Explain how - 3 to the power for and (-3) to the power of 4 are similar? How are they different?

-3^4 tells you to take the number 3 and multiply it by itself 4 times.

-3^4 = - 3 * 3 * 3 * 3

Ignoring the negative in front until the end.

= - 81

(-3) ^4 tells you to take the number - 3 and multiply it by itself 4 times.

(-3) ^4 = (-3) * (-3) * (-3) * (-3)

Which gives us a different result,

= 81