What is the largest number among the following?

Answer: (c) (1/3)⁻⁴

A negative power of a fraction flips it: (1/a)⁻ⁿ = aⁿ. The four values are 2⁶ = 64, 4³ = 64, 3⁴ = 81 and 6² = 36, so (1/3)⁻⁴ is the largest.

1. (1/2)⁻⁶ = 2⁶ = 64.
2. (1/4)⁻³ = 4³ = 64.
3. (1/3)⁻⁴ = 3⁴ = 81.
4. (1/6)⁻² = 6² = 36.
5. The largest is 81, i.e. (1/3)⁻⁴.

Remember · (1/a) raised to −n equals aⁿ; rewrite every option this way before comparing.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2020, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). · Report an error