I assume you mean "negative integer exponents".It means that:
* It is an exponent
* It is an integer (whole number)
* It is negative (less than zero, i.e., with a minus sign)
A negative exponent is defined as the reciprocal of the positive exponent. For example, 10 to the power -5 is the same as 1 / (10 to the power 5).
why the exponents can not be negative
When multiplying numbers with exponents, you add the exponents.
property of negative exponents
Positive exponents: an = a*a*a*...*a where there are n (>0) lots of a. Negative exponents: a-n = 1/(a*a*a*...*a) where there are n (>0) lots of a.
To eliminate negative exponents, you can rewrite the expression using positive exponents. Specifically, if you have a term like ( a^{-n} ), you can convert it to ( \frac{1}{a^n} ). This means that any base with a negative exponent can be moved to the denominator of a fraction, turning the exponent positive.
You can have negative exponents anywhere. When they are in the denominator, they are equivalent to positive exponents in the numerator of a fraction.
Negative exponents are used to represent 1 divided by an a base to a specific exponent.
why the exponents can not be negative
When multiplying numbers with exponents, you add the exponents.
by doing reciprocal
3
Exponents that are NOT a negative exponent therefore they are mostly whole numbers kind of:)
They are the reciprocals of the positive exponents. Thus, x-a = 1/xa
property of negative exponents
Positive exponents: an = a*a*a*...*a where there are n (>0) lots of a. Negative exponents: a-n = 1/(a*a*a*...*a) where there are n (>0) lots of a.
Exactly that ... negative exponents. For example: 1000 = 103 That is a positive exponent. .001 = 10-3 That is a negative exponent. For positive exponents, you move the decimal place that many positions to the right, adding zeros as needed. For negative exponents, you move the decimal place that many positions to the LEFT, adding zeros as needed. And, the special case is this: 100 = 1.
A negative exponent becomes positive in the reciprocal. So if you have a number a^x where x is negative, then, a^x = 1/(a^-x) and, since x is negative, -x is positive.