according to my casio calculator -2² equals -4. So casio is wrong?
[Edit] above is not meant to sound sarcastic btw, its a serious question
Try typing "2+3*4" into your calculator. The correct answer is "14", but the elCheapo calculators (the "$5 ones" in my previous response) will give an answer of "20".
To answer your question, yes, your casio can be wrong.
Having said that the Calculator can be "wrong", it is up to us as users of the tool to be aware of the limitations. In this case, we need to put ()'s in the right places to get the right answers. Of course, the stronger solution is a consumer boycott of cruddy products that don't give right answers!
BTW, some of the software solutions (I can think of a "scientific calculator" in Linux that fits in this category) are just as bad. Usually the simple "2+3*4" test will find them out.
Cheers,
DK
p.s. given that order of operations is usch an important part of maths, why is it so hard for calculator programmers to get such an easy thing right?
