>hi Agnes,
>
>I don't think the mathematicans have changed the definition - must have been like that for ages
>-2^2 is still -4 in algebra. Must be when solving equations and moving -2^2 to the other side where it becomes +2^2
>
>Maybe we have been working too long with computers - some have forgotten the basics of algebra
>
>At some point (the fortran's age ?) a choice had to be made
>
>It's just that when converting this into a line of code - you have to know what you do - isn't that exciting ?

Gregory,

I think this will go nowhere.

In my office everybody says that in -2^2 the "-" is negative accidental sign, not an operator. It belongs to the number. (the positive accidental sign "+" was skipped the same way leading zeros are skipped)

Maybe this was shortend / altered for school knowlegde (What must no represent science. They still talk about Bor's atom modell too.) Later in university it was no problem since nobody would calculate with numbers. And for a variable "-" is the unary operator, except in VFP (Just kidding)

But assumptions like that result in a multi million astro probe crashing.

Constant vigilance and mistrust are the greatest skills a programmer.

Agnes