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? asked in Science & MathematicsMathematics · 3 years ago

Will -x^2 yield a positive or negative value?

Let's say x = (5y)/(y-5) and I'm plugging that into -x^2. Do I square the value and then make it negative, or do I go by the rule that when you square something negative, it turns positive meaning that I'll basically be taking x^2. In other words, will my answer be (25y^2)/((y-5)^2), or will it be -(25y^2)/((y-5)^2). Both are an option because this is a multiple choice question, or part of it anyway. I went with positive but am not sure

3 Answers

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  • az_lender
    Lv 7
    3 years ago

    Square it first and then make it negative.

    If they had meant (-x)^2, they'd have written

    (-x)^2.

  • ?
    Lv 7
    3 years ago

    It means the negative of x^2.

  • RealPro
    Lv 7
    3 years ago

    -x^2 means -(x^2)

    So first square and then take negative.

    PEMDAS: Parenthesis, Exponentiation, (Multiplication and Division), (Addition and subtraction)

    Exponents (like squaring) take precedence over subtraction.

    Had it meant first take negative and then square, it would've said

    (-x)^2

    Because parenthesis makes sure it's done with the thing inside it before it pumps the 2.

    But it would never say it like that because anyway that would yield x^2, the same as if you don't take negative to begin with.

    .....

    So -(25y^2)/((y-5)^2)

    Best wishes!

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