Simplify -4*(-4)^-2

$- 4 \cdot {(- 4)}^{- 2}$

Step 1

Multiply $- 4$ by ${(- 4)}^{- 2}$ by adding the exponents.

Multiply $- 4$ by ${(- 4)}^{- 2}$ .

Raise $- 4$ to the power of $1$ .

${(- 4)}^{1} \cdot {(- 4)}^{- 2}$

Use the power rule $a^{m} a^{n} = a^{m + n}$ to combine exponents.

${(- 4)}^{1 - 2}$

Subtract $2$ from $1$ .

${(- 4)}^{- 1}$

Step 2

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

$\frac{1}{- 4}$

Step 3

Move the negative in front of the fraction.

$- \frac{1}{4}$

Step 4

The result can be shown in multiple forms.

Exact Form:

$- \frac{1}{4}$

Decimal Form:

$- 0.25$