## Exponents: explain difference between -27 4/3, (-27) 4/3

Quadratic equations and inequalities, variation equations, function notation, systems of equations, etc.

### Exponents: explain difference between -27 4/3, (-27) 4/3

can anyone explain the difference between ( i will just use these numbers as examples)

-27 4/3 and (-27) 4/3

I am getting confused when the difference is when the number is just negative and when there are parenthesis around it
MOUSETAILS

Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Mar 30, 2009 5:54 pm

### Re: EXPONENTS

MOUSETAILS wrote:can anyone explain the difference between ( i will just use these numbers as examples)

-27 4/3 and (-27) 4/3

I am getting confused when the difference is when the number is just negative and when there are parenthesis around it

I see both as

$-27\frac{4}{3}=\frac{-27\cdot4}{3}=-\frac{108}{3}=-36$

or

$-27\frac{4}{3}=-9\cdot3\frac{4}{3}=-9\cdot\not{3}\frac{4}{\not{3}}=-9\cdot4=-36$

Martingale

Posts: 350
Joined: Mon Mar 30, 2009 1:30 pm
Location: USA

### Re: EXPONENTS

i think i typed it wrong here is a better example of what i am confused with:

-9^2

(-9)^2
MOUSETAILS

Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Mar 30, 2009 5:54 pm

MOUSETAILS wrote:can anyone explain the difference between ( i will just use these numbers as examples)

-27 4/3 and (-27) 4/3

Do you maybe mean the "4/3" to be a power, so the expressions are as follows?

. . . . .$-27^{\frac{4}{3}}\, \mbox{ and }\, (-27)^{\frac{4}{3}}$

. . . . .Formatting Math as Text

stapel_eliz

Posts: 1715
Joined: Mon Dec 08, 2008 4:22 pm

### Re: EXPONENTS

MOUSETAILS wrote:i think i typed it wrong here is a better example of what i am confused with:

-9^2

(-9)^2

$-9^2=-(9^2)=-(9\cdot9)=-81$

$(-9)^2=(-9)(-9)=81$

Martingale

Posts: 350
Joined: Mon Mar 30, 2009 1:30 pm
Location: USA