`&^` := proc (x, p) 
options `Maple Advisor Database 1.01 for Maple 6`,
`Copyright (c) 1998 by Robert B. Israel.  All rights reserved`; 
local n,d;
if type(p,integer) or is(x>=0) then x^p 
elif type(p,float) then `&^`(x,convert(p,rational)) 
elif type(p,rational) then
  n:= numer(p); d:= denom(p); 
  if is(x,real) then
    if type(n,even) then abs(x)^p
    elif type(d,odd) then signum(x)*abs(x)^p
    else surd(signum(x),d)*abs(x)^p
    fi
  else surd(x^n,d) 
  fi 
else '`&^`(x,p)' 
fi 
end;