>David,
>
>We can get linguistic here and simply ask how does one write -2 squared in a math equation? I was always taught the squared means raised to the power of 2 which would be -2^2 for -2 squared and since we know that -2 squared is 4 there's the answer.
>
>To deal with the sitckier folks who might say that -2 squared is written as -1*2^2 then we ask how does one write 2 squared? I can't imagine anyone suggersting that 2 squared is written as 1*2^2, that would indicate that 2 is written as 1*2 or that -2 is written as -1*2 (which when reduced equals -2) ahem,

-1*2^2 it isn't correct for them to write because of the lower precedence of multiplication. It'd have to be (-
1*2)^2.

>are we sufficiently going in circles here yet?

Math and logic are much more circular than linguistics.. my last shot involvse Og the caveman.. and now it's time to get out of this revolving door. *g*