You can rewrite the multiplication using properties of the exponents.
We have that if the base is the same, the exponents are added.
For this case, we have:
Base = (- 4)
Exponent = 1
Applying properties of exponents:
(-4) (- 4) = ((- 4) ^ 1) ((- 4) ^ 1) = (- 4) ^ (1 + 1) = (- 4) ^ 2
answer:
the expression is the same as (-4) ^ 2
