+0

# -1^2

0
140
3
+105

-1^2

Sep 16, 2018

### 3+0 Answers

#1
+3836
+1

$$-1^2=-1*-1=\boxed{1}$$.

Sep 16, 2018
#2
+2339
+1

Hi, tertre!

$$-1^2=-1$$.

This confuses most people, and this is a quite common error. I would like to correct it once and for all!

$$-1^2=-(1^2)=-(1*1)=-1\\ (-1)^2=-1*-1=1$$

Do you see the difference? The order of operations is strict.

TheXSquaredFactor  Sep 16, 2018
edited by TheXSquaredFactor  Sep 16, 2018
#3
+97543
+1

Xsquared's  answer is the correct one.

You do need to bew careful though.

$$1)\;\;\;-1^2=-1*1^2=-1*1=-1\\~\\ 2)\;\;\;(-1)^2=-1*-1=+1=1\\~\\ 3)\;\;\; If \;\;x=-1\;\;then\;\; x^2=(-1)^2=+1\\~\\ 4)\;\;\; x^2=1\;\;find\;\;x \qquad \rightarrow \qquad x=\pm\sqrt1=\pm1$$

Melody  Sep 17, 2018

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