What is 2 to the negative third power plus 2 to the negative second power?

Question

exponents as a fraction

Answer 1

2^-3 + 2^-2 = 1/8 + 1/4 = 3/8 <==Answer

Answer 2

In this equation start from here

2^-3 is equal to 1/8
2^-2 is equal to 1/4

So in order to figure to this problem out you need to find the GCF or Greatest Common Factor between 1/8, 1/4 and so in this question it is 8 so.

1/8 + 1/4(2) = x
1/8 + 2/8 = x
3/8 = x

Your answer is 3/8.

Answer 3

Alexander and Robert have already showed how to find the answer, but I just wanted to add that a negative exponent can be written as a positive exponent by taking the reciprocal, ie:

a^-x = 1/a^x

so:

2^-3 = 1/2³ = 1/8

and 

2^-2 = 1/2² = 1/4