There is something strange that I do not understand: julia> 2^-3 0.125 works ok. But the following minor generalization does not. julia> g() = -3; 2^g() ERROR: DomainError with -3: Cannot raise an integer x to a negative power -3. Make x or -3 a float by adding a zero decimal (e.g., 2.0^-3 or 2^-…

From documentation on ^: If y is an Int literal (e.g. 2 in x^2 or -3 in x^-3), the Julia code x^y is transformed by the compiler to Base.literal_pow(^, x, Val(y)), to enable compile-time specialization on the value of the exponent. (As a default fallback we have Base.literal_pow(^, x, Val(y)) = ^(…

Thanks @barucden … I overlooked the docs. Marking your reply as a solution. Yet, it is not completely clear why 2^g() where g() is inferred to be an Int should behave differently. g() is not a literal true, but there should be a code path where literal_pow and pow should behave the same for provabl…

Negative integer exponent

General Usage

GunnarFarneback October 3, 2024, 10:03am 4

This is not just about the exponent being an integer, but being a specific integer. Cf. Confusing difference: ^literal vs ^variable - #6 by StefanKarpinski for some rationale.

Topic		Replies	Views
REPL domain error for exponentiation General Usage question	4	769	November 23, 2019
Pi raised to negative integer powers produces a strange error message, and the literal_pow obfuscation General Usage question	3	992	April 12, 2020
Element-wise exponentiation General Usage question	9	2236	July 22, 2020
Confusing difference: ^literal vs ^variable General Usage	6	1098	August 16, 2018
Weird floating point under/overflow behavior General Usage	3	297	March 31, 2024

Negative integer exponent

Related topics