Question

How do you multiply -5 that has an exponent of 4 but no parenthesis with 4? Please explain

Answer 1

a negative sign in front of any expression, is in effect a factor of -1, so -7 for example is really the same as saying -1 * 7, because the -1 is multiplying it right in front of it, therefore


`\bf -5^4\implies -1\cdot 5^4\implies -1\cdot 625\implies -625 \\\\\\ \textit{as opposed to }(-5)^4\implies (-1\cdot 5)^4\implies (-1)^4\cdot 5^4 \\\\\\ (-1\cdot -1\cdot -1\cdot -1)(5\cdot 5\cdot 5\cdot 5)\implies 1\cdot 625\implies 625`