Embarrassed to ask

[walter b]

(07-16-2014 02:02 PM)Thomas Radtke Wrote:  

(07-16-2014 01:48 AM)lrdheat Wrote:  Why is -8^(2/3)=-4 instead of 4?

It is a convention to have the unary minus as a shortcut for (your example) 0-8^(2/3).

Hmmh, AFAIK the convention is the unary minus corresponds to a multiplication times (-1). So, in this case, -8^(2/3) = (-1)*8^(2/3) = (-1)*4 = -4.

d:-)