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why the second image just has the positive part? Is the problem in the domain of definition? 0.0

The code is here:

{Plot[1-Power[t^2, (3)^-1],{t,-1,1}],Plot[1-t^(2/3),{t,-1,1}]}

enter image description here

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  • $\begingroup$ Use CubeRoot or Surd instead of 1/3 $\endgroup$
    – cvgmt
    Commented Jul 22, 2021 at 2:46

2 Answers 2

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As others have pointed out alternative methods to get the desired result, I'll address the why of the matter.

The difference stems from a two-step cascade, the first being computational and the second, mathematical. We can see the first step with the use of Trace.

Power[t^2, (3)^-1] /. t -> -0.5 // Trace
t^(2/3) /. t -> -0.5 // Trace

{...,{(-0.5)^2, 0.25}, 0.25^(1/3), 0.629961}

{..., (-0.5)^(2/3), -0.31498+0.545562 I}

These results show that the fundamental difference in evaluation is that the first procedure first computes the square which yields a positive number and is thus in the principal branch of the following cube root, giving a real number which Mathematica can plot (as opposed to a non-real). This is not the case with the direct evaluation in the second procedure. The shortcomings of using Power are highlighted in the "Possible Issues" documentation of CubeRoot.

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  • $\begingroup$ Thanks for your explaination. It's really helpful! (/▽\) $\endgroup$
    – White0-0
    Commented Jul 22, 2021 at 8:31
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{Plot[1 - Power[t^2, (3)^-1], {t, -1, 1}], 
 Plot[1 - Surd[t, 3]^2, {t, -1, 1}]}

Or

{Plot[1 - Power[t^2, (3)^-1], {t, -1, 1}], 
 Plot[1 - CubeRoot[t]^2, {t, -1, 1}]}

enter image description here

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