How do you understand if the question is talking about numbers with parenthesis or without parenthesis?

GRE Quant Problem Solving
1

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I ask this because Greg says -5^2 = -25 but (-5)^2 = 25. So having or not having parenthesis changes the whole equation of things.

This question is from one of the practice tests of a prepswift section. One where Greg explains how negatives numbers raised to a power result in negative number (even if power is positive and even) unless the number is raised while being in parenthesis.

2

“negative number with an even exponent” implies that the even exponent is being applied on the entire negative number.

3

Ooh. Okay. Thanks