HAHAHA. I love that answer Dave. Glad I revisited this thread.
It seems this equation is really a loaded gun in academia, bringing about a fervent debate in any field of science. You'll get completely different answers from a math professor than you would a physics or computer science professor. Put them in the same room and watch them go. It's hours of fun!
The key to remember is that physics and computer science professors haven't touched algebra since they were 13, and probably don't remember this rule anyway. While they may be correct in how their mind wraps around the mathimatical problem, they are incorrect in how the written expression is officially translated from ink into problem. Unlike the English language which relies heavily on context, mathimatical syntax has to be black and white, even if it means creating obscure rules that make -2^2 = -4.
