Calculate 3² - 3³: Evaluating the Difference Between Powers

Question

What is the answer to the following?

3233 3^2-3^3

Video Solution

Solution Steps

00:00 Solve
00:03 Calculate each power separately and then subtract
00:06 A power is actually the number multiplied by itself according to the exponent
00:09 Break down each power into multiplications and solve
00:17 Solve one multiplication at a time and then continue
00:20 Substitute the solutions in the question and solve
00:26 And this is the solution to the question

Step-by-Step Solution

Remember that according to the order of operations, exponents come before multiplication and division, which come before addition and subtraction (and parentheses always before everything),

So first calculate the values of the terms in the power and then subtract between the results:

3233=927=18 3^2-3^3 =9-27=-18 Therefore, the correct answer is option A.

Answer

18 -18