When I want to square -6, why does my calculator say it's -36, when I know it is positive 36?
If you want to square -6 on a calculator, you have to place parentheses around the -6, otherwise your calculator is doing just what you tell it to, and taking the negative of six squared.
For example:
-6²
= - (6)(6) {this only shows the 6 is squared, not the negative sign also}
= -36 {took the negative of 6 times 6}
(-6)²
= (-6)(-6) {this shows the negative 6 is being squared}
= 36 {multiplied -6 by -6)
Your calculator doesn't make mistakes, it's how you enter the information that needs to be corrected when evaluating exponents.
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For example:
-6²
= - (6)(6) {this only shows the 6 is squared, not the negative sign also}
= -36 {took the negative of 6 times 6}
(-6)²
= (-6)(-6) {this shows the negative 6 is being squared}
= 36 {multiplied -6 by -6)
Your calculator doesn't make mistakes, it's how you enter the information that needs to be corrected when evaluating exponents.
Ask Algebra House
