Re: OASIS: Infix Operator "^"

["Andreas J. Guelzow" <aguelzow taliesin ca>]

On Thu, 2007-22-02 at 23:34 +0200, Leonard Mada wrote:
> Andreas J Guelzow wrote:
> > Unfortunately there is a
> > significant discrepancy of the normal mathematical definitions and what
> > is used in spreadsheets.
> >   
>
> However, there is NO discrepancy what mathematicians use. Also, 
> dedicated mathematical programs are fairly consistent with these 
> precedence rules. I therefore recommend to every developer of a 
> mathematical standard to have first a look at Mathematica.

I am not sure why with respect to a mathematical standard one would want
to look at the implementation in an arbitrary software product.

In any case the OpenFormula standard is supposed to be a standard for a
file format, not a Mathematical Standard.

> > > 2. The classic ERROR: -4^2
> > > Mathematically, this yields always -(4^2)=-16, NEVER +16!!!
> > > There is NO unary operator in mathematics that converts a number to its 
> > > negative, like described in the documents.
> > >     
> >
> > This is utter nonsense. Of course there is such a unary operator. ...
> NO, there is NO such unary operator: -x^2 = -x * -x = + x^2, THIS is 
> NONSENSE. Such a unary operator does NOT exist. 

What is the - in -x if not a unary operator?

Andreas Guelzow
-- 
"Liberty consists less in acting according to
one's own pleasure, than in not being subject 
to the will and pleasure of other people. It 
consists also in our not subjecting the wills 
of other people to our own."  Rousseau


Prof. Dr. Andreas J. Guelzow
Dept. of Mathematical & Computing Sciences
Concordia University College of Alberta