wikiHow Negative Exponent Calculator To calculate negative exponents, you can use the concept of reciprocals or the rule of negative exponents, which states that a number raised to a negative exponent is equal to 1 divided by that number raised to the positive exponent. Here's how you can calculate negative exponents: 1. Reciprocal Method: If you have a number with a negative exponent, you can calculate it by taking the reciprocal of the number raised to the positive exponent. For example: a^(-n) = 1 / (a^n) Let's take an example: 2^(-3) = 1 / (2^3) = 1 / 8 = 0.125 In this case, 2 raised to the power of -3 is equal to the reciprocal of 2 raised to the power of 3, which is 0.125. 2. Rule of Negative Exponents: The rule of negative exponents states that a number raised to a negative exponent is equal to 1 divided by that number raised to the positive exponent. For example: a^(-n) = 1 / (a^n) Let's take an example: 3^(-2) = 1 / (3^2) = 1 / 9 = 0.1111... In this case, 3 raised to the power of -2 is equal to the reciprocal of 3 raised to the power of 2, which is approximately 0.1111. These methods allow you to calculate negative exponents by taking the reciprocal or using the rule of negative exponents. Keep in mind that the result will be a fraction or decimal, depending on the given numbers. Page