I'd like to simply execute a Python command without having to write a script or enter the interpreter. Is there a way that I could run something like:python --execute pow(12.31351,2)And have it simply print the result? 
Can I execute a python statement from a terminal?
debian;python
you can use -c arguments,like python -c print 123,see python --helpusage: python [option] ... [-c cmd | -m mod | file | -] [arg] ...     -c cmd : program passed in as string (terminates option list)