While I was chatting with my friends in YM [Class-S Members], I have one friend who asked me this question.. [quote]"xave, I know you're good in Math, what is -6[sup]2[/sup]"[/quote] And without thinking, I immediately replied 36. [b]My reason:[/b] 6 squared is 36 and a negative sign squared is positive. But then, he said no.. The answer is -36. Lol. I keep on insisting that I got the right answer.. After the chat I suddenly realised the he really proved me wrong. Coz I remembered what my algebra teacher told me in High School. It's about the [b]BEDMAS Rule[/b]. Some of you might know this and for some.. This might be a new lesson. So pay attention. BEDMAS? What is it? - [b]BEDMAS[/b] is actually a mnemonic or a secret code which enables us to know exactly the right sequence when we see a Mathematical Equation. Though in some schools, you might have a different mnemonic for this (eg. BODMAS, DMAS, BMAS... etc..) For example... What do you think the answer to 4 + 1 x 7 is? Is it: [b]Step I:[/b] (4 + 1) x 7 = 5 x 7 = 35 ? or [b]Step II:[/b] 4 + (1 x 7) = 4 + 7 = 11 ? BEDMAS can come to the help and give us rules to follow so that we always get the right answer: ([b]B[/b])rackets ([b]E[/b])xponent ([b]D[/b])ivision ([b]M[/b])ultiplication ([b]A[/b])ddition ([b]S[/b])ubtraction So, according to the rule.. Multiplication should go first, followed by addition. The correct way of answering the equation is [b]Step II[/b]. Well anyway, going back to the main issue.. My friend asked me [b]-6[sup]2[/sup][/b] Answer should be: [b]-36[/b] Reason: According to BEDMAS Rule.. Exponent should go first followed by subtraction. [b]How to do it?[/b] -6[sup]2[/sup] = - (6)[sup]2[/sup] <-- Exponent first = - (36) <-- 6[sup]2[/sup] becomes 36 = -36 <-- Do the subtraction. Done I hope this thread helped you.