5 ms·
It makes more sense for 2^3^4 = 2^(3^4). If you meant (2^3)^4, then it would be more efficient to calculate 2^(3*4), because exponentiation takes much longer t
by boas 15y ago
It makes more sense for 2^3^4 = 2^(3^4). If you meant (2^3)^4, then it would be more efficient to calculate 2^(3*4), because exponentiation takes much longer than multiplication.
On a related note, in Excel, -1^2 = 1 because they are calculating (-1)^2 instead of the more standard interpretation, -(1^2).
- deleted 15y ago[deleted]
- philh 15y agoIncidentally, I mentally parse -1^2 as (-1)^2, but I parse -1² as -(1²). Reading your post I was thinking "well yeah, minus one squared is one, what else would it be?"