generalebriety

What? Neither. This is basic arithmetic. I was taught this when I was 11. This is why I'm so insulted at everyone giving the wrong bloody answer again and again.

Yes but the answer depends on the level at which its asked.

Reply 30

EvenStevens

ILoveCalpol

...uh, no.

(-4)^2, you square what ever's in the brackets.... Which = 16.

-4^2, you do the index first, then the minus, which = -16.

BIDMAS BIDMAS BIDMAS!

Reply 31

Glutamic Acid

musicmobile

If GCSE id say -(4^2)
If alevel id say (-4)^2

At alevel they assume you know that!

Arithmetic doesn't change depending on which level you're doing it at.

Reply 32

musicmobile

generalebriety

Stop being an idiot.

How is that being an idiot!

Reply 33

RyanT

musicmobile

Is this GCSE or Alevel?

he goes to oxford brooks

Reply 34

NesQuiK.

musicmobile

If GCSE id say -(4^2)
If alevel id say (-4)^2

At alevel they assume you know that!

LOL, at whatever level you are at, that, BASIC question will always give the same answer, -16

Reply 35

silent ninja

Maths is built on very basic rules, what you learn at 5 is true at 55. This is not chemistry!!!!!

EvenStevens

...uh, no.

(-4)^2, you square what ever's in the brackets.... Which = 16.

-4^2, you do the index first, then the minus, which = -16.

BIDMAS BIDMAS BIDMAS!

AGREED!
(-4)^2 = 16
-(4^2) = -16!
JUST DEPENDS HOW THE QUESTION IS ASKED...
and yeh, I'd assume the majority of the population on this thread would know this at the age of 11 :rolleyes:

Reply 38

generalebriety

musicmobile

Yes but the answer depends on the level at which its asked.

musicmobile

How is that being an idiot!

You're being a complete moron. You're deliberately spreading misinformation because you don't have a clue as to the answer and feel it's your place to make 'educated' guesses and pass them off as gospel truth. The answer does not depend on the level at which it's asked. It was -16 when I was eleven years old, it had been -16 for many decades before that, it's still -16 now that I'm a maths student at Cambridge, and it will continue to be so no matter how many people you force to believe it's not.