Python returns the same value for raising to a negative fraction

Asked Mar 24 '17 at 18:37

Active Mar 24 '17 at 18:37

Viewed 34 times

Here's a demonstration of what I mean:

Python 2.7.12 (default, Nov 19 2016, 06:48:10) 
[GCC 5.4.0 20160609] on linux2
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>> 10**(5)
100000
>>> 10**(-1/5)
0.1
>>> 10**(-1/6)
0.1
>>> 10**(-1/100)
0.1
>>> 10**(-1/19325)
0.1

It is able to calculate positive powers and negative integers, but when I put in a negative fraction, it consistently returns 0.1.

I've also tried using the Fraction() object, but the same issue occurs.

asked Mar 24 '17 at 18:37

Jacob Barrow

3

Why don't you just print the exponents? – Stefan Pochmann Mar 24 '17 at 18:39
4

On Python 2, the `/` operator performs *integer division* on two `int`s – juanpa.arrivillaga Mar 24 '17 at 18:40
1

@juanpa.arrivillaga the boilerplate at the top would suggest so :P – TemporalWolf Mar 24 '17 at 18:40
Try `10**(-1/5.)` the `5.` is a `float`, so it does what you expect. – TemporalWolf Mar 24 '17 at 18:41
1

@TemporalWolf heh, you're right! – juanpa.arrivillaga Mar 24 '17 at 18:41
Cheers - had a bit of a moment there – Jacob Barrow Mar 24 '17 at 18:43

Python returns the same value for raising to a negative fraction

0 Answers0