Evaluate the following expression.
(C) $-2^2$

• A. $-4$
• B. $4$
• C. $-1$
• D. $2$

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the expression to evaluate: \(-2^2\). Notice that the negative sign is not inside parentheses, so the exponent applies only to the 2, not the negative sign.
2. Recall the order of operations (PEMDAS): exponents are evaluated before multiplication or applying the negative sign.
3. First, calculate the exponent part: \$2^2\( means \(2 \times 2\), which simplifies to \)4$.
4. Next, apply the negative sign to the result of the exponentiation: \(- (2^2) = -4\).
5. Therefore, the value of the expression \(-2^2\) is \(-4\).