Question

What happens when the power becomes 2 raised to -1

Answer 1

Change the pattern
$2^5=2\times 2\times 2\times 2\times 2$
$2^4=2\times 2\times 2\times 2\times =\frac{2^5}{2}$ or $=\frac{2^3}{2}=\frac{2\times 2\times 2\times 2\times \text{/}2}{\text{/}2}=2^4$
Similarly, $2^3=2\times 2\times 2=\frac{2^4}{2}$
$2^3=2\times 2=\frac{2^3}{2}$
So, $2^0=1=\frac{2^1}{2}$
$2^{-1}=\frac{2^0}{2}=\frac{1}{2}$
$2^{-2}=\frac{2^{-1}}{2}=\frac{1}{2\times 2}$
$2^{-1}=\frac{2^{-2}}{2}=\frac{1}{2\times 2\times 2}$
$\therefore a^m=a\times a\times a\dots \dots mtimes$
$a^{-m}=\frac{1}{a\times a\times a\times \dots \dots mtimes}$