How would you evaluate this expression

[Sideshow Bob]

Ok so if a person wrote this down on a piece of paper this expression
-2²
How would you evaluate it
would it be as -(2²)=-4
or (-2)²=4
I am in =4 camp. because I read it as minus two squared. If I was to type this into my HP50g or the windows calculator I would key in 2+(+/-)+X². But if you try the google calculator you will get -4. It will also depend highly on what brand of scientific calculator you have. If you write it out on paper. It looks like people in North America will say -4 because at least up to high-school they learn to follow a very strict PEMDAS regime https://www.mathsisfun.com/operation-order-pemdas.html
But in other countries it is learned the unary minus operator negates the value of the operand so it is  (-2)²=4. What do you think? But please bury any flamethrowers in the discussion. It will depend on many factors

[Parad1gm]

I was raised using the BEDMAS system and seeing as the "-" is in front of the 2 without a bracket that is -2.  Even -(2²) is wrong because it should read -1 x (2²) (Can't really have a - in front of a bracket without some number)

[Catcatcat]

This should be understood as the number minus two squared. Those, the number minus two must be multiplied by the number minus two and this is equal to four.
-2² = 4

[Sideshow Bob]

Even -(2²) is wrong because it should read -1 x (2²) (Can't really have a - in front of a bracket without some number)

I am not sure I follow what you are saying here. So you are saying -(-3-4) has to written as -1*(-3-4). That was new to me, although purely mathematical both expressions are correct and equal. And also google calculator accept both and give 7 as answer 

[Parad1gm]

We have adapted -( as a short hand for -1 * (.  When learning order of operation the teach explicitly explained that was the case.

[2Code]

From 100 years ago I remember something like below, 1 is put there just to be more logic when you multiply with the sign, most of the time is not used. Maybe some education system have different methods for it
-2²=(-1)*(2)² =(-1)*2*2=-4
(-2)²=(+1)*(-2)²=1*(-2)*(-2)=4

[Magnox]

From my learning I agree with 2Code (-2² = -4), although I've certainly come across the opposite perspective where a negative sign alone preceding a number is taken to be part of the number, not an operator. That's what causes the confusion/difference. It should always be treated as an operator (written as just - instead of -1* for short).

Qalculate gives the correct answer of -4; it even helpfully expands it as: -2^2 = -(2^2) = -4.
Excel gives an incorrect answer of 4 for -2^2. MS is aware of this... their answer is basically that Excel is for accountants, not mathematicians 

Parentheses are our friends