The expression $-2^4$ follows the order of operations (PEMDAS), where exponents are calculated before applying any signs.

This means the expression is evaluated as:

$- (2^4)$

First, calculate the exponent:

$2^4 = 16$

Then apply the negative sign:

$- 16$

So, the value of $-2^4$ is:

$-16$

Would you like more details or have any questions?

Here are 5 related questions to expand on this:

1. How would you evaluate $(-2)^4$?
2. What is the difference between $-2^4$ and $(-2)^4$?
3. How does the order of operations (PEMDAS) affect calculations like this?
4. What happens when you raise negative numbers to even and odd powers?
5. Can you express $-2^4$ using logarithms?

Tip: Always pay attention to parentheses in math expressions, as they can change the meaning of the calculation drastically!