fix ** other         → Numeric

Raises fix to the other power, which may be negative or fractional.

2 ** 3      #=> 8
2 ** -1     #=> 0.5
2 ** 0.5    #=> 1.4142135623731

Source Code

/*
*  call-seq:
*    fix ** other         => Numeric
*
*  Raises <code>fix</code> to the <code>other</code> power, which may
*  be negative or fractional.
*
*    2 ** 3      #=> 8
*    2 ** -1     #=> 0.5
*    2 ** 0.5    #=> 1.4142135623731
*/

static VALUE
fix_pow(x, y)
   VALUE x, y;
{
   long a = FIX2LONG(x);

   if (FIXNUM_P(y)) {
       long b;

       b = FIX2LONG(y);
       if (b == 0) return INT2FIX(1);
       if (b == 1) return x;
       a = FIX2LONG(x);
       if (a == 0) return INT2FIX(0);
       if (a == 1) return INT2FIX(1);
       if (a == -1) {
           if (b % 2 == 0)
               return INT2FIX(1);
           else 
               return INT2FIX(-1);
       }
       if (b > 0) {
           return rb_big_pow(rb_int2big(a), y);
       }
       return rb_float_new(pow((double)a, (double)b));
   }
   switch (TYPE(y)) {
     case T_BIGNUM:
       if (a == 0) return INT2FIX(0);
       if (a == 1) return INT2FIX(1);
       if (a == -1) {
           if (int_even_p(y)) return INT2FIX(1);
           else return INT2FIX(-1);
       }
       x = rb_int2big(FIX2LONG(x));
       return rb_big_pow(x, y);
     case T_FLOAT:
       if (a == 0) return rb_float_new(0.0);
       if (a == 1) return rb_float_new(1.0);
       return rb_float_new(pow((double)a, RFLOAT(y)->value));
     default:
       return rb_num_coerce_bin(x, y);
   }
}