Graph Using a Table of Values y=-2^x

$y = - 2^{x}$

Substitute $- 2$ for $x$ and find the result for $y$ .

$y = - 2^{- 2}$

Simplify $- 2^{- 2}$ .

Rewrite the expression using the negative exponent rule $b^{- n} = \frac{1}{b^{n}}$ .

$y = - \frac{1}{2^{2}}$

Raise $2$ to the power of $2$ .

$y = - \frac{1}{4}$

Substitute $- 1$ for $x$ and find the result for $y$ .

$y = - 2^{- 1}$

Rewrite the expression using the negative exponent rule $b^{- n} = \frac{1}{b^{n}}$ .

$y = - \frac{1}{2}$

Substitute $0$ for $x$ and find the result for $y$ .

$y = - 2^{0}$

Simplify $- 2^{0}$ .

Anything raised to $0$ is $1$ .

$y = - 1 \cdot 1$

Multiply $- 1$ by $1$ .

$y = - 1$

Substitute $1$ for $x$ and find the result for $y$ .

$y = - 2^{1}$

Simplify $- 2^{1}$ .

Evaluate the exponent.

$y = - 1 \cdot 2$

Multiply $- 1$ by $2$ .

$y = - 2$

Substitute $2$ for $x$ and find the result for $y$ .

$y = - 2^{2}$

Simplify $- 2^{2}$ .

Raise $2$ to the power of $2$ .

$y = - 1 \cdot 4$

Multiply $- 1$ by $4$ .

$y = - 4$

This is a table of possible values to use when graphing the equation.

$\begin{array}{c} x & y \\ - 2 & - \frac{1}{4} \\ - 1 & - \frac{1}{2} \\ 0 & - 1 \\ 1 & - 2 \\ 2 & - 4 \end{array}$