>>>>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
>
>you say
>
>?5-2^2
>
>different than
>
>?-2^2+5
>
>that can't acceptable...

Metin,

In algebra it is the same

In computer language it's different: There's a unary and a binary minus with different precedence