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I was actually originally going to say -3 * 5 = -(3 * 5), as a joke. But from what I could find online, it looks like unary minus traditionally falls below expo

by ryanf 16y ago

I was actually originally going to say -3 * 5 = -(3 * 5), as a joke. But from what I could find online, it looks like unary minus traditionally falls below exponentiation in the order of operations for math. See http://mathforum.org/library/drmath/view/53194.html http://mathforum.org/library/drmath/view/53194.html and Wikipedia: "In written or printed mathematics, the expression −3^2 is interpreted to mean −(3^2) = −9."

CamperBob 16y ago
I think we have a QED here. :)
- ryanf 16y ago
  Obviously there are some cases where you should use parentheses. The reference operator just seems like a strange place to draw the line. I mean, to me it seems like the least confusing part of the quoted line.