Ans and ^ (1/3)

[John Colvin]

(03-31-2015 08:31 PM)Han Wrote:  

(03-31-2015 07:45 PM)John Colvin Wrote:  I see your point, however if I use the nth root template(accessed from the C key) and take the cube root of -8, I get -2, not the complex root. So in this case I am actually taking the cube root of a negative number-not taking the cube root of a positive number and then negating it.

Use Textbook mode and enter in -8 raised to the power of 1/3 via the template key. Then, after the calculator returns the result, change to algebraic entry. Tap the screen to copy the expression into the command line and you will see how it evaluates your original expression. The reason you got -2 was because it's parsed as -8^(1/3) and not (-8)^(1/3). Nevermind, you used nthroot and not the power template.

Then why does taking a negative number to the 1/3 power give the complex root as opposed to the real root when in many cases the only root of interest is the real one? This quirk also exists on the HP50.