Error in (-5/3)^(1/3)



> (%i1) ((-5/3)^(1/3)),numer;
> (%o1)                         - 1.185631101496688
> (%i2)
> 
> 
> 
> *Maples's answer:*

> > (-5/3)^(1/3);
>                                      1/3  2/3
>                                  (-5)    3
>                                  ------------
>                                       3
> > evalf(%);
>                          0.5928155506 + 1.026786654 I
> >
> 
> Is this a bug or peculiarity?

Is this a branch cut issue? Maple seems to be doing:

exp(c/d * log(-a/b))

which is, I think, the definition of generalized exponentiation.

it seems as if maxima at some point is doing (-5)^(1/3) = - (5^1/3)
which is where things go wrong?



-- 
Daniel Lakeland
dlakelan at street-artists.org
http://www.street-artists.org/~dlakelan