Question

Is the value different from the value of 3^ 5 or (-3)^5 or (-3^5)? What purpose do the brackets serve?

P:S: ^ means to the power

Answer 1

The last 2 are the same (they are both negative) but the first one is different.(its positive)

Explanation:

For the first one; 3^5; this is 3 × 3 × 3 × 3 × 3 which is simply 243

For the second; (-3) ^5; since the bracket is around both the (-) and the (3) you are multiplying -3 to itself 5 times which is -3 × -3 × -3 × -3 × -3. Since there are an odd amount of (-) the answer will be negative. So the answer will be -243.

For the final one; (-3^5); the brackets are around bothe digits and signs, so if it is a question on its own we can omite them. So because it is only 3 multiplying itself 5 times and not -3 (together) your answer will contain that same (-) with your answer of 3^5 which will be -243.