HI,

I am having trouble figuring out the negatives change to positives, and the positives change to negatives at the end of simplifying this expression...

Question: 2p(to the power of 3)k
__________________
-8pw

so.. 2p*k
--------
-8pw

I got to this... 2p(to the power of 2) k
------------------------------
-8w

then when you simplify the numbers, the positive p becomes -p and the 4 becomes positive... I don't get why we change it,

Can someone please run it though or me?

Thanks xx

I really didn't understand your examples, but may be I can help this way.

- x - = +
+ x + = +
- x + = -
( x denotes multiply)

For example : -3 x -3 = (- x -)(3x3) = +9
-2 x 3 = (- x +)(2x3) = -6
Similarly, for exponentials too.
(2)^3 = 2 x 2 x 2 = 8 and (-2)^3 = -2 x -2 x -2 = (- x -)(2x2) x -2 = +4 x -2 = (+ x -)(4x2) = -8.

I hope it helps.

I really didn't understand your examples, but may be I can help this way.

- x - = +
+ x + = +
- x + = -

( x denotes multiply)

For example : -3 x -3 = (- x -)(3x3) = +9

-2 x 3 = (- x +)(2x3) = -6
Similarly, for exponentials too.
(2)^3 = 2 x 2 x 2 = 8 and (-2)^3 = -2 x -2 x -2 = (- x -)(2x2) x -2 = +4 x -2 = (+ x -)(4x2) = -8.

I hope it helps.

Thank you :)

Welcome :-)