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? asked in Science & MathematicsMathematics · 8 years ago

Exponents: -1^2, (-1)^2, -(-1)^2?

What's the difference between the following?

-1^2

(-1)^2

-(-1)^2

4 Answers

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  • hari_uday_xp
    8 years ago
    Favorite Answer

    -1^2 = - (1 X 1) = -1

    (-1)^2 = -1 X -1 = +1 = 1

    -(-1)^2 = - (- 1 x -1) = - (+1) = -1

    negative times negative is always positive

    brackets play a huge role to..

    so when its (-1)^2 its actually -1 times -1 = so you can split it further into - times - = + and 1 times 1 = 1

    so total 1

  • ajedrez
    Lv 7
    8 years ago

    -1^2 is like saying -(1^2). 1^2 is 1, but the negative number is -1.

    (-1)^2 is (-1) * (-1), which is 1.

    -(-1)^2 is the negative version of (-1) * (-1). So you get 1, but put a negative sign, so it's -1.

    I hope this information was very helpful.

  • Gilbert Torres
    8 years ago

    -1^2 = (-1)(-1) = 1

    (-1)^2 =(-1)(-1)=1

    -(-1)^2 = -(-1)(-1)= -(1)=-1

  • ?
    Lv 4
    8 years ago

    -1^2 might mean -(1)^2 which is -1

    (-1)^2 is 1

    -(-1)^2 = -(1) = -1

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