matlab giving complex number when the expected answer is a real number?

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matlab is giving me complex number when the expected answer is a real number? The code is the following:
A1 = -1;
A = A1^1.5
A = 0.0000 - 1.0000i
The answer should have been -1
A = -1^1.5
A = -1
Can anyone tell me why this is the case? It is giving a complex number when a variable is used.
Many thanks

Accepted Answer

Mischa Kim
Mischa Kim on 24 May 2018
Note:
>> (-1)^1.5
ans =
0.0000 - 1.0000i
which is not the same as
>> -1^1.5 % = -(1^1.5)
ans =
-1

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