2**2**2**2**2 wrong? Bug?

[Ben Finney]

"Gabriel Genellina" <gagsl-py2 at yahoo.com.ar> writes:

> "Which is the largest number that can be written with only 3
> digits?"  Some people stop at 999, others try 99**9 and 9**99, and
> the winner is 9**9**9

Since exponentiation is (I think?) the highest-order function we
understand for writing *only* digits on the page, then yes, your
answer is right, if no other mathematical notation is allowed.

Since others seem to be reading "only 3 digits" as "3 digits plus
other well-defined mathematical notation", here's the best answer
given those criteria:

    <URL:http://www.scottaaronson.com/writings/bignumbers.html>

-- 
 \      "I stayed up all night playing poker with tarot cards. I got a |
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_o__)                                                                  |
Ben Finney