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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.