Question

Please help!
What is -x^2? When x= -2/

Answer 1

do you know what your first step is here to replace the negative variable with -2?

Answer 2

Can you square -2?

Answer 3

Would it be -4? if i square negative 2. I wasn't sure if the negative in front of the variable would change anything.

Answer 4

No. -2 times -2 is +4

Answer 5

It does. You need to multiply the (-2) by (-1) to put in the variable then solve.

Answer 6

So if you are finding the opposite of -2 squared, you are finding the opposite of 4. And that is what your problem asks for

Answer 7

-x^2 means to square x and change the answer to its opposite.

Answer 8

-x^2

-(x^2)

-( (-2)^2 ) ... replace x with -2

-( 4 ) ... square -2 to get +4

-4

so -x^2 = -4 when x = -2

Answer 9

And if it were a positive 2, wouldn't it still be negative 4?

Answer 10

yes

Answer 11

Gotcha, thanks! For a first someone explained it rather than just gave an answer!