Question

7^-2 without exponent

Answer 1

$\bf \left.\qquad \qquad \right.\textit{negative exponents}\\\\ a^{-{ n}} \implies \cfrac{1}{a^{ n}} \qquad \qquad \cfrac{1}{a^{ n}}\implies a^{-{ n}} \qquad \qquad a^{{{ n}}}\implies \cfrac{1}{a^{-{{ n}}}}\\\\ -------------------------------\\\\ 7^{-2}\implies \cfrac{1}{7^2}\implies \cfrac{1}{49}$

Answer 2

in any negative exponent problem all you do is flip the number(s) and or variable(s).
Ex: (7x)^-1 ----> 1 over 7x or 1/7x
Ex: (5/8x)^-1 ------> 8x over 5 or 8x/5