From: "ccashwell (Chris Cashwell)" Date: 2013-01-11T05:48:52+09:00 Subject: [ruby-core:51367] [ruby-trunk - Bug #7682][Open] Inconsistent results when using variables versus raw floats in exponential calculations Issue #7682 has been reported by ccashwell (Chris Cashwell). ---------------------------------------- Bug #7682: Inconsistent results when using variables versus raw floats in exponential calculations https://bugs.ruby-lang.org/issues/7682 Author: ccashwell (Chris Cashwell) Status: Open Priority: Normal Assignee: Category: Target version: 1.9.3 ruby -v: ruby 1.9.3p194 (2012-04-20 revision 35410) [x86_64-darwin11.4.0] When performing exponential calculations using a negative number as the base, inconsistent results are returned when using the raw value as opposed to a variable containing the value. In IRB: 1.9.3p194 :001 > -4.5 ** 0.5 => -2.1213203435596424 1.9.3p194 :002 > foo = -4.5 => -4.5 1.9.3p194 :003 > foo ** 0.5 => (1.2989340843532398e-16+2.1213203435596424i) The expected behavior is that these two calculations should be equivalent. The compiler treats the - sign differently when using an inline float versus a variable float. -- http://bugs.ruby-lang.org/