>>Was there ever a conclusion here as to what is correct?
>>
>>I would of done it like this:
>>(-2)^2 = 4
>>
>
>try:
>
>?5-2^2
>
>?-2^2
>
>obviously VFP and Excel has a bug.


Metin,

This is not algebra

The minus sign in the first expression is a binary operator.
In the second expression, it's a unary operator

The unary minus has higher precedence than the exponent
The binary minus has lower precedence than the exponent

No bug