Why is my Ti Calculator have negative results which should be positive with certain exponents?

Question

Hello everyone. I am having this strange problem with my TI-84. For example if I have -4^2. This answer should be 16. However I am getting -16. Is there some kind of setting that I should be changing in order to fix this sign change problem. BTW, this only happens when I use any negative base.

Answer 1

Remember order of operations. The calculator takes -4^2 as two separate things: 4^2 and then negate it (which is multiplying by -1). If you really mean to square -4, you have to put it in parentheses (-4)^2. Or else, since you know the answer is going to be positive, just forget about the negative.

Answer 2

TI Calculators recognize -4^2 as -1 * 4^2, which results in -16. So to get 16, you need to enclose -4 in parentheses (i.e. (-4)^2) so that TI recognizes the whole number instead of just the integer.

Answer 3

Graphing calculators are great, but you have to tell it specifically what to do.



If you want only to square the 4, but not the negative, you type in -4^2.



If you want both the negative and the 4 to be squared, you type in (-4)^2.

Answer 4

You have to put it in parenthesis, like this (-4)^2.



The way you are putting it in, the calculator is reading it as "the opposite of 4 squared" which is -16. When you put it in parenthesis, the calculator knows that you mean "negative four squared".

Answer 5

...A adverse exponent basically potential which you're dividing by that quantity after elevating it to the capacity. So basically pass that section to the denominator, and it turns right into a great exponent. 40 two x^11 y^-5 = 42x^11 / y^5