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| Math Central | Quandaries & Queries |
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Question from amarilis, a student: Why is the number 1 neither prime nor composite? Why any number raised to a zero exponent one? Why is the sum of the angles in a quadrilateral equal to 360 degrees? Why is the value of (-2)raised to exponent 2 different from the value of -2 raised to the exponent 2? |
Amarilis,
Why is the number 1 neither prime nor composite?
Go to the Quandaries and Queries page and type prime composite into the Quick Search window.
Why any number raised to a zero exponent one?
Go to the Quandaries and Queries page and type zero exponent into the Quick Search window.
Why is the sum of the angles in a quadrilateral equal to 360 degrees?
Why is the value of (-2)raised to exponent 2 different from the value of -2 raised to the exponent 2?
(-2)2 = (-2) × (-2) = 4 but BEDMAS says that for -22 you need to apply the exponent before the negation so -22 = - (2 × 2) = - 4.
Penny
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