power TypeErrors

[Fernando Pérez]

Michael Hudson wrote:

>  What specific problems involve complex input or
> output?

Well, lattice gauge theory, for one (my field). Not exactly mainstream, mind 
you :) But _everything_ in there is complex. FFTs are a far more common 
problem where complex numbers are normal. But as I said, even finding the 
roots of a simple polynomial or the eigenvalues of a non-symmetric (real) 
matrix can give you complex output in a heartbeat. And you can't really write 
many numerical algorithms correctly if they can't wander into the complex 
plane internally.

The real line is awful thin, and it's really easy to fall off of it :)

Cheers,

f.