[r6rs-discuss] incorrect result in example for expt

[Chongkai Zhu]

I can't understand why (expt 0 0) should be 1. Would anyone explain?

Chongkai

William D Clinger wrote:
> In the specification of expt in R6RS section 11.7.4.3,
> the following example is incorrect:
>
>     (expt 0 5+.0000312i)   =>  0
>
> Implementations	are required to return an inexact
> result for that example, following the general rule
> stated in R6RS section 11.7.1:
>
>     The general rule is that the generic operations...
>     return an inexact result when any argument is
>     inexact.
>
> The example does not fall within the general exception
> to that rule (stated in	the paragraph following	the
> general	rule) because (expt 0 0) is 1 but (expt 0 1)
> is 0.  Since the value of the second argument affects
> the result, passing an inexact value for the second
> argument mandates an inexact result.
>
> Will
>
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