If F(y) = y⁴ + 5y² − 3, what is the value of F(−1)?

Correct answer: c 3

F(−1) = 1 + 5 − 3 = 3.

Why the other options are wrong

• a −9: −9 comes from treating (−1)⁴ as −1. An even power of a negative number is positive: (−1)⁴ = 1.
• b −7: −7 comes from treating 5y² as −5. Since (−1)² = 1, the term 5y² is +5.
• d 4: Adding 1 + 5 − 3 gives 3, not 4; the slip is in the last step.