negative base raised to fractional exponent

[Robert Kern]

Steve Holden wrote:
> schaefer.mp at gmail.com wrote:
>> Does anyone know of an approximation to raising a negative base to a
>> fractional exponent? For example, (-3)^-4.11111 since this cannot be
>> computed without using imaginary numbers. Any help is appreciated.
>>
> A couple of questions.
> 
> 1. How do you approximate a complex number in the reals? That doesn't 
> make sense.
> 
> 2. x ^ -4.1111 = 1 / (x ^ 4.1111), so where do complex numbers enter 
> into this anyway?

When *x* is negative and the exponent is fractional.

-- 
Robert Kern

"I have come to believe that the whole world is an enigma, a harmless enigma
 that is made terrible by our own mad attempt to interpret it as though it had
 an underlying truth."
  -- Umberto Eco