Tracy,

>Except that -2 written out is 0-2 then it becomes 0-2^2

No, if you are going to make a substition like that you must put parens around it. Otherwise you will misinterpret any other operators' precendence.

-2^2 = (0-2)^2

When y'all throw around the negative number = negative 1 * a positve number, the same thing should be done

-2^2 = (-1 * 2)^2

And on that note... why has negative one treated as a special case by you and Alan? Your arguments attaches more significance to that - symbol when it is in front of a one than when it is in front of the two. Besides what is negative one but negative one times positive one so it's really (-1 * 1 * 2 )^2.. no wait there's a negative number in there so obfuscate it more(-1 * 1 * 1 * 2)^2 and so on ad infinitum.