Chapter 2: Problem 50
Compute the exact value. . \((-3)^{4}\)
Short Answer
Expert verified
The exact value of \((-3)^{4}\) is 81.
Step by step solution
01
Understand the Problem
You are asked to find the exact value of \((-3)^{4}\). This means we will multiply the number -3 by itself four times.
02
Multiply the Base Number
Multiply the base number, -3, by itself. Begin with the first multiplication:\(-3 \times -3 = 9\).
03
Continue Multiplication
Now, take the result from step 2 and multiply it again by -3:\(9 \times -3 = -27\).
04
Complete the Exponentiation
Finally, multiply -27 by -3, which is the fourth multiplication:\(-27 \times -3 = 81\).
05
Conclusion
The calculation is complete and the final result of \((-3)^{4}\) is 81.
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Multiplication
Multiplication is a fundamental mathematical operation where we find the total of one number added up a certain number of times. In this context, the task was to compute
(-3)^4, which meant multiplying -3 by itself four times. Think of multiplication as repeated addition; for example, 3 multiplied by 4 means adding 3 together four times (3 + 3 + 3 + 3), resulting in 12.
- The number being multiplied is known as the "multiplier." In our example, that's -3.
- The number of times it is multiplied is called the "multiplicand," in this case, 4.
- When multiplying multiple negative numbers, remember that an even count of negative numbers results in a positive product because the negatives "cancel out." For (-3)^{4}, as the negative sign is multiplied an even number of times, the result is positive.
Negative Numbers
Negative numbers are values less than zero that express the idea of a deficiency or loss. They can change the nature of a multiplication result significantly.
When multiplying with negative numbers, the sign of the final product depends on the number of negative factors:
When multiplying with negative numbers, the sign of the final product depends on the number of negative factors:
- If you have an even number of negative numbers in your multiplication, the result is positive. For instance, (-3)^{4} equals a positive number because four negative signs (an even count) cancel each other out to make a positive.
- Conversely, if there is an odd number of negative factors, the final product comes out negative.
Order of Operations
Order of operations is a rule that defines the correct sequence to evaluate a mathematical expression. This ensures everyone can understand and arrive at the same result for mathematical calculations.
The order can be remembered with the acronym PEMDAS:
The order can be remembered with the acronym PEMDAS:
- P for Parentheses: Simplify expressions inside parentheses first (or brackets).
- E for Exponents: Resolve exponents (such as squaring a number) next.
- M/D for Multiplication/Division: Handle these operations from left to right as they appear in the expression.
- A/S for Addition/Subtraction: Perform these last, also from left to right.