#!/usr/bin/env python3

# --------------------------------------------------------------------------
def signedSquare(val):
    """Returns the square of a number, but if the number was negative
       the returned value is also negative
       Input:  val  A number to be squared
       Return:      the signed square of the number
    """

    # Simple way of doing it - not very neat
    if(val < 0):
        sign = -1
    else:
        sign = 1

    # Let's try the 'Conditional expressions' approach instead
    # sign = -1 if val < 0 else 1

    square = val * val

    return(sign * square)


# --------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Test code

if __name__ == "__main__":

    val = signedSquare(2)
    if(val != 4):
        print("signedSquare(2) failed")
    else:
        print("signedSquare(2) success")

    val = signedSquare(0)
    if(val != 0):
        print("signedSquare(0) failed")
    else:
        print("signedSquare(0) success")

    val = signedSquare(-2)
    if(val != -4):
        print("signedSquare(-2) failed")
    else:
        print("signedSquare(-2) success")