Why Does My pow(5,2) Function Return 24 Instead of 25?

Why pow(5,2) Outputs 24 Instead of Its Actual Value

Issue:

In a simple calculator with mathematical functions, the pow() function seems to be producing inaccurate results, specifically for powers. The pow(5,2) operation is returning 24, which is incorrect.

Solution:

The reason for this discrepancy lies in the data type conversion. The pow() function in the provided code is returning a floating-point number, but the result is being assigned to an integer variable (int answer). As a result, the decimal portion of the number is truncated when the conversion occurs.

Fixing the Issue:

To obtain the correct result, the calculation needs to be modified to handle floating-point values. There are two suggested approaches:

1. Rounding the Floating-Point Result:

   By adding 0.5 to the pow() result before assigning it to the integer variable, it can be rounded to the nearest integer. This method is suitable when the result is expected to be an integer.

   int answer;
   answer = pow(number1,number2) + 0.5;

2. Using a Non-Integer Variable for Floating-Point Results:

   If the result is not guaranteed to be an integer, it's recommended to use a double or float variable instead of an integer. This way, the decimal portion of the number will be preserved.

   double answer;
   answer = pow(number1,number2);

Square Root Function:

The square root function in the code is also assigning the result to an integer variable, which is not appropriate. Since square roots are often non-integral, it's recommended to use a double or float variable to store the result.

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