Question

How do you simplify `2^-4`?

Answer 1

`2^(-4)=1/16`

Explanation:

As `a^m-:a^n=a^(m-n)`, if `m=0`,

we have `a^0-:a^n=a^(0-n)`

or `1/a^n=a^(-n)` i.e. `a^(-n)=1/a^n`

Hence, `2^(-4)=1/2^4=1/(2xx2xx2xx2)=1/16`