>>>>-2**2
>>>>
>>>>what the answer... I lost my bet with my secondary schoolgirl daughter... :(
>>>4
>>
>>VFP says 4 but online math calculator, my math. eng. friend and my daughter say -4... :(
>
>Probably it has been said already as I am not following the thread, but -2**2 = -2*-2 =4

Try that:
http://www.online-utility.org/math/math_calculator.jsp

and read these:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q132686/

http://mathforum.org/library/drmath/view/69058.html

According to these page and my math. eng. friend you should first 2*2 and put - than.