I still disagree. See Message #1367862

>Was there ever a conclusion here as to what is correct?
>
>I would of done it like this:
>(-2)^2 = 4
>
>
>>David,
>>
>>The more I think about it the more I agree with you.
>>
>>JimB
>>>Jim,
>>>
>>>This has diverged so far and I've not read every message. But I have to just plain disagree with most people posting here.
>>>
>>>-2^2 is negative two squared.. it is not the negative of two squared.
>>>
>>>The sign is bound to the number.
>>>
>>>What would y'all say if the problem was written +2^2? It's the same thing with opposite sign, it is positive two squared, not the positive of two squared.
>>>
>>>>>Metin,
>>>>>
>>>>>> but online math calculator, my math. eng. friend and my daughter say -4... :(
>>>>>
>>>>>They are all wrong. The answer is 4.
>>>>>
>>>>>The unary negation operation has higher precedence than exponentiation.
>>>>>
>>>>>I order for the answer to be -4, the expression would have to be -(2**2) using parens in order to force the exponentiation to happen first.
>>>>
>>>>This is a very interresting discussion. I would have gone along with you on the unary operator being a higher precedence than exponentiation. However, after reading this thread adn the supporting links to the various arguments I am beginning to agree with the idea that unary sign is at the precedence evel of multiplication and division.