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Complex -> List does not work

• To: mathgroup@smc.vnet.net
• Subject: [mg10495] Complex -> List does not work
• From: Gianluca Gorni <gorni@dimi.uniud.it>
• Date: Tue, 20 Jan 1998 02:22:45 -0500

Hello!

I naively tried the following way of turning a complex number into a
couple of real numbers:

         2 + 3 I /. Complex -> List

but it gives me back

                2 + 3 I

even though the full form of 2+3I is Complex[2,3]. The reverse however
is possible:

   {2,3}/.List->Complex  gives  2+3I

The help browser says that "you have to use Re and Im to extract parts
of Complex numbers".

Why this exception to the basic principles of replacement rules?

                 Gianluca Gorni


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Gianluca Gorni
Universita` di Udine
Dipartimento di Matematica e Informatica via delle Scienze 208
I-33100 Udine UD
Italy

Ph.:(39) (432) 558422    Fax:(39) (432) 558499
mailto:gorni@dimi.uniud.it
http://www.dimi.uniud.it