Question

How do you evaluate the power ${( - 0.8)^2}$ ?

Answer 1

Hint: We will convert the given number into fraction and then into percentage by multiplying the number with $\dfrac{1}{{100}}$. Now if the percentage doesn’t turn out to be a whole number, we will try to convert that number to decimal by multiplying or dividing the number by $10$.

Complete step by step answer:
We will start off by multiplying the given term with itself or we can say that the exponent ${x^2}$ means to multiply the $x$ by itself.

In our case, the variable $x\,$is $ - 0.8$.
Hence, the evaluation of ${( - 0.8)^2}$ will be given by,
$
= - 0.8 \times - 0.8 \\
= - 0.64 \\
$
We can also solve this type of problems by the alternative method in which we convert the given
term into fraction.
$
= \dfrac{{ - 8}}{{10}} \times \dfrac{{ - 8}}{{10}} \\
= \dfrac{{64}}{{100}} \\
= 0.64 \\
$

Additional Information: Percentage is always based off of $100\% $, so decimals up to the hundredths place will always be integers, and the numbers after the hundredths place will be after the decimal. The tens place in the percent will always be in the tenths place in decimal form as well. To convert from decimals to percentage, you will multiply by $100$, which gives you the percentage equivalent of the percent. While converting from decimal to fraction, we will multiply both the numerator and denominator by $10$.

Note: While converting decimal into fraction, make sure you evaluate all the decimal terms properly and then only multiply by $10$ to the numerator as well as denominator. While converting to percentage make sure you multiply by $100\% $ to the given term for the percentage. Do all the calculations precisely. Also remember that $( - ) \times ( - ) = + $.