Question

How can an exponent be negative? Use an example.

Having trouble with this prompt, I don’t know how to explain what it is asking for.

Answer 1

http://www.mathsisfun.com/algebra/negative-exponents.html

Answer 2

a negative exponent is the inverse of a positive exponent

x^-a = 1 / (x^a)

using exponent rules ... 2^3 / 2^5 = 2^-2
... 8 / 32 = 1/4 = 1 / 2^2 = 2^-2