Calculator Bug

[casamurphy]

The native calculator while on Scientific Calculator mode doesn't properly apply exponents to expressions containing negative numbers.  -3^(2) should be -9 as opposed to (-3)^(2) which would be 9.  Pop both of these expressions into a Google search bar to assure yourself that I am right and then test the Samsung Calculator and you will see that it is flawed.

[casamurphy]

I'm replying to my own post because the system applied a hard return at a confusing place on the original post.

Here is how it should have read:

The native calculator while on Scientific Calculator mode doesn't properly apply exponents to expressions containing negative numbers.

     -3^(2) should be -9 as opposed to (-3)^(2) which would be 9.  

Pop both of these expressions into a Google search bar to assure yourself that I am right and then test the Samsung Calculator and you will see that it is flawed.

[TheFourthDoctor]

Nice catch.  

It looks like the calculator is not applying the order of operations correctly. 

-3^2 is equivalent to -1*3^2 = -9,which the calculator does correctly.

It appears to be treating -3^2 as equivalent to (-3)^2, which is wrong.

Of course, if you "encourage" the calculator by putting parenthesis in the right places, -(3^2) then it'll come up with correct answer...

[ARossetter]

Most calculators will show this (incorrect) interpretation of -3^2, including the fun one supplied with Windows (try it!)

For anyone else curious about this, here's an explanation:

Ask Dr. Math

So yeah, it's a bug, but I doubt this one would ever get fixed.