a number raised to a negative exponent is negative?
always
never
sometimes
A number raised to a negative exponent is sometimes negative.
A number raised to a negative exponent is sometimes negative. Let me explain the scenarios:
When the base number is positive, raising it to a negative exponent will result in a fraction or decimal value that is between 0 and 1. The negative exponent represents the reciprocal of the positive exponent. For example, if we have 2^(-3), it is equal to 1/(2^3) = 1/8, which is a positive fraction.
On the other hand, when the base number is negative, raising it to a negative exponent will result in a negative value. This is because the negative exponent represents the reciprocal of the positive exponent, and when the base number is negative, the reciprocal is also negative. For example, if we have (-2)^(-3), it is equal to 1/((-2)^3) = -1/8, which is a negative fraction.
Therefore, the sign of a number raised to a negative exponent depends on whether the base number is positive or negative.