public static long checkedPow(long b, int k) {
    checkNonNegative("exponent", k);
    if (b >= -2 & b <= 2) {
      switch ((int) b) {
        case 0:
          return (k == 0) ? 1 : 0;
        case 1:
          return 1;
        case -1:
          return ((k & 1) == 0) ? 1 : -1;
        case 2:
          checkNoOverflow(k < Long.SIZE - 1, "checkedPow", b, k);
          return 1L << k;

        BigInteger expectedResult = valueOf(b).pow(k);
        boolean expectedSuccess = fitsInInt(expectedResult);
        try {
          assertEquals(b + "^" + k, force32(expectedResult.intValue()), IntMath.checkedPow(b, k));
          assertTrue(b + "^" + k + " should have succeeded", expectedSuccess);
        } catch (ArithmeticException e) {
          assertFalse(b + "^" + k + " should have failed", expectedSuccess);
        }