Python: -2 ** 2 = -4?!PRO

** binds tighter than the minus sign, so -2 ** 2 is -(2 ** 2). Brackets fix it: (-2) ** 2 = 4.

# Python: -2 ** 2 = -4 ?!
# ** binds tighter than the minus sign, so this is -(2 ** 2).
print(-2 ** 2)        # -4 ?!
print(-(2 ** 2))      # -4  (what Python actually did)

# Fix: brackets around the negative number
print((-2) ** 2)      # 4 ✓
x = -2
print(x ** 2)         # 4 ✓  a variable holds the whole -2

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