Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site watcgl.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!watcgl!rhbartels From: rhbartels@watcgl.UUCP (Richard Bartels) Newsgroups: net.lang.f77 Subject: x ** i Message-ID: <866@watcgl.UUCP> Date: Fri, 28-Dec-84 10:24:59 EST Article-I.D.: watcgl.866 Posted: Fri Dec 28 10:24:59 1984 Date-Received: Sat, 29-Dec-84 01:49:47 EST Distribution: net Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario Lines: 12 Sorry, Brian mixed i<0 for x<0, but the same answer should apply: "...the [FORTRAN 77] standard appeals to the mathematical definition of raising x to the power y..." since x**i is mathematically x*x*...*x (i times) for integer i>0 and (1/x)*(1/x)*...*(1/x) (-i times) for integer i<0 and x!=0 and is 1 for x!=0 and i=0, the standard in section 6.1.2 is implying that FORTRAN 77 should work for x<0 and integer i. If some particular compiler blows it, then it's the compiler which is at fault, and not the standard.