When you have a negative exponent, you move the base with the negative exponent to the other side of the fraction to make the exponent positive.
For example:
[tex]x^{-3}[/tex] or [tex]\frac{x^{-3}}{1} =\frac{1}{x^3}[/tex]
[tex]\frac{1}{y^{-2}} =\frac{y^2}{1}[/tex] or [tex]y^2[/tex]
[tex]2^{-3}=\frac{1}{2^3} =\frac{1}{8}[/tex]
#1: [tex]2^5=2*2*2*2*2=32[/tex]
#2. [tex]2^{-4}[/tex] Make the exponent positive [tex]\frac{1}{2^4} =\frac{1}{2*2*2*2} =\frac{1}{16}[/tex]
#3: [tex]5^{-2}[/tex] Make the exponent positive [tex]\frac{1}{5^2} =\frac{1}{5*5} =\frac{1}{25}[/tex]
#4. [tex]5^3=5*5*5=125[/tex]
