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Re: U2-darn few bugs...

** Reply to message from David Auerbach  on Fri, 24
Feb 2006 13:12:00 -0500


>> It's a matter of definition, I think. The negative exponent is
>> defined to be the reciprocal of the positive exponent. That is, x^
>> (-n) = 1/(x^n). As to why this definition makes sense, here is one
>> explanation:

>> http://faculty.ed.umuc.edu/~swalsh/Math%20Articles/Exponents.html

Well, I am *heartened* (truly) that Walsh begins his explanation by saying
"multiplying something by itself a negative number of times doesn't really make
sense, but..." Always that damn "but"! OK, I'll adopt that definition -- easy
to code.

What about negative roots? Do they make "sense"?

-----------------------------
Robert Holmgren
holmgren@xxxxxxxx
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