In article "Stephen J. Herschkorn" writes:
What is the value of -16^(1/4)?

The standard is not peculiar to those of us who are bemoaning the bug
here. It is as universal as spelling rules.

Perhaps, but it is spelled out nearly nowhere. Certainly not at school.

The only individuals
claiming this to be an ambiguity appear to be computer professionals
exclusively.

So what?

There are thousands of end users of this product who are
not programmers, nor should one need to be to use a spreadsheet. Nor
should they be expected to comb the documentation to discover this
peculiar "feature." This is a very flawed design.

Would you care to pay a penny for each user that thinks "1 + 2 * 3 = 9"?
I have even seen professional physicians make that error (they enter it
as such on their calculator and get that answer).

Mathematics does not dictate that '*' precedes '+'; that is only
convention. A convention that is (alas) not spelled out in most books.
The Dutch saying for the convention is "Meneer Van Dale Wacht Op Antwoord"
implying the following order:
1. M Machtsverheffen = powering
2. V Vermenigvuldiging = multiplication
3. D Deling = division
4. O Optellen = addition
5. A Aftrekken = subtraction.
Using that rule there are quite a few people that thing that
8 - 3 + 4 = 1
Can you understand why?
--
dik t. winter, cwi, kruislaan 413, 1098 sj amsterdam, nederland, +31205924131
home: bovenover 215, 1025 jn amsterdam, nederland; http://www.cwi.nl/~dik/