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when a variable is to a negative power, the answer is always the variable with the additive inverse of the power, (ex. -2 changes to 2) and is divided by one.

such as X to the -5 power equals 1 over X to the 5th power. I will use the symbol "^" for power. Let's se a numeric example, with 10 instead of "x". Consider this sequence:

10^3 = 1000

10^2 = 100

10^1 = 10

10^0 = ???

10^(-1) = ???

10^(-2) = ???

How should this sequence be completed? In the left-hand column, the exponent decreases one at a time; in the right-hand column, the number decreases by a factor 10 each time. It seems logical to continue this pattern - so the missing question marks can be replaced by 1, 0.1, and 0.01.

More specifically, several laws for powers continue being valid if these definitions are used (a^0 = 1; a^(-b) = 1/a^b). For example, the addition of exponents: x^a * x^b = x^(a+b) continues being valid, even if a or b, or both, are negative.

It is only defined that way; there is no way to "prove" it. The common definition, however, turns out to be very useful.

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15y ago

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