Why does -2 to the second power equal -4 but (-2) to the second power equals 4?

In -2^2 since the negative sign is not in parentheses you would solve it as 2×2=4 and then have the negative sign so it would be -4. With the parentheses you are saying that the term you are squaring is (-2) and two negatives make a positive so it would be (-2)×(-2)= 4.

Your final answer would be 4