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-2^-3 or -4^-3

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Carcass
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-2^-3 or -4^-3 [#permalink] New post   27 May 2024, 22:17
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Quantity A
Quantity B
\(-2^{-3} \)
\(-4^{-3}\)



Quantity A is greater.
Quantity B is greater.
The two quantities are equal.
The relationship cannot be determined from the information given.


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B
LuisMartinez
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Re: -2^-3 or -4^-3 [#permalink] New post   31 May 2024, 15:16
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After simplification is
Quantity A= 1/-8
Quantity b B=1/-64

A negative number is greater as it approaches 0.
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YoshS
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Re: -2^-3 or -4^-3 [#permalink] New post   11 Aug 2024, 11:23
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A=-8 (any negative value raised to odd power will give a negative result) and B=-64 (as 4 has been raised to odd power as well). Now-8>-64 as larger the number with negative sign smaller it is on the number scale. Hence, A>B.
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Re: -2^-3 or -4^-3 [#permalink] New post   05 Sep 2026, 10:25
What if I multiply both sides with -1.

Then I will be left with

1/8 and 1/64

Then again multiply both with 8.

I will get Q-A as bigger right?

What is wrong with this approach Carcass
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-2^-3 or -4^-3 [#permalink] New post   05 Sep 2026, 10:36
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\(-2^{-3}=\frac{1}{-8}=-0.125\)

\(-4^{-3}=\frac{1}{-64}=-0.0156\)

B is closest to zero on the LHS of the number line

Therefore B is greater than A

Best to review the chapter on exponents https://gre.myprepclub.com/forum/gre-ma ... 24948.html
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Re: -2^-3 or -4^-3 [#permalink] New post   05 Sep 2026, 10:40
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You cannot pick this wrong or have doubts.

These are the basic.

if so you are in trouble
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gmatclubot
Re: -2^-3 or -4^-3 [#permalink]
05 Sep 2026, 10:40
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