Re: zero to the power zero

It depends on who you ask: Exponentiation#Zero_to_the_zero_power ;)

The evaluation of 0^0 is possible in several computer programming languages. Many languages, including C, Java, Python, Ruby, Haskell, ML, Scheme,MATLAB and others (especially when using IEEE floating-point arithmetic, but also for integer arithmetic), evaluate 0^0 to be 1. Mathematica simplifies a^0 to 1, even if no constraints are placed on a, but does not simplify 0^a, and takes 0^0 to be an indeterminate form. Maple simplifies a^0 to 1 and 0^a to 0, even if no constraints are placed on a, and evaluates 0^0 to 1.

Comment on Re: zero to the power zero

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Re^2: zero to the power zero by Anonymous Monk on Feb 06, 2009 at 21:58 UTC
0^0 is the value of the function x^x when x=0. In fact, x^x is not defined at 0 (not in the domain of definition), therefore 0^0 is not defined. But, we can say that the limit of x^x as x tends to zero equals to 1,yet we can not say that 0^0=1. Programming languages evaluates this limit -not the value- as 1. Finally 0^0 is not defined, but the limit of x^x as x tends to 0 is 1.	[reply]