On Sun, Nov 29, 2009 at 5:39 PM, Esmail <ebo...@hotmail.com> wrote: > Ok, this is somewhat unexpected: > > Python 2.6.2 (release26-maint, Apr 19 2009, 01:56:41) > [GCC 4.3.3] on linux2 > Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information. > > > >>> -3**2 > -9 > > >>> x = -3 > > >>> x**2 > 9 > >>> > > I would have expected the same result in both cases. > > Initially I would have expected -3**2 to yield 9, but I can accept > that ** binds tighter than the unary -, but shouldn't the results > be consistent regardless if I use a literal or a variable? >
I think you answered your own question. 3**2 comes first in the order of operations, followed by the negation. >>> (-3)**2 9 >>> 3**2 9 >>> -3**2 -9
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