What's the difference between "2*2" and "2**2" in Python?

python, syntax

Solution

Try:

2**3*2

and

2*3*2

to see the difference.

`**` is the operator for "power of". In your particular operation, 2 to the power of 2 yields the same as 2 times 2.

Problem

What is the difference between the following statements? Statement 1: ``` var=2**2*3 ``` Statement 2: ``` var2=2*2*3 ``` I see no difference. This raises the following question. Why is Statement 1 used if we can use Statement 2?

Original source